Mornings set the tone for the entire day. If you “wake up on the wrong side of the bed,” so to speak, you can count on a rough day marred by foggy concentration and sluggish energy. However, if you optimize your morning – if you wake up the right way –you can set yourself up for success.
In this post, let’s explore a few ways to fine-tune your mornings with an eye toward feeling clear, alert, and mentally athletic. By incorporating a few simple rituals, you can ensure that you’re starting each day on the right foot, so you can get ahead at work, complete your creative goals – and even have some gas left in the tank for a flourishing social life.
Let’s start planning.
Don’t Sleep on Hydration
Sleep is very dehydrating. Think about it: your body spends roughly eight hours without any recourse to hydration. That’s why people often feel “fuzzy” or disoriented when they wake up; their bodies and brains are water-deprived.
Knowing this, you can start your morning routine the night before. Pour yourself a full, 16-ounce bottle of water to keep next to your bedside. The moment your alarm rings in the morning, roll your body over and drink the entire bottle. It might seem like a chore at first, but it will become second nature before long. This simple act of self-care will work wonders on your concentration throughout the day.
Harness the Power Lions (Mane)
After chugging your first glass of water, turn your attention to something more robust. While coffee remains the drink of choice for many, consider switching to lion’s mane tea. Lion’s mane is a functional mushroom used for centuries in Eastern medicine, prized for its ability to spur focus and facilitate peak cognitive performance.
Not ready to kick the coffee habit? Don’t worry: the best lion’s mane supplement comes in easy-to-dose sachets that you can add to your morning cup of coffee, so you can have your proverbial cake and eat it too.
Get Moving
A little physicality goes a long way in the morning. According to researchers, morning activity can help boost hippocampus performance (the part of the brain responsible for memory and learning). Additionally, the rush of endorphins helps make you feel more awake.
Don’t sweat it if you can’t run a marathon at 8 am. Work your way up to physical activity over a few weeks, starting with simple stretches or a light yoga routine.
Quash Decision Fatigue
“Decision fatigue” is a well-documented phenomenon involving a human’s finite ability to make decisions in a day. The thinking goes that by limiting the number of decisions you have to make each morning, you preserve mental bandwidth for important decisions throughout the day.
Set out your wardrobe the night before (or, do as successful CEOs do and wear the same thing every day). Make your breakfast the night before so you don’t have to root around the cupboards, thinking about what to eat in the morning. And avoid pouring too much mental energy into social media before your day begins.
By following these straightforward morning routines, you can set yourself for a mentally stimulating, clear, and focused day.
