As a person who not only hated mornings, but despised morning people, I have evolved into a strong believer in the efficiency of waking up early. Our mornings can go two ways; a relaxed productive morning gearing us towards long-term success, or a stressed morning which comprises of waking up late, and rushing to work or school, setting us up for stagnancy if not failure.
I take motivation and inspiration from successful people, and one
of the common denominators in the lives of such successful people is waking up
early. Here is a look at the time some of the most successful people in world
wake up;
Apple CEO Tim Cook wakes up at 3:45 a.m.
CEO and co-founder of Ellevest, Sallie Krawcheck wakes at 4 a.m.
L. Rafael Reif, President of M.I.T., gets up at 5 a.m.
CEO of Xeroz, Ursula Burns rises at 5:15 a.m.
Michelle Obama wakes up at 4:30 am, to name a few.
Do you want to know the 7 habits I implemented to have a
life-changing morning routine?
1. MORNING PAGES
Morning pages are the holy grail I live by. I collect my thoughts and ideas in one place, be they dreams, thoughts, troubles or worries. I write it aaallll down, and make room for more productive and positive ideas.
This is not just venting time; it is also gratitude time. There is so much to be thankful for, and merely recalling them can be a huge morale boost.
2. HYDRATE
Your body has been snoozing for hours, and whether you feel it or
not, your body is thirsty. I start my day with a glass of water and lemon, as
this helps with not only hydrating my body, but also some vitamin C.
As you develop the habit of keeping your body hydrated, you will
experience a drastic decrease in your cravings. This will keep your weight in
check, keep your skin shiny and fresh, as well as a long list of other benefits that
come with it.
3.
WORKOUT/EXERCISE
While I am a sucker for routines, and cannot stand change, monotony
can be a buzz kill and severely affects my ability to perform, especially my writing
ability. Thus, not only does exercise break this monotony, it stimulates
creativity by firing off endorphins and getting the blood flowing to our
brains.
Additionally, along with being an energy boost, exercise helps in
staying fit and healthy by burning of those extra calories, thereby keeping you
in good shape and health. If you don’t spare time to exercise now, you will not
only have to make time but also spend money on your health in the years to
come.
4. READ A
BOOK
“Let’s be reasonable and add an eighth day to the week that is devoted exclusively to reading.” – Lena Dunham
Reading is the second common denominator in the lives of all
successful people I have seen or read about. Thus, instead of mindlessly
scrolling on social media, I have made it a habit to read a few pages every
morning. I realized that due to busy schedules I was losing my love for
reading, and thus replaced 20 minutes of social media time to reading a book.
It is very true that some people despite trying do not enjoy
reading, and that is okay. Let’s celebrate our difference, in style. I suggest
audio books or podcasts for those who for whatever reason can’t read. You can listen
to these while doing something else, thereby killing two birds with one stone.
5. STAY
DISCONNECTED
Social media comes with pros and a long list of cons. Due to its addictive nature, social media usage increasingly occupies time meant for other activities, or in most cases leaves no time to pursue other activities.
Your mornings are meant to be your YOU time, and checking emails,
replying to DMs or checking Instagram stories among others can wait. Stay
disconnected from this false reality, and use this time for self-improvement, and
enhanced productivity
6. EAT THE
FROG
Frogs are nasty, literally and figuratively. Eating the frog is
basically about getting the most difficult chunk of work out of your day. With
these extra hours on your hand, down that difficult bit, and by the time your
day starts, you are already ahead of others, less stressed about what you have
to do, and most likely will have a relatively relaxed and spaced day.
7. CHANGE
ONE THING
As we come to the end of this article, remember that these extra 3 or so hours are a gift of nature to you. While many spend it sleeping, or struggling to get out of bed, use it to your advantage, and design your mornings for a life-changing experience.
Here are a few extra tips that helped me
Take A Cold
Shower; A cold shower in the morning is
not only hygienic it is an excellent jolt to being active, and out of the sleep
zone. Avoid warm showers, as that relaxes your system, and may tempt to you to
crawl right back in bed
Make Your
Bed; The armed forces are keen on
making a perfect bed in the morning, as it builds discipline. But for ordinary
peepz like us, it merely prevents us from going back to sleep as the bed is all
made up, and making it all over again can be a headache.
… And also the discipline part
Don’t Skip
Breakfast; It goes without saying, skipping
breakfast is a NO NO. skipping breakfast makes you cranky, causes headaches, general weakness, and eventually impacts the quality of your work. If you are unable to eat
before leaving for work or school, pack your breakfast and eat it as soon as
you can.
For people with desk jobs, it is always best to eat a low-carb
breakfast, while those with more manual work regimen can eat a carbohydrate-rich
breakfast.
Whatever you do, don’t skip breakfast
We are all made differently with different needs, and set on different paths. These are outlines of some of the changes I made in my mornings that set me up for a better life. They may not be what you need in your life right now. These are guidelines aimed to help you in designing your life according to your life and challenges.
"You are never too old to set a new goal or to dream a new dream" C. S. Lewis
STAY STRONG AND WORK HARD FOR THE LIFE YOU WANT.
