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If you find mornings tough, here are simple tips to make the morning more alluring
The shrill of the alarm. The endless lists of tasks ahead. The desire to… Just. Get. Ten. More. Minutes. We very much understand. Not everyone wakes up bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and ready to take on the day with vigour. The first few minutes of your day are important as they can set the tone of your productive streak. Luckily, however, there are ways to make mornings more bearable and ensure they start on the right note, beginning with these six simple tasks.
Nothing starts your day in a more stressful state of mind than going directly from your pillow to your smartphone. Give yourself a chance to wake and breathe (at least 15 minutes) before you get into work mode and start obsessing over those emails that came in the night.
Start your day by drinking a tall glass of water with juice from half of a lemon in the morning. Lemon helps re-hydrate the system and promotes digestion, which will help the flow of waste out of your body. The vitamin C in lemon juice, a powerful antioxidant, also protects against free radicals, strengthening the immune system.
If your body allows it, roll over onto your right side, then push yourself up into a sitting position, before standing with a straight back (no hunching). This is the “gentlest way to get up”; it takes the pressure off your heart and back and is an easy ritual to do first thing in the AM.
Your body has just been booted down for hours, so it takes time for it to re-adjust; don’t expect it to be ready from the get-go. Start with a few gentle stretches to ease yourself into the day. Stimulating your nervous system and muscles will make you more aware more quickly.
Declare distraction-free time as you eat. Refrain from checking your phone, listening to the TV, radio or reading the newspaper and simply enjoy and savour your food as you focus on the day ahead. You’ll leave the house with a clear head.
Make a morning playlist to keep you moving – and on time. After a while by the time one song ends and another begins, you should be moving on to eating breakfast or heading out the door.
Main photograph: Unsplash