What’s the Best Way to Start the Day?
Written by Al at 7P
![[Power mornings.]](http://7pproductions.com/img/a-h/good_morning_indeed.jpg)
Welcome every morning with a smile… Let your first hour set the theme of success and positive action that is certain to echo through your entire day. Today will never happen again. Don’t waste it with a false start or no start at all. You were not born to fail.
- Og Mandino
Starting the day right can give good momentum for the rest of the day. Having a power morning is a key ingredient for a fruitful day. Here are some tips on getting the most out of the morning.
- Wake up early. In theory, there’s no difference in waking up early or late as long as you get the proper amount of sleep. However, there is a psychological advantage when you wake up earlier than the average person. You got a head start and you’ll have more time to do preparation before engaging in the real world.
- Make it a routine. It can be tough to be an early riser, especially if it’s before sunrise. Having a regular time for waking up helps the body be more alert in the mornings.
- Exercise. Good health is always a benefit with exercise, but studies have also shown that morning exercise helps you to sleep better at nights.
- Meditate. Just like rebooting your computer is a good way to make it function cleanly and smoothly, meditating in the morning is like rebooting your mind for the day.
- Eat breakfast. It’s the most important meal of the day. According to the Mayo Clinic, we should choose 3 from the following 4: fruits and veggies, grains, dairy, and protein. Did you know that you can actually gain weight when you skip breakfast?
- Take a shower. When you shower, do you do it in the morning or at night? I used to shower in the evenings, but I found that morning showers helped me to be more alert.
- Read the news. Or blogs. Or whatever your source is on what’s the latest happenings in the world.
- Prioritize your To-Do list. Leo from Zen Habits coined the acronym MIT to mean “most important tasks.” Our to-do list might be never ending, but put on top of the list a couple of mission critical tasks that will define the day to be a successful one.
- Check your emails. Only once. Getting a lot of emails can be very distractive and overwhelming. You actually are more productive when you check them only a few times at fixed times of the day. I only do them 2-3 times a day - once in the morning, once at lunch, and one more as it gets toward the end of the day.
- Go to bed early the night before. The right amount of sleep for you can range between 5 to 10 hours. Whatever is best for you, make sure you go to bed the night before to get the amount you need.
Not everything on this list is needed, such as reading the news or showering in mornings rather than at nights. Is there anything on the list that you think is most important? Is there anything that should be added to the list?
Hi Al: I’m a big believer in the power of ritual. The things that you mention here are all great ways to start your morning (I like your term “power morning”). I say to myself every morning when I wake up: “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
Breakfast!
I’m one of those people who wake up RAVENOUS. I can’t really function properly until after breakfast.
Vered’s last blog post: Being A Lawyer Was Sucking The Life Out Of Me
These are some great ideas to rev up the morning, Al.
I recently bought a juicer/ smoothie maker and have been experimenting with all kinds of healthy, multicolored concoctions first thing in the morning.
It’s still early days, but I feel much better for it.
Half the fun is experimenting with the ingredients to see what does- and doesn’t- taste well together
Aha! “Check you e-mails only once” is something that I need to practice a little bit more. I’ve made it a habit to wake up earlier and earlier with every morning; so far I’ve done well. For me, aside from the usual “getting ready for the day (shower & all that stuff)” routine, I turn on some music (usually Cirque du Soleil, Jack Johnson, or Bob Marley) and I turn on my computer. The music definitely gets me going and I check “some” messages before heading out the door. But I’ll tell ya, it’s easy to get distracted with all the messages so I DO need to discipline myself in that area…
The Urbane Lion and I set the alarm for 30 minutes prior to when we need to get up at (which is 5:30 a.m.!) We always always always start the day with a snuggle for those last 30 precious minutes of sleep. Talk about a great start to the day! I used to run in the morning, but given how early we have to get up as it is, I’d have to run at 4 a.m., and that just ain’t gonna happen. However, the reason why we do get up so early is so that we don’t feel rushed in the morning. We have an espresso (or 2), eat breakfast (always!), check our emails, and the Lion reads some news (I don’t; I find the news too depressing). By the time I get to work at 7:30 a.m. I am wide awake and ready to get on with my day.
Urban Panther’s last blog post: I just don’t get it
I enjoyed this list. I meditate every morning, and find it very helpful for my well being.
Also, I have a tea ceremony each morning. Well, I like to call it a “ceremony” but it’s just me drinking tea
I love the mornings, and you’re so right about early risings giving one a psychological edge. There is just something about it.
Bamboo Forest’s last blog post: 7 Ways You can Become Rich
@Mare: mornings were once the part of the day I neglected the most, but when I began having a proper ritual, it helped me to get more consistent good days. I like your morning phrase also because it’s full of positivity! I also do something similar with a quote:
@Vered: Breakfast is so important! Is there anything you specifically have for breakfast? According to the Mayo Clinic, we should choose 3 of the following four: fruits and veggies, grains, dairy, protein.
@Scott: Juicers are an excellent way to get something tasty and nutritional. I also have a juicer, but the only thing I’m comfortable making is carrot juice. It’d be great to see you publish some of your favorite juicer concoctions.
@Ricardo: Music can be a great part of the mornings. I should have added that on the list. Checking emails (and for me, checking news as well) can take up a lot of time, so it’s indeed important that we budget our time and not let it take up too much of the morning.
@Urban Panther: that sounds like a very productive routine you and the Urbane Lion have. Checking emails, having an espresso and breakfast, snuggling, and … snuggling? Snuggling! That’s pretty awesome that it’s a normal part of the morning routine and not an exception.
@Bamboo: agreed, meditation is so healthy to do, especially in the mornings. Sometimes when I’m rushed I skip it, but I can tell I’m a little off-center during the day whenever I do. Also, having the “tea ceremony” is a great routine. It sounds like rather than hastily drinking that beverage while on the go, you allow yourself to really enjoy the experience of drinking it. A good cup of tea can be very enjoyable.
I don’t find it easy to meditate in the mornings. I’m always like raring to go…LOL!!
Breakfasts are fruits-only. If I get hungry, I eat a tiny snack before lunch.
But good point about checking emails. I’ve not been very good lately. I’d have to stop leaving my inbox open.
Thks for sharing,
Evelyn
Evelyn Lim | Attraction Mind Map’s last blog post: How To Do Pendulum Dowsing
Al: Yes, The Panther took very well to some of the habits of the French culture. Working for National Defence, health and fitness is a way of life and we are strongly encouraged to use the gym during office hours. Nothing like getting the happy drug flowing in your body to make the day (and your life!) productive.
Vered: Same here! The real Lion comes out if I don’t eat within 30 min. of waking up. Needless to say that, during the week, I am the one who pours the OJ, espressos and flips the eggs. But then again…. that also gives me 30-45 min. of “alone” time in the morning!
Ricardo: I was actually very well disciplined before I met the Panther. I used to check my emails only 3-4 time a day. But now, we email each other several times per hour and, if i take the time to read her emails, I may as well read the others also! I soooo lack discipline!
Urbane Lion’s last blog post: The Urban Mojito!
after reading this post i feel like i have no routine/disciplin in life
i wake up late in the morning (10.30 pm) never Exercise/Meditate, but onething i do time is BreakFast i never skip my freakfast (or you can say my day never start without it)
i never plan my day there is nothing called schedule in my life i do things when i feel like want to do it
but now i think i need a daily time table. i need to do things on time.
@Evelyn: sounds like you’re a morning person! Cutting back on checking email is a tough habit to start, but it really has helped reduce the distractions in my mornings.
@Urbane Lion: That’s awesome that the gym was encourage by your work. I wish more companies realize that healthy employees are productive employees also. It’s all about that drug called “happiness.”
@Sunil: seems like you’re a free spirit! Structure does help efficiency, but it’s hard to be both creative and structured. Sometimes I push back on too much structure because it stifles my creativity. However, creativity may not be worth much if I don’t get the creative work done by the deadline.
Aughh! Al,
I am a night owl, so I don’t see the sunrise too often. I do have a morning ritual of writing in my gratitude journal and checking my blog. Breakfast is a necessity too.
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Hi Al - these are fab tips. I find it easier doing my to do list the night before though. It stresses me out in the morning.
I’m definitely going to try meditating when I get up though. I’m guessing it is better when you’re not so sleepy.
Getting enough sleep is really important isn’t it. And going to bed early is far better than being woken up by an alarm clock.
Cath Lawson’s last blog post: Lets Focus On Promoting You
One thing that really works for me is to tell myself I can stay in bed as long as I like. Then when I get up I feel I am in the flow of things. I don’t have the structure of a job where I work for someone else, so my satisfaction in life depends very much on following enthusiasms as they arise.
Having said all that, we walk down the street for coffee every day in the late morning (hey… we work in the music industry!)
Robin’s last blog post: A Magic Trick For Relationships
@Barbara: I know what you mean about being a night owl. For me the most creative part of the day is at night. Not too long ago the most times I saw the sunrise was because I didn’t sleep yet. Took me a little while to find a balance between being up at night and being an early bird.
@Cath: meditation can be really helpful, but yeah, it’s less effective if one’s sleepy. When i meditate while sleepy, it feels like I simply hit the snooze button on my alarm. Great tip about doing the To Do list the night before.
@Robin: that’s awesome that you don’t get out of bed until you have enough motivation and enthusiasm to do so. That’s good advice even for people with regimented morning routines.
nice list, thanks for sharing.
sumati’s last blog post: TREATMENT STRATEGIES FOR DENTINE HYPERSENSITIVITY
Hi sumati - thank you!
Hi Al, I like your morning list. I do most of those things. One I learned from the Tools to Life course, once you wake up is to clap your hands together and say out loud. “I’m having a great day.” I like the MIT (most important tasks) acronym . Og’s quote fit perfectly.
Nick
Nick Grimshawe’s last blog post: RANDY PAUSCH DIES FRIDAY JULY 25
Hi Nick - clapping the hands and proclaiming a nice day. I like that. Lots of enthusiasm and optimism in the morning. I just might try that.
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[…] Make a habit of the ‘early to bed, early to rise’ philosophy. – “In theory, there’s no difference in waking up early or late as long as you get the proper amount of sleep. However, there is a psychological advantage when you wake up earlier than the average person. You got a head start and you’ll have more time to do preparation before engaging in the real world.” – via 7P Productions […]
Great tips.
You I were to choose only 3 essentials, those would be Exercise, Eat a healthy Meal, and then Start Working on the item with the highest priority, the one that even if it was the only think you accomplished that day, you’ll still feel productive.
Hi DanGTD,
That’s a great minimalist approach to a power morning. I take it that you also use GTD. Prioritizing and reviewing the to-do list at least once a week is helpful, and David Allen suggested it in his GTD system. Not necessarily a daily thing, but at least once a week to make sure we’re going the right path.
It sounds like you got an efficient system going!
Great post, i have been practicing meditation methods for a long time.
I was searching for this. Thanks.
I was not practicing meditation, but from today i will start.
Very inspirational, like the points you have shown here. I do wish I could get 10 hours of sleep daily.
The point I would like to talk about is the one where you mentioned:
[quote]Eat breakfast. It’s the most important meal of the day. According to the Mayo Clinic, we should choose 3 from the following 4: fruits and veggies, grains, dairy, and protein. Did you know that you can actually gain weight when you skip breakfast?[/quote]
Yes, skipping breakfast is no good, it is the most important meal of the day. Many people think that if they skip certain meals they will lose weight.
The truth: Their body goes into starvation mode and they will gain weight.