My morning Routine - 7 Rituals for an Energized Day

25 November 2015

Mornings are really the be all and end all of a day. How you start your day can influence everything that follows – from your mood and your stress levels to your productivity, and energy. I love to start my morning with some simple rituals that help keep me present, focussed, centred, grounded and relaxed… This may mean waking up earlier, but it makes such a difference in the way my whole day unfolds. In so doing, I am able to take on any challenges the day holds with calmness and clarity.

Try one? I would love to hear your favourite rituals too – please share them with me here on my blog or on social media.

Create Space of your Morning Rising

I understand that sleeping in may sound way more tempting than applying a healthy morning routine, but believe me the benefits of the latter far outweigh those of the former. If you do need to catch up on some sleep, it is always better to go to sleep earlier than to wake up later. I like to wake up at the same time every morning so that my body’s natural alarm clock kicks in. I give myself a full hour to prepare for my day. I am usually up by 5:30 and in bed by 10pm, which gives me a solid 7 and a half hours of sleep. Make some time for yourself in the morning so that you can have a relaxed start to the day. Walking up earlier allows you extra hours to enjoy a serene morning to set you up for a great day!

Warm Water with Lemon upon Rising

I do this every single morning on an empty stomach to alkalize my system, remove toxins, hydrate my cells and prepare my body for healthy digestion. I like to switch things up a little by enjoying a morning Cleansing Tonic to boost my metabolism and prevent inflammation. Lemon water has a very soothing effect on digestion and your whole body, so drink first thing as you wake up.

Take a Probiotic

Straight after drinking my warm lemon water, I take a good quality probiotic to promote healthy and comfortable digestion throughout the day. No matter how clean we eat, the toxins in the external environment, pesticides on food and stress combined can still impede our body’s ability to break down food properly. It is important to get a little help in this area by taking a daily probiotic to ensure that you are getting maximum nutrients form the food you eat.

Get Moving

Starting off the day with exercise really gets the blood flowing, oxygenates the body and keeps you feeling alert. Depending on how I am feeling, I like to get my morning going with some healthy movement. If I am feeling a little uptight or anxious, I choose to do yoga, Pilates or some gentle stretching to calm my mind, help me relax my breath and get me connected to my body. If I am feeling really energized, I will go for a run, or do some high intensity interval training to really get my metabolism pumping. The key here is to really tap into your body and see what type of movement will be best for you on that particular day.

Meditate

After a great workout, or some restorative yoga, I enjoy taking 5-10 minutes to quieten my thoughts and meditate. Through meditation, I am able to relax completely, calm my mind and return to a place of clarity and calm. Emptying the mind is one of the hardest things to master because we are forever thinking…thoughts racing, worrying, contemplating, and pondering. This takes us out of the present and into a state of concern and panic. By focussing the mind to remain in the present and to just be, we become more receptive to the happenings of the day and are able to effect solutions more easily.

During my meditation I also like to show gratitude and set positive intentions for the day ahead, and to contemplate these for a few minutes. For example

“I am thankful for the day ahead”

“I attract happiness and success”

This allows me to return to a positive state that builds me up for a productive day.

Find a quiet place to enjoy breakfast

At around 7:30 I love finding a quiet spot in my garden to enjoy a healthy and wholesome breakfast. The way you eat your food is just as important as what you are eating. I like to savour each mouthful of my breakfast, chew slowly and really enjoy my food. Rolled oats, scrambled eggs with avocado, fresh fruit, or a delicious green smoothie are great options for a quick and nourishing breakfast.

Plan the day Ahead

After a quick shower, I sit down at my desk and create my to-do list for the day. I usually allocate about 15 minutes to this. Here I go through all my emails and see what key tasks I need to complete for the day. I list them in order of importance and flag the biggest and most important one for the day. I make sure to list that task at the top of my list so that it is completed first thing in the morning, Getting the big stuff out of the way is a great way to keep your day focussed, productive and calm. Less important tasks can be done later on in the day. I always like to do the toughest stuff first, when I am at my most alert. By planning out your day before anything else, you know what to expect, and are better able to focus on your most important tasks, which also allows you to complete these things more quickly and efficiently. This then leaves time for those unplanned last minute things that often come up as the day progresses.

Try to implement one new morning ritual per week. Remember you don’t have to dive into sudden change – small little changes are much easier to manage. Try to “master” each small change first before moving onto the next one. That way you will be setting yourself up for a successful morning routine, that you will really feel the benefits of.

Keep smiling, happy and healthy!

Yours in Health Always

Cara-Lisa

@caralishious

xoxo