9 tips for an awesome MORNING ROUTINE

You probably heard the phrase: morning routine a million times, but tell me does this scenario sound familiar to you *

The alarm is ringing you hit snooze, in another 5 minutes you hit snooze again and BAM ! you have overslept for 30 minutes. Unfortunately, a lot of us guys hate waking up early, and even if we wake up on time, we are groggy and cranky.

I heard about “morning routines” but only recently started applying it. If you want to get the most out of your day you need to wake up like a winner.

I will share the morning routine that has done wonders for me. Not only do I rise on time but I feel energized and happy during the day.

1. Before sleeping.

You should shave before going to bed. Your facial muscles will be relaxed and you will save time in the morning. If you want to learn more read this article:

How to get a PERFECT WET SHAVE in 5 Steps

Prepare the clothes that you will wear so that you don’t have to waste time in the morning thinking about, what I am going to wear.

You should have one glass of water near you. We naturally dehydrate during our sleep, that one glass will help you wake up faster and rehydrate.

2. Circadian rhythm.

The best way for us to be healthy is to listen to our bodies.

Circadian rhythm is a biological process in our organisms which affects not only the way we wake up but also the state of our psyche and metabolic process.

There are a lot of guys that will tell you that the best time to wake up is 5:00 – 5:30 AM. Some of you will say: “that is all fine and dandy” but I work the night shift. Yes to get the most out of your circadian rhythm you need to rise early because our bodies are reactive to light and the best time to wake up is during the first morning light.

BUT there is a more important component. The most important thing for a successful morning routine is to be consistent. You need to have a consistent sleep-wake cycle so that the body can adjust accordingly and rest properly.

3. An alarm.

If you can, do not use the alarm on a mobile phone. Use a regular alarm and place it away from you, so that you need to get up to turn it off.

4. I’m up, I’m up.

When you get out of the bed, drink some water and rehydrate and make your bed. When you make your bed you are telling your brain that it is time to go to work, and there is less of a chance for you to go to bed again.

5. A positive attitude

This is going to sound like a giant cliche, but, BE positive.

Try a mental exercise. When you get up from bed stand and relax for a minute or two and think of at least two things you are grateful for be it: good grades, good looks, a loving family, your wife or children, that you have a roof over your head, anything really. This is something that I do every morning, and let me tell you, you would be amazed how much of a difference it makes when you have a positive attitude in the morning.

6. Wash up.

Wash your teeth and your face. A splash of cold water and you are ready to go.

7. Exercise.

If you are a morning person than this is not going to be a problem for you. Go out for a jog before breakfast. Exercising on an empty stomach is ideal for losing weight.

If you are not that much of a morning person at least do some stretching exercises for 5 minutes.

8. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

If you ask me proper nutrition is the most important part of every successful morning routine.

You don’t need to have a heavy breakfast but be sure to get enough nutrients so that your body has enough fuel for the day

9. CELL PHONES & COFFEE

This is something we all do, for a long time checking my phone was the first thing I did when I woke up.

When we wake up do you first check your email or facebook.., I am not trying to sound like a douche but we do. This is the reason I was cranky and sleepy during the day. You are not doing yourself a favor by using a cell phone first thing in the morning.

Devote the first hour of the day to yourself and your family, step away from Instagram, Facebook, emails… at least for a short while.

This is kind of new for me, but did you know that you shouldn’t drink coffee right away in the morning.

We have cortisol, a natural hormone which helps us be energized in the morning. The highest amount of cortisol in our blood is just after we wake up. If you drink coffee after you wake up, you are becoming immune to the effects of cortisol. Instead, drink coffee 2 hours after waking up or 9 am. If you do that you will reap the energizing effect of coffee and cortisol.

I will link two great articles about the subject if you want to learn more.

http://time.com/3903826/coffee-early-morning-worst-time/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2684472/

Please steal my morning routine and start your day like a badass. Share your thoughts in the comments.