Creating a Healthy Morning Routine

How can a healthy morning routine help if you're not a fan of getting out of bed in the morning? You're not alone in that feeling. Convincing yourself to leave your bedroom and enter the real world can be a daunting task. However, creating a healthy morning routine can help you learn to greet the morning with a smile.

My Morning Routine Keeps Me Healthy

Here, I'm going to detail my morning routine. Feel free to take (or discard) whatever you like. Your morning routine is all up to you.

Step 1: Get Out of Bed

Now, this one might be a bit obvious. But getting out of bed isn't the first thing most people do when they wake up. In fact, until a couple of weeks ago, it wasn't the first step in my morning routine. Instead, I used to habitually check my phone the moment I woke up. I'd open my phone just seconds after opening my eyes. Now, I keep my phone in a different room, and I don't start checking emails until my morning routine is over. Instead of giving the first few minutes of my morning to social media, work emails, and checking coronavirus statistics, I move on to step two. 

Step 2: Light Exercise 

After getting out of bed, I head straight for the yoga mat in the living room. I don't do anything overly fancy. In fact, I only spend about five minutes doing light bodyweight exercises, leaving more than enough energy to do my real workout later in the day. However, taking the time to breathe, get the blood pumping, and spend the first few minutes of my day in my body (instead of in my phone) makes a big difference in setting the tone for the rest of the day. 

Step 3: Brush My Teeth 

Hopefully, this one doesn't need much explaining. Please brush your teeth. 

Step 4: Play With the Cat

I spend about three minutes sitting on the floor playing with my fiance's cat. This cat is a ridiculous creature, so just a minute or two usually results in quite a few laughs. 

Step 5: Work

After my routine, I usually open up my laptop and start working. I use my mornings for uninterrupted creative work (like writing this blog post). I try to work for at least 90 minutes without distraction. If you're not a morning person, starting work within 30 minutes of waking up might not be your optimal strategy. I've found that working when you're naturally the most creative, motivated, and inspired is the best way to structure your day. Make sure to listen to your body. Don't fight it. 

Step 6: Walk

The last step in my morning routine is to go for a walk. Usually, I walk to a delightful park here in Antwerp with a pond, trees, and flowers. Getting a bit of exercise and walking through nature is great for recharging me and getting me ready for another block of work.

What's your morning routine? If you don't have a routine yet, what are a few healthy habits you can repeat each day? Share your thoughts in the comments.