Start your day with a bang and maintain high energy levels throughout with these morning habits that don’t involve yoga or meditation. For those who prefer to kickstart their mornings with movement, here are some tips to keep your energy soaring all day long.
1) Establish a routine to avoid hitting snooze.
Snooze buttons can be tempting, but they often leave us feeling more groggy than refreshed. Instead, create a habit that prevents you from hitting snooze repeatedly. Consider writing a message like “No snooze today” on a folded sheet of paper or placing your phone out of reach, such as under your dresser or bed. By consciously retrieving your phone to turn off the alarm, you’ll likely resist the urge to crawl back under the covers. Embrace this “no snoozing” policy, and you’ll start each day with a sense of accomplishment and gain valuable extra time.
2) Dress in an outfit you love.
Whether you work from home or have a dress code at the office, you probably know that feeling your best starts with liking what you’re wearing. Elevate your outfit and notice if a sense of confidence influences your work performance.
3) Plan your to-do list for the day.
Typically, our workdays are reactive—responding to emails, phone calls, and immediate tasks. However, the work that truly advances our careers and brings in revenue often requires proactive efforts like brainstorming, researching, and taking initiative. Before the chaos ensues, map out what you want to accomplish for the day. Set aside dedicated time for your proactive projects, making them a priority. Additionally, add something exciting, interesting, or challenging to your to-do list to take proactive action to the next level.
4) Optimize your commute.
Consider how you can make your commute more enjoyable. Maybe leave the house a few minutes earlier to catch a less-crowded train or bring work to do during your commute. If you drive, explore audiobooks, TED talks, language-learning materials, or podcasts that energize, motivate, or entertain you. Find podcasts that you look forward to and discover how your commute can become a source of energy rather than draining it.
5) Evaluate the use of your glucose.
Just like cars run on gas and laptops rely on electricity, our brains run on glucose—the essential sugar that fuels mental tasks. We start each day with a limited amount of glucose, so it’s crucial to use it wisely. Stress, worrying, and excessive self-control deplete your glucose levels. Before you succumb to stress, ask yourself, “Is this a good use of my glucose?” Reserve your brainpower for important projects and creative problem-solving. Certain foods like beans, nuts, and protein-rich snacks can replenish your glucose levels. However, a preventative strategy is to proactively manage stress and conserve your glucose for when you need it most.
6) Check and log out of your email.
Depending on your work environment, you may have different email practices. While a strict “no email until 11 am” rule may not be feasible for everyone, it’s essential to consider how you use email. Are you using it to transmit information or conducting business? The latter approach, constantly monitoring your inbox and responding to every email immediately, can hinder productivity. Allocate specific times during the day to check your email and then log out. This way, you can concentrate on your work without being constantly interrupted.
7) Fuel yourself with something to eat.
Even if you’re not a breakfast person, have an energy bar or keep almonds at your desk for a quick snack. Don’t let hunger strike and distract you by mid-morning.
8) Support someone else’s career.
Take a moment to do something beneficial for someone
else’s professional growth. Endorse a colleague on LinkedIn, send a congratulatory note to a coworker who closed a deal, share a helpful article with a friend, or refer a freelancer to a potential job opportunity. Following the golden rule of “Do good, feel good,” helping others boosts your energy and contributes to positive karma.
By incorporating these morning habits into your routine, you can enhance productivity, maintain high energy levels, and set a positive tone for the day in your creative space