Eight Things You Need to Stop Doing When You Wake Up
The most important part of your day is the morning! This is what set's the tone for the rest of your day.
I've got 8 things you need to STOP doing when you wake up to make it a great day.
STOP WAKING UP AT DIFFERENT TIMES
Your body wants to be in line with its circadian cycles. That's basically the natural movement of yourself, your body, your sleep, the earth, all of those things. Your body wants a routine and this includes on the weekends.?
Have a very consistent time. Your body will get used to it after about two to three weeks and be in a routine. When you get your body into a routine, you will wake up at the exact same time without needing your alarm.
STOP HITTING THE SNOOZE BUTTON
If you hit the snooze, you're automatically starting your day off with a loss.?
Don't set multiple alarms. Just wake up with the first one and stop confusing your body. Don’t set your alarm on your phone. Rather get an old school alarm and put it on the other side of the room instead of next to your bed. Then you have to get up to switch it off.
STOP LOOKING AT YOUR PHONE
It's a lot easier to not look at your phone when your phone is not your alarm.?
So stop looking at your phone first thing and checking social media, emails, and text messages. Try not to look at your phone for as long as you possibly can. Turn your phone off when you go to bed and do not look at it until after you're done with your morning routine. Anxiety just builds up in you before you have even started your day and realize how much you have to do.
STOP NOT MAKING YOUR BED
Start with a win and make your bed. It only takes about 30 seconds. It may not seem like a big deal but if you wake up on your first alarm, you don't check your phone and make your bed, you're starting with three wins before you even brush your teeth.
This simple task makes you feel better and the brain then releases dopamine. Dopamine is the motivational chemical inside of your brain. Your brain releases dopamine with every single win, which then makes you feel more motivated to go and get other wins throughout the day.
STOP TAKING WARM SHOWERS
There is so much science as to the benefits of cold showers. They will always suck and they never seem to get any easier. But it is another win. The physical benefits are great. The mental benefits are also good because you are making yourself do something that you don’t want to do. It's like knocking over dominoes in the morning. It's just going to continue that momentum throughout the day.
领英推荐
STOP DOING ANYTHING THAT IS NOT FOR YOURSELF RIGHT AWAY
The morning is your time and time for you to work on yourself to improve, for you to get better. Stop working, stop getting the kids ready. Get up before your morning chores so that you have some me time and are not?
trying to give from an empty cup as you start your day. Fill your own cup first.
Meditate, read, work out, do yoga, journal, whatever it is that fills your cup, that makes you feel good. Wake up earlier even if it means going to bed earlier.
STOP DRINKING COFFEE RIGHT AWAY
There's a lot of studies that have found that you should wait at least an hour before you have any coffee. One of the main reasons why is because your cortisol levels, which are your stress hormones, are at their absolute highest when you wake up. Cortisol is usually what wakes people up. Most people feel flooded with stress and slightly anxious when they wake up. The worst thing that you could do at that time is give yourself some coffee because it raises your cortisol levels even higher. Rather wait about an hour to allow your stress hormones to go down, and your body to calm down.
Try and drink warm water to make up for the liter of water you have lost while sleeping. Add some lemon and sea salt.
You need to hydrate more than anything else.?
STOP EATING AS SOON AS YOU WAKE UP?
Try intermittent fasting because there are many benefits to skipping one meal a day. Breakfast is probably the easiest one to skip since you've already fasted for seven to eight hours while you were asleep. Just skip your breakfast and then you can go and you can have your lunch.
Intermittent fasting helps you live longer, be healthier, and reduces your caloric intake. It will only take your body three days to get used to it.
If you want to learn more about intermittent fasting and how it helps you live longer, how it helps you be healthier, you can go back to my podcast episode with Dr. David Sinclair and you can learn about it.?
So if you want to start your life off on the right foot, start your day off in full intentional proactive mode. Not putting out fires, not being reactive. Be in control of my life and in control of your day, every single day.?
Check out new episodes of The Mindset Mentor podcast every week on iTunes and Spotify.?