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11 Quick & Easy Morning Routines to Jumpstart a Great Day

What you do every morning can really make a difference in transforming your day from mediocre to phenomenal! Here are 11 routines to give you a boost.

morning routine to start a great day

You’ve heard the saying, “Attitude is everything,” and in this case, it most certainly is. When you purposely decide to do things each morning that point your mind and body in a positive direction, great things are bound to happen.

In this fast-paced and technologically-dependent world, many people start their morning on the wrong foot. They’re jolted awake by the alarm on their phone, and since they’ve already got their phone in their hands, they might as well check their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, emails, and an assortment of other things that bombard the mind at its most vulnerable. Feeling guilty yet?

Obviously, this isn’t how you get off to a great start. So we’re here with some morning routines to perk you right up! [Read: Simple ways to make each day more meaningful]

Morning Routines to Energize and Revitalize You

Getting yourself off to a positive start each day helps make sure your day continues on a high note. Even if you get up on the wrong side of the bed, so to speak, incorporating just one or two of the following habits into your morning routine will set you up for a great day.

1. Wake Up Early

This should be your first priority because you’ll need the extra time to enjoy your new and improved morning routine.

Now, I know this probably sounds like something no one really wants to do, but trust me when I say that switching your “quiet time” from the late night hours to the early morning hours is more satisfying, and the difference it makes in your mind and body is quite noticeable.

The ideal time to wake up *depending on the season* is during civil twilight, or just before sunrise. This is perfect, because there’s enough light to see, the birds are already chirping and welcoming another day, and you’ll be able to catch the sunrise—if that’s what trips your trigger. The more you can rise and retire with the sun, the better you’ll feel. Try to free up an hour and a half for yourself before you need to head out the door.

2. Drink a Glass of Lemon Water

After sleeping for eight hours, your body is dehydrated. Drinking a glass of warm water with lemon in it rehydrates your body quickly and gets your digestive tract ready for the day’s meals. Drinking lemon water also puts your body into an alkaline state that makes it difficult for disease and illness to take hold.

Use warm water to avoid shocking your system first thing in the morning. If the taste of lemon is too tart for you, add a touch of honey—preferably raw—to sweeten it up a bit.

3. Brush Your Tongue

If you don’t already scrape or brush your tongue as part of your tooth-brushing ritual, you’ll want to start right now. Once you do, you’ll wonder how you ever left the house without doing it.

Not only does scraping your tongue help eliminate horrendous morning breath but it also clues your body into the fact that it’s time to rise and shine. As a bonus, food tastes much better when you scrape your tongue. [Read: How to smell good: 25 secrets to attract anyone with your delicious scent]

4. Do Some Stretches

It doesn’t have to be anything strenuous, or even anything that makes you sweat. Just do a few stretches to loosen your muscles and get your body moving. You can even use this time to do yoga or a light exercise routine if you’re trying to lose weight.

If you’re not already a regular exerciser, start slow, and work at your own pace. You should spend five to ten minutes stretching each morning. [Read: 26 secrets to get motivated to workout & exercise your way to a better life]

5. Bounce on a Mini Trampoline

The money you spend on a mini trampoline is well worth the investment. The exercise is low-impact and works with any fitness level. You don’t even have to jump very high to reap the benefits. Simply bouncing on the trampoline each morning *about 100 bounces* is enough to encourage lymphatic drainage, improve thyroid health, and tighten and tone every muscle group in the body.

Another bonus of bouncing? It energizes your body naturally, so you can avoid sugary, caffeinated drinks. Jump or bounce throughout the day anytime you feel you need a quick pick-me-up.

6. Brush Your Body

The practice is called dry brushing, and it’s an old holistic practice that stimulates circulation and gets rid of dead skin cells. Essentially, it helps your body look and feel better.

The trick to dry brushing is to work your way toward your heart. Start on your arms or legs, and brush your way in. When you’ve brushed your entire body *you might need to enlist the help of someone else for your back*, you can jump in the shower. The right dry brush for this routine is one with bristles stiff enough to exfoliate, but not so stiff that it hurts.

7. Inspire Your Mind With Uplifting Music

Put yourself in the right frame of mind by listening to music you find beautiful or reading a book you find inspirational. You set yourself up for success when your mind is thinking positively. Your brain is hungry for information, so feed it healthy “brain food” just as you feed your body healthy treats. [Read: 40 fun and upbeat songs to groove you out of that funk]

As a side note, you can listen to different kinds of music depending on the type of day you have ahead. For instance, if you have a busy, action-packed day, you might want to listen to something that gets you pumped and ready to go. If you know your day will be a stressful one, something a little more soothing might be in order.

8. Drink a Green Smoothie

You should never begin the day without nourishing your body. A green smoothie is a perfect choice. The green part of the smoothie is the part that’s most beneficial to the body since it’s most likely kale, spinach, or some other leafy green that contains phytonutrients, minerals, and fiber. Find a recipe you love *the Internet is full of them* and drink it each morning.

Don’t believe a green smoothie makes that big a difference? Set a timer for 30 minutes after you finish drinking one and see how good you feel.

9. Meditate

Before heading out to start your day, clearing your mind can really help you gain a more positive mindset. There’s really no “right” or “wrong” way to meditate, so whatever you find comfortable is perfect.

Listen to soft music—or don’t. Sit or lie down. It’s all up to you, as long as you spend just a few minutes each morning focusing inward. [Read: How to find inner peace in a messy relationship]

10. Smile at Yourself

I know it sounds silly, but smiling at yourself in the mirror for about 30 seconds each day helps boost your self-esteem; it’s like giving yourself a little pep talk. It doesn’t have to be a big, goofy smile full of teeth. Even a hint of a smile works wonders.

If you feel the need to give yourself a few words of encouragement, do so. This is true “me time,” where you get to speak to the deeper part of yourself to offer encouragement to get through the day ahead. [Read: High self-esteem: 33 low signs, what hurts self-worth & secrets to pump it]

11. Choose Your Top 3

This last morning ritual is an important one. Today’s world is a fast-paced rat race that leaves us feeling overwhelmed and underqualified. To stop this from happening, make a list each morning of the top three things you must get done before the day ends. It’s all about priorities, so above all else, get these three things done.

Once you set priorities, you begin to realize that some of the smaller things you usually stress about aren’t all that important, after all. In fact, you will build up confidence to accomplish bigger and better things and will have the ability to know what’s most important in your life.

The trick here is to only put three things on your list. Any more, and you’ll end up right where you were before. Accomplishing three important things each day is inspiring and stress-relieving. You’ll feel amazing once you adopt this practice.

[Read: Sabotaging your happiness: Ways you can ruin your life]

You don’t have to adopt all of these rituals into your morning routine, but adding just one or two will make a world of difference both mentally and physically. Remember, you possess control of the direction your day goes. It’s up to you to make each day great.

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Shawn_Lehrke
Shawn Lehrke
Shawn Lehrke has been a freelance author for over 15 years. Her writing expertise spans a variety of niches, but her passion is creative writing. Shawn lives in...
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