RazzWorks

Do you dread getting up and out of bed each day? You just want to sink your head back into the pillow and live in dreamland. Or maybe you do want to get up and get going, but you feel so groggy and lifeless. You also know if you let your eyes close you’ll end up going right back to sleep. Perhaps you start each day barely making it out the door with enough time or energy to get where you need to go, whether that be work, school, or other. Well, I know how you feel. I’ve spent most of my life like that. So how do you get your day off to a good start?

I’ve outlined a few ideas that should help you to get your day off to a good start. I have to warn you it does take commitment on your part and requires doing your best to practice some or all the suggestions I provide you. It would be great if changing your habits could be done overnight. However, with repeated practice, it can work for you.

Starting your day right does not begin when you wake up. It actually begins the day before. Getting your day off to a good start can be rough if you’re not prepared. If you did not prepare, you could end up running around trying to find your keys and getting things together just before it’s time to leave. If you usually bring a lunch or snack with you, you’re rushing to put something together, or worse you just don’t have time and leave without. You ruffle through your closet trying to find something to wear.

Well, to avoid this type of chaos, you want to prepare the day before. The evening before you plan to start working on your morning routine make sure you place your keys in a place where you can simply and quickly just reach out and pick them up whether that be the kitchen table or counter. Have your lunch partly or completely made. Pick out the outfit you want to wear and drape it over a chair so it’s ready for you to put on. If you drink coffee, have it set up and ready to start. If you drink energy smoothie, have it premade and in the fridge. Whatever it is you need to do before you leave for the day, think of something you can do the night before to have it at least partly ready for you.

Also, the evening before, you want to work on not eating too much or too close to bedtime. Going to bed on a full stomach can cause trouble getting to sleep. You could get an upset stomach from the acids in your stomach trying to digest what you ate which could cause your sleep to be disrupted. To help increase the odds of a good night’s sleep work on not eating so close to bedtime. Also if you like having a snack in the evenings as I do, especially if I’m watching a movie, try and reduce or avoid sugary snacks, caffeine, and alcohol. Also, try to keep your snacks as light as you can.

Ok, so now off to bed! Are we ready for the next day? Just about. There is one more thing you can do before going to sleep. That is to make your bed only for sleeping. If you only use your bed for going to sleep, your brain and body will take it as a sign you’re supposed to go to sleep. In other words, your bed is not for watching videos, or playing games. If you like to read, then do it on the couch or have a chair in the bedroom to sit in. Doing things in your bed tells your brain you’re supposed to pay attention. To avoid that, simply use your bed for going to sleep so your brain and body will know it’s supposed to slow down and go to sleep.

Now for the morning. What I find works best for me is to have a repetitive, simple routine. The reason it helps is that some mornings my brain is a little on the slow side. So by repeating the same pattern every morning I don’t have to think. You will need to work on developing a flow that works best for you. For example for some people it might look something like this – wake up, start the coffee, go to the washroom and shower, brush your teeth, put on clothes, make coffee, pour cereal, sit and eat, drink, rinse dishes, grab lunch, head to the door, grab your keys, lock the door, and you’re gone. Sound a little familiar?.

Now with creating your new routine from bed to door, you might have to make some adjustments. For example, if you are a person who turns on the news, or when you have your coffee you read the paper, or check the news on a computer. Avoid the news. You want to switch the news to something more positive or uplifting. If it’s the radio or tv, switch to your favorite music playlist. You could even set it up the evening before so all you have to do is click play. The same goes if you read the news, instead read a self-improvement article while you drink your morning beverage.

Also, if you normally don’t eat in the morning work on having something to eat. A good healthy breakfast is best however if you are used to not eating at all, anything is a step in the right direction. Have at least a piece of fruit, a fruit cup, or a granola bar. Even a glass of juice is a start, especially if you don’t want to take the time to cook an egg, or make toast. You have nothing to lose in trying to add breakfast to your new routine. There is also a possibility of it improving things. After a week or two, you may find breakfast helps wake you up faster, starts providing you with more energy, and increases your ability to focus mentally.

So there you have it, some ideas for you to consider for getting your day off to a good start. May I suggest you think of it as improving your life? And therefore just make small changes. As you get each little change successfully incorporated into your new routine, make another small change. If getting your day started is a bit rough, I’m sure it’s been that way for a while. For you to greatly improve your life it’s also going to take a little while. So make changes you know you can do, and over time keep adding to those changes. There will come a point when you look back and say I never in my life thought I’d be like this. I know. I used to have rough mornings. As a matter of fact, most mornings didn’t start until about noon. Now I look back and say to myself “I never in my life would have considered myself a morning person, and yet now I am.” So go and prepare for tomorrow, have a good sleep, and get your day off to a good start.

Razz