How to Start Your Day Right

How you start your day pretty much sets the tone for the rest of your day. Waking up refreshed after a good night’s sleep, in a good mood with a clear idea of the day’s tasks and responsibilities can sound a little too good to be true, but you can make it your reality with a few simple changes to your daily routine. Here are some of our favourite tips on how you can start your day right.

Start the Night Before

Yes, that’s right. The first way you can start your day right is to end your last one well. Getting a good amount of high quality, restful sleep will definitely leave you feeling refreshed the next day. Plan a simple night time routine for yourself that allows you to wind down enough to feel ready for bed. It could consist of simple actions like doing your skincare, writing in your journal or reading a book.

Stretch Your Muscles

After a night of deep, restful sleep, your muscles would naturally be stiff. Doing some stretching exercises as soon as you get out of bed will help loosen them up and get blood flowing through your body. The increase in blood circulation also helps you feel more awake, so you won’t be tempted to sneak back into bed for those extra five minutes. This will give you an added boost to help you start your day right.

Drink Water

After going an entire night without water, and in tropical climates, in an air-conditioned room, your body would be dehydrated. Drinking a glass of lukewarm or warm water first thing in the morning is a great way to rehydrate your body. Warm water also helps to kickstart your digestive system, ensuring that you flush out the built-up toxins as soon as possible. If you’re feeling a little fancy, you can add a slice of lemon in your warm water. It is a great source of Vitamin C and antioxidants, that help you build up your immunity and metabolism. It's a healthy way to start your day right.

Practise Meditation or Gratitude

Many people have found that meditating early in the morning has allowed them to have more energy and clarity when they start their day. Meditation or mindfulness can be tough for beginners, who struggle to fully clear their mind and focus. Another  way to get your mood right for the day is to practise gratitude. Take a couple of minutes to think of everything that you’re grateful for. As you reflect, you will start to feel more positive and your brain will release feel-good chemicals like dopamine, endorphins and serotonin. This will help you feel much better about your day as you start it right.

Words of Affirmation

Another way to get into the right frame of mind for the day is to read or listen to words of affirmation. Words have great power. So when you hear or read encouraging things at the start of your day, you will find yourself being more motivated to take on the day’s challenges. Words of affirmation can help build up your self-confidence bit by bit every single day, and lift your self-esteem.

You can prepare words of affirmation in many different ways – writing yourself notes to be read in the mornings, affirmation calendars, affirmation cards that you can revisit any time you want. If you prefer something that you can use on the go, there are many apps and podcasts that you can download to get your daily affirmations to start your day right.

Starting your day right is the first step to a happier and healthier you. You may not always have great days – you might oversleep one day, or fall sick another. Cut yourself some slack and don’t be discouraged. It’s the journey that counts, so pick yourself up and continue your routine.