There seem to be two types of people in the world, morning people and night owls. I’m definitely the former and can easily wake up at 5.30am to come down and work but you will always find me in bed by 10pm. I am useless in the evenings and my brain just doesn’t function properly, even if I get up later.
If you struggle in the mornings then this guest post has some useful tips on getting your day off to a great start…
Aurelius, the Roman Emperor, once said: “When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” 2000 years later and we’re swamped with inspirational quotes on social media, philosophising on what it means to have a good day. But if you need concrete ideas on setting yourself up for the day ahead, this article is for you.
1. Stretch.
Stretching increases blood flow to the muscles, improves circulation, and loosens up your body for the day ahead. Taking time out to stretch is great for mental health too, as it gives us time to breathe and focus. It’s never too late to take up yoga either. Start by getting down on your hands and knees and gently tilting your spine between dog and cat pose. Move on to sun salutations to really get the heart pumping. Why not set yourself a challenge to do three sets each morning and see how you feel?
2. Write a list
Set yourself a goal for the day, or write a list of things you’d like to achieve — just make sure you keep it short and realistic. To boost your feel-good factor, think about what you could do to help out someone else today.
3. Shake up your shower
To keep your circulation going after the morning sun salutations, alternate your shower between warm and cold. Make sure you don’t miss a minute of the Today programme with a waterproof shower radio or use it to tune into your favourite music station.
4. Drink up
Hot water and lemon is a great way to wake up your body in the morning. You can also try freezing slices of lemon to pop straight into a glass of cold water if you prefer. After that, why not treat yourself to something special? Join the smoothie pack with these easy three-ingredient smoothies, or, if you’re a tea and coffee fiend, try the varied range of pods from Tassimo. Sealed for freshness, they’ll provide you with your morning Costa cappuccino, vanilla latte or refreshing Twining’s green tea at the click of a button. It makes for a lovely morning treat without leaving the house.
5. Eat up
Feast on fruit, grains and protein for breakfast and beware of hidden sugars in cereal and yoghurt. Instead, mix up your own muesli with oats, nuts and seeds or — if you have more time — eggs make a great protein-rich breakfast to fuel your body and mind for the day ahead.
6. Be still
Mornings can be a busy time, but one of the best things you can do is take a few minutes to be still. Take the time to sit somewhere quiet, to look out of the window or to close your eyes and reflect on the privilege it indeed is “to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love”.
Give your morning the attention it deserves and the day will repay you later.
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