Change is the only constant in life. This is a saying that has been around for many years now, however, perhaps it is never more true then in the world we live today.
Change is all around us – Think Brexit, think the revolution regarding female sports, the many movements going on around the world. Then on the smaller scale, think back ten years ago. Smart phones were only just being released, now we are talking about smart homes and cars.
Change is an unsettling thing, as humans we are creatures of habit and we like a degree of consistency in our lives. For me, this consistency comes in the form of my morning routine. Regardless of the day, and what time I wake there are five things that I will do daily before I even entertain the thought of breakfast.
Not only does this keep me grounded in a routine, it also means that I am certain I have set my day up to be successful before leaving the house and embarking on the day ahead.
So now it is time to delve into the five things which I ensure I do daily before breakfast.
- Spend Five Minutes in Silence – Clear Your Head
Life today moves at a faster pace than ever before, and with that it means that we often don’t take the time we sometimes need to spend in silence and clear our heads. That’s why I make sure that this is now the first thing that I do each morning. This is probably the most powerful of these five things, not only does it help me think clearer but recent studies have shown that silence can also help stimulate brain growth and aid in memory, emotion and learning. - Question Yourself – Set Your Agenda
Having spent some time in silence to clear my mind, I find this the best time to actively question myself and set out what it is that I intend to achieve for the day. This can be specific tasks, perhaps something you need to complete at work that day, but it can also be something broad such as to relax or eat well. Whatever it may be, having done this helps to make conscious decisions throughout the day of what you need to do. - Make My Bed – Accomplish Something
For many, making their bed is merely the first chore of the day done, or just not done at all. It is such an insignificant task in the scheme of things, but a simple change in mindset can make it mean so much more. By making my bed each morning, within minutes of waking up I have accomplished my first goal for the day and I am then ready to accomplish much more throughout the day. - Eat a Piece of Fruit – Get Some Nutrition
Again, this is such a small thing. But by taking a couple of minutes to enjoy a piece of fruit you can begin the day with a boost of natural sugars. Different fruits will have a different effect for you, based around their nutritional content but the premise remains the same. It is just a real quick and simple way to start the day off by eating something healthy and getting some important nutritional values into your body. - Listen to Music – Set Your Mood
For me music is my escape – It doesn’t matter what my mood I know that there will be a perfect song for how I am feeling at any given moment. As I think of my day ahead and what I want to achieve I select a few songs that I know will put me in the right frame of mind for the day ahead. For a busy day with a lot to achieve it could be Survivor’s Eye of the Tiger. The options are endless and can only be dictated by yourself. This is usually the last step before I really get my day started, and by the time this comes around I know that I have set myself up to have to best possible day.
Admittedly, not all of these things will be of value to everyone or fit in with your day. But I would actively challenge and encourage people to try and add at least one of the above ideas into their mornings. In the time poor style in which we live today, every investment that we make into our well being is more important then ever.
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