Originally published: 10/16/20 | UPDATED: 12/3/21 for relevancy and accuracy.
The morning time is a sacred time. Mornings have the ability to set the tone for the day, and who doesn’t want to enter the day in a good mood? But sometimes we wake up not feeling our best, our sinuses get inflamed and it feels like there’s a brick in our face; we get called into work early and have to clean up someone else’s mess. We open our eyes and find that there’s more sad news in the world; we oversleep because we didn’t hear our alarm. I could go on and on, but I digress. Needless to say: having the perfect morning routine that helps us start our day off right is sometimes easier said than done—but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
Although life gets crazy and things don’t always go according to plan, there are hacks that we can incorporate into our morning routine that can help us start the day right and calm, all of which have been broken down below. Incorporate them into your life, and set yourself up for positive energy all day long. Keep on reading to learn the 12 hacks that will help you start your day off on a positive vibe.
Hacks to help start your day off on positive vibe:
1. Flawless World’s Morning Ritual Guide.
Created by the founder of Flawless World, Arianna, Flawless World’s Morning Ritual Guide is key to staying grounded, calm, and living your most flawless life. This guide is downloadable, printable, and totally FREE when you join the list. With easy, step-by-step instructions, and an area to journal post-meditation notes, this morning ritual guide is your new BFF.
Arianna’s Note:
“Over the last year I’ve come to learn and appreciate the importance of having a morning ritual that gets you in the right mindset for the day. I took all the hacks that have helped me tremendously over the last year and combined them into an easy, step-by-step guide that will help all of you, too. Incorporating this practices into my morning routine helps me both calm and steady myself, and I enter the day feeling empowered and ready for whatever comes my way.”
2. Set your alarm to a sound you like.
Waking up to the sound of a blaring horn or siren is not a gentle way to start your day. It’s good to have an alarm that doesn’t lull you back to sleep, but it shouldn’t get your heart rate going, either. Instead, find some middle ground: pick out a sound that won’t scare you out of sleep but won’t tempt you to fall back asleep, either. Whimsical and chime sounds are usually a good option.
3. Get out of bed right away.
We all know how tempting it can be to hit the snooze button, but you’re only doing yourself a disservice by doing so. Instead of setting 16 alarms in succession or hitting the snooze button a dozen times, get out of bed and get moving right away. The longer you stay in bed, the more groggy you’ll feel, and you will begin subconsciously dreading what will happen when you finally do step out of bed.
4. Give yourself extra time.
Ignoring the desire to catch up extra zzz’s and settle for jumping out of bed, changing, brushing your teeth, and brushing your hair and grabbing coffee to-go as you’re running out the door may feel like it requires a strong willpower that you don’t (or don’t want to) have. However, rushing through your morning like this is going to leave you feeling more frazzled as you enter your day.
Getting up earlier so you can slow down a bit and ease into your day is a good way to increase positive energy, and doing so will help keep you more grounded and calm. Start with getting up 15 minutes earlier, then gradually increase it as needed.
5. Make your bed.
Making your bed is a small task with major brain-boosting benefits that’s easy to incorporate into your morning routine. Making your bed in the morning will make you feel accomplished, and also act as a physical act of putting a lid on sleep. It’s a visual reminder that you are now ready to tackle the day. Plus, pulling back the sheets when you get into bed at night will feel so rewarding, and so much more inviting.
6. Try and stay off your phone for at least 30 minutes.
Going on your phone first thing in the morning may feel like it’s waking you up, but all it’s doing is stimulating your mind and sending it into overdrive immediately. Putting your brain into overdrive is going to tire you out quicker as the day goes on, and also increase your chance of feeling overwhelmed and anxious.
Try to be mindful of staying away from your phone the first 30 minutes of the day. Keep your phone away from you, read the newspaper, a magazine, or a book, have a cup of coffee while you look out the window or sit outside, etc. These practices will ground you in the present moment, and help you start the day off right. Additionally, with the world the way it is right now, social media and the news can cause a lot of extra, unnecessary stress and anxiety, so staying off your phone for the beginning of the day will help this as well.
7. Practice gratitude.
We live in a fast-paced world, and it’s easy to forget all we have to be thankful for. Before you begin your day, try practicing gratitude. This can be done mentally, or physically by writing in a journal. Try thinking of 3-5 things you have to be grateful for daily, and you will notice a positive shift in your outlook and energy.
8. Mindfulness practices.
Mindfulness is the practice of purposely bringing one’s attention in the present moment without evaluation. There isn’t anyone in the world who can’t benefit from practicing mindfulness. Doing deep breathing exercises, meditating, and/or journaling are all great examples of ways you can practice mindfulness in the morning, and start your day off on a positive vibe.
If you’re a newbie with mindfulness practices, don’t worry—Flawless World’s Morning Ritual Guide will help you get into meditation.
9. Get some fresh air.
Fresh air is rejuvenating. Try opening some windows or a slider in the morning to let some fresh air in before you start your day. Think of this as a physical act of removing any bad energy around you, and creating an opening for positive energy to enter. You can also take your coffee outside and enjoy it while appreciating the world around you. Nature and the natural energy of the universe can be very grounding.
10. Get moving.
Aside from all the benefits of a.m workouts, getting in an early morning sweat sesh is another hack that can help you start your day off on a positive note. You’ll feel accomplished and healthy, and you’ll also wake your body up in a very natural way. Exercise can be anything you want—a treadmill, weights, walking outside, running, yoga, etc.—as long as it’s something that gets you moving!
11. Plan and set some goals for the day.
There’s nothing better than having something to wake up to every morning—whether it be your job, a hobby, seeing your family, a hair appointment, or catching up with an old friend—it’s great to have something to look forward to when you open your eyes. Having a goal or certain goals that you want to reach every day will get you excited for what’s ahead. If you have to, make a list the night before and prioritize. Figure out what you want to accomplish that day and go for it!
Additionally, having a plan for your day will help keep your focused on your goals and what needs to get done.
12. Surrender.
As nice as it is to try and plan everything, things still don’t always go according to plan. The truth is, none of us can plan for life—there are things that happen that are outside of our control. But guess what? That’s OK—it is exhausting trying to control everything all the time because it is impossible. Setting goals for the day and prioritizing what you need to get done is a healthy practice that can help you stay organized and calm and prevent you from feeling overwhelmed, but don’t get caught up in scheduling everything and micromanaging every second. Instead, look at your list and take everything one step at a time. After all, that’s all any of us can do. Surrendering to whatever will be is very freeing, and it helps clear out any excess negativity or stress you may be subconsciously holding on to.
