10 Tips for a Productive Morning

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Recently, we made a blog post all about our tips to improve your sleep for a better morning. Today, we’re talking about the next steps. Today, we are giving you our top 10 tips for a productive morning (and subsequently, a more productive day)!

A Common Productivity Myth: Debunked

Fun fact: there is NO universally perfect time to wake up in the morning.

Historically, “early birds” have always been praised for their early-morning energy, while “night owls” have often been typecast as “lazy” for their lack of enthusiasm in the morning. Luckily, as sleep and genetic research have increased, we are beginning to better understand humans and what makes them tick! * Spoiler alert: whether you are energized in the morning or not is mainly determined by your genetics and not your ambition or personality type. *

Regardless of what your schedule is going to be, make sure you are consistent about your sleep time and wake-up time, so you can keep your circadian rhythm on track.

Put Your Clothes Out the Night Before

Okay, we realize that this is kind of a nighttime tip, but we say that it totally counts for the morning because it’s replacing a morning habit!

Growing up, your parents may have told you to set out your clothes for the following day before going to bed, and it turns out, that’s pretty good advice! Not only does it save you time in the morning when you’re getting ready, but it also gives you time to set a clothing intention for your upcoming day.

In 2012, a study was released that noted a strong link between clothing and mood state. Subconsciously, we’ve always known parts of this – it’s why when you’re feeling down, you reach for your coziest clothes, rather than one of the cute looks you’d put together on a day where you feel great. But science suggests that it can the other way, too!

In a nutshell, when you look good, you feel good!

Stop Smashing the Snooze Button

Here’s the science of why you should seriously consider waking up with your alarm rather than snoozing.

If you went to bed early enough to get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep, your alarm should be going off at the end of your REM cycle, meaning you will feel more comfortable while waking up. However, when you go back to bed immediately after your alarm has gone off, you start a new REM cycle, and when you wake up from the snoozed alarm, you are waking up in the middle of a REM state which effectively leaves you feeling MORE tired.

As tempting as it may be to stay in bed, it’s time to ditch the snooze button and get up. Ultimately, you’re going to feel better this way!

Get Natural Light ASAP

Your circadian rhythm dictates a significant aspect of your wakefulness and restfulness each day. Sunlight is one of the things that your brain responds to as it makes you feel more awake or more tired. Jumpstart your wakefulness by getting some sun shortly after waking up.

Ideally, you would get direct sunlight by stepping outside or opening the blinds. However, we know it’s not always possible to see the sun in the morning, depending on when you wake up and the time of year. So, if you can’t get natural light, start by turning on more lights in your home. You could also get one of those sunlight lamps that simulate natural daylight and incorporate that into your wake-up routine.

Avoid Looking At Your Phone First Thing

We know that makes us sound like your parent, but the researchers say it’s a good idea to avoid looking at your phone first thing in the morning. There are a couple of important reasons why. First, since most of us are looking at social media, the news, or checking work emails when we wake up, we are more likely to start the day feeling anxious or depressed. Starting the day this way puts you in a bad state of mind to tackle other problems throughout the day.

Second, a Forbes article states that starting your day with the distraction of your phone sets the tone for ongoing distraction over the day. So, if you want to feel a little less distracted by TikTok and Instagram, try looking at those apps in the afternoon (or late morning) could help!

Drink Water Before You Drink Coffee

As lovely as that morning jolt of caffeine may feel, try starting your day with water instead (and then have your coffee shortly after, of course). Starting your day with water helps rehydrate your body after sleeping.

There are tons of health benefits of staying hydrated. Since 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated, this is a great practice to incorporate into your routine for a healthier lifestyle and a more productive morning!

Pro Tip: Try infusing your water with lemon or other fruits to make your water taste amazing!

Move Your Body

Even if you’re not into exercising in the morning, don’t worry! Moving your body after waking up is about doing what feels good to you and your energy levels. To move your body, you don’t have to do a full-on HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) workout. Instead, start by stretching and see how you feel from there. When you do morning stretches, you release the tension and aches from sleeping the night before, improving circulation and generally helping you feel better!

If you have a little extra time and really want to move your body (while doing some mindful practices), try doing some morning yoga. You’re sure to have a more productive morning when you’ve moved your body and feel more invigorated.

Eat breakfast

Although we’ve all heard that we should be eating breakfast, surveys show that more than half of Americans skip breakfast at least once a week. Overwhelmingly, the main reason most people skip breakfast is a lack of time and inconvenience.

Eating breakfast aids in digestion, gives your body more energy, boosts your metabolism and helps your brain function at its best. Try doing some meal prep the night before, so you have something easy and nutritious that you can eat, even if you’re on the go!

Journal and Set Intentions For the Day

Shake off the mental cobwebs in the morning by activating your brain with some journaling and setting intentions for the day. It’s a nice, personal moment you can take for yourself to think creatively, write down your thoughts, worries, and goals.

Write down what you’re grateful for. Set goals of what you want to accomplish. Make notes of what you can do to make the day great. Think of ways you can help someone in your life. Finally, think about what you need to get done that day. Start doing this regularly, and you may be surprised by how productive and organized you feel all day!

Do Your Beauty Regimen

Because we’re a beauty brand, we obviously have some beauty and skincare tips you can incorporate into your beauty regimen, but feel free to personalize this step to you!

If you had a tough night or are dealing with some life stressors (who isn’t, right?), try the Brightening Under-Eye Gel Patches to minimize the appearance of dark circles and puffiness under your eyes before putting on your makeup.

For a Glam Look:

For a Natural Look:

Make Your Bed!

When you make your bed, mentally, you are telling yourself that you’re done with being in bed for the morning. It creates a distinct mental and physical barrier between sleep and wakefulness. Plus, making your bed is an easy way to have your space feel less cluttered and chaotic, which effectively helps your mind feel less scattered.

And that’s it! Ten simple steps to make your morning and day more productive. If you’re just starting with some of these tips, start small and work your way up to doing all 10. Remember, change doesn’t happen in one day. So be consistent and give this routine a real chance. You may be surprised by how great you feel after doing this for a few weeks!