5 Good habits in Morning

Do your days leave you feeling tired and unproductive? Your morning rituals may be to blame.

Set yourself up for more happy, healthy and productive days by adding these 5 small, positive habits to your morning routine.

1. Start Your Morning the Night Before

Plan and lay out what you will wear to work and mentally prepare yourself for your Despite that great TV show, the interesting friend who called you to catch up or gossip, or the video game you love playing, go to bed at a reasonable hour. Too little sleep sets you up for a grouchy, sluggish morning.

2. Stay Away from Your Electronics

It’s tempting to reach for your smart devices as soon as, or even before, you get out of bed. Don’t! Emails and social media suck you in and start sapping your focus and energy before you even have a chance to wake up. Postpone those activities for at least 20 minutes after you rise.

3. Drink Water

With or without a lemon, drinking water in the morning – specifically 16 ounces – is extremely beneficial for your body and mind. It rehydrates you from a full night of sleeping without having fluids, fires up your metabolism, fuels your brain for a productive day, and can even help balance your appetite (by making sure you’re not actually dehydrated).

4. Eat Breakfast

Feed your body fuel for the day with a balanced breakfast. Include high quality proteins like eggs, flaxseed, or salmon, and healthy grains like oatmeal. It’s essential to eat breakfast every day for good health.

5. Move Around

You may have children, pets, or spouses that demand your time in the morning, but you can still get your body moving in a healthy way. A run or other type of aerobic workout is especially beneficial, but even if you can’t fit a workout in, take a cue from dogs and cats and simply stretch your muscles out. A mere 5 minutes of stretching will help you be more alert and healthier.