Increase Your Productivity With These 9 Morning Habits

The things you do in the morning, truly set the tone for the rest of your day. If your mornings are disjointed, rushed, and fraught with crises, chances are the remainder of your day will unfold the same way. Similarly, if you move slowly and sluggishly through your morning routine, you're probably going to operate in slow motion as the day continues. However, if you take action to start the day productive, organized, and energized, that momentum will increase throughout your day making you more productive as you go. If you find yourself struggling to get on track in the mornings, try to incorporate these 9 morning habits.

1. Wake Up at The Same Time Every Morning

When it comes to sleep/wake patterns, your body craves routine. It may be tempting to sleep in on your days off, but that comes at a cost. Doing so throws you out of rhythm. So, whenever it is possible. Try to wake up at the same time every morning, or, at the very least, don't vary your wake up times by more than an hour.

2. Eat a Protein Rich And Filling Breakfast

Everybody knows that eating breakfast is important. Unfortunately, somewhere along the line people began believing that the act of consuming any kind of food in the morning was somehow virtuous, and all standards for a decent breakfast were lost. Donuts, granola bars, sugary cereals, breakfast bars and drinks, are all full of sugar and lacking nutritional value. A good breakfast will keep you full until lunch time, give you long lasting energy, and help you stay focused. Your options are practically limitless, just be sure that you have protein, fat, fiber (whole grain), and a fruit or vegetable.

3. Take Time to Stretch and Meditate

Exercise increases energy and causes more blood to flow to your brain. This increases memory and focus. You may not have time for your regular 30 minute workout in the morning, but you can spend a few minutes stretching to wake yourself up and get going. Follow that stretching with a few minutes of focused meditation, and you will also start the day with a clear head, and productive attitude.

4. Use Your Morning Commute to Check Emails Messages and News feeds

Clearly this is not a good habit if you drive yourself to and from work. However, if you carpool or take public transportation, use this time to check your emails and deal with other correspondence. If you day is driven at all by current events, you can also spend this time checking your social media and news feeds. This way, when you get to work, you are ready to begin tackling important tasks, because your correspondence has been taken care of.

5. Wake Up Early Enough so You Don't Feel Stressed and Rushed

When you sleep in as late as possible, you might maximize that extra half hour or so of sleep, but you also pay a price. Sleeping in means less time to do what is necessary to get through your morning. It also means no time to do anything relaxing or pleasurable before you have to rush out the door. The result is that you feel frazzled and rushed. Worse, that feeling is only going to increase throughout the day

6. Write Down a Few Goals to Achieve That Day

If you write down some definitive goals that you are going to work towards during the day, you are almost guaranteed to be more productive. This is because without goals, people tend aimlessly wander from one task to another, usually taking on crisis after another. Worse, rather than taking control of their day, they allow other people to set their schedules for them. If you write down three or four goals, your will work with a purpose and get a lot more accomplished.

7. If Possible Wake Up to Some Morning Sun Exposure

Your body uses natural light most efficiently when it comes to setting your body clock. Because of this, if you can wake up in a room with sun exposure, you will wake up more easily, feel better rested, and get your day going at a more productive pace than you would if your first exposure to light comes from an unnatural source. Obviously, your ability to do this depends on the season, your schedule, and the location of your bedroom, but if you can do this you will notice positive results.

8. Create a Routine and Simplify Wherever Possible

It's great to try new things, but mornings aren't the best time for that. It's better to set and follow a routine. Once you do this, you'll get into a groove, and you'll be amazed at how effortless your mornings become and at how much more energy you have throughout the day. If you can simplify anything, that is even better. Set your clothes out, program your coffee maker, pack your lunch and breakfast ahead of time, and do anything else to make your morning go as smoothly as possible.

9. Wait Until You Get Going to Drink That First Cup of Coffee

Caffeine is a wonderful thing, and you should maximize its effectiveness. Don't grab a cup when you first get out of bed. First, you'll be more likely to forego breakfast. Second, by the time you get to work, the effects of that cup of coffee have long since passed. You'll be much more productive if you wait until you get to your desk, or at least on the train.