11 Habits to Set You Up for a Great Day

Mornings can be hard. 

How you start the day can sometimes ultimately set the tone for the rest of your day. In fact, there is some evidence that shows an effective morning ritual can play a large role in our overall wellness. Improved sleep habits, social skills, mental health, physical health, and more can all be linked back to having a healthy routine.[1] 

Oftentimes, however, it is hard to put a morning ritual in place. This is especially true if you’re not exactly a morning person. Without a morning routine, your days can feel chaotic, rushed, frustrating, and overwhelming. 

Morning person or not, you have the ability to have the perfect productive and efficient day. And we’re here to help! Keep reading to learn more about these habits and how they can help you have a great, successful day.

Why It’s Important to Have a Morning Routine

Establishing a morning routine—or any routine—has multiple benefits. Generally speaking, routines can be fulfilling and enjoyable, but they can be so much more. Routines provide healthful benefits, such as helping you sleep better, being more active, eating healthier, and helping you manage stress better. All of these can influence your overall health in terms of reducing the potential risk of disease, as well as boosting mental, physical, and emotional well-being.[3] 

Routines also help you avoid something called “decision fatigue.” When there are too many decisions to make, our energy depletes. Having a set routine eliminates having to make too many decisions first thing in the morning. This also can, in turn, benefit you in terms of productivity and positivity.[4] 

Forming a Routine

Before diving into habits that can set you up for success, let’s discuss how to go about forming a routine. 

Forming a routine can be difficult. A study conducted in the UK looked into how long it takes adults to form healthful habits. Results showed that it took adults 66 days on average before habits became automatic.[2]

Tips to Help You Kick Start Forming a Routine

• One Step at a Time. There is no need to feel like you have to change your entire lifestyle all at the same time. Trying to overhaul your routine can be counterproductive and ultimately feel overwhelming. Try just one thing at a time, and build on that.
• Create a Plan. Crafting a plan and writing down your intentions and changes will help you stay consistent and hold yourself accountable. 
• Change Your Way of Thinking. Don’t think of starting a new routine as an overhaul of your life. Rather, think about it as incorporating healthy, beneficial habits into what you’re already doing. Keep in mind you want to live better and healthier for yourself and those around you. 

11 Habits to Set You Up for a Great Day

Now, let’s dive into what habits can set you up for success and provide those healthful benefits we discussed above! 

Here are 11 habits to try and incorporate into your morning routine:

1. Start with a Good Night’s Sleep

It’s hard to form a routine when you’re too tired to function in the morning. Every evening, wind down, turn off the electronics at a set time, and set your alarm accordingly. Try to aim for at least eight hours of sleep each night.

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2. Avoid the Snooze Button & Rise With Your Alarm

It’s so easy to hit that snooze button on your alarm when you’re so tired and so cosy in your perfectly plush bed. But hitting that snooze button can actually do more harm than good. This is because you're going in and out of sleep and it isn’t relaxing for your body or your mind. You may wake up feeling more groggy than before.

Use an alarm with a sound that makes you excited to get up in the morning and try your best to get up as soon as it goes off. Your mind and body will thank you for it.

3. Avoid Technology 1st Thing in the Morning

For many of us, it’s a habit to check our emails or social media first thing in the morning. While it may be a habit, it can be a bad one. When you do this, you’re clouding your headspace before it has had a chance to wake up. What you see may influence how you feel and, ultimately, influence your day. 

When you wake up, all of that can wait. Take time for yourself and create a calming mind space to start your day. 

4. Turn On Music or a Positive Podcast

To create that calming mind space, turn on a wake-up playlist or a podcast you love. Music is a very powerful thing. One study suggested that listening to music can[5]:

• Reduce physical and emotional stress levels
• Reduce stress-related symptoms
• Lower your heart rate and cortisol levels
• Release endorphins and improve your sense of well-being 

So get your day started off right and listen to music that moves you and makes you happy! It has the potential to alter your entire day!

5. Make Your Bed

Before leaving your bedroom and embarking on your day, make your bed first. Making your bed has been shown to offer many benefits—it starts your day off on a good note, makes you feel accomplished, increases productivity, boosts your mood, and so much more.[6]

6. Hydrate & Then Enjoy Coffee or Tea

Hydration is key to your overall health, and drinking a big glass of water first thing after you wake up is a great way to charge you up. When you feel good you then, in turn, are more focused and more productive. 

Of course, you still want to enjoy your morning. So once you’ve had your big glass of water, now you can dive into your morning cup of coffee or tea. The reason you should start with water first is that it hydrates you, while caffeinated drinks tend to dehydrate you. 

Give yourself time to enjoy your morning beverage and during that time take the opportunity to catch up with family or bond with your pets before the busy day begins.   

7. Eat a Healthy Breakfast

You know what they say, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” And that’s not totally wrong. A healthy breakfast helps start your day off right, fuels you, and makes you feel good. 

And a healthy meal doesn’t need to be complex. Just be mindful of what you’re eating. Prep a simple breakfast in advance or throw together a delicious, healthy smoothie. 

8. Practice Mindfulness

Create a space in your home just for you, and use that space to meditate or to simply just take a moment. Meditation supports relaxation and helps with stress management. Doing so in the morning can help clear your mind and get it ready for the day ahead. 

9. Get Active

Working out in the morning doesn’t need to be strenuous or complicated. Just simply getting your body moving in the morning can give you energy for the rest of the day. Go for a walk or try a simple 30-minute workout. Or just dance about your home with your morning playlist going. Taking care of yourself will keep you and your body happy, healthy, and vibrant. 

10. Take Time for Self-Care

Self-care is whatever you want it to be! Whether it is implementing a skincare routine, prioritising doing your hair and makeup, or taking a long shower and wrapping up in a soft bath towel, take time to do it each day. Looking and feeling good encourages you to be less self-conscious, more productive, and ready to take on whatever the day brings. 

As long as it makes you and your mind feel good, it’s always a good idea to add it to your morning routine.

11. Journal. Plan. Prioritise.

In the morning, take a couple of minutes to reflect and plan your day. Find some morning journal prompts to work through to help you reflect on your day, what you want out of it, and what you’re grateful for that day. Then plan and prioritise what needs to be done that day—do you have work deadlines? Does any housework need to be completed? Errands to run? We suggest listing out everything and then listing the top three things that need to be done that day. This will help you keep focused and productive.  

Cosy Can Help

If you’re ready to transform your mornings, Cosy House is here to help. With our line of premium home essentials, you can be ready to tackle any part of your day. Click here to start shopping!

What are some habits that you implement into your morning routine? Let us know in the comments!

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