The way you start your day is very important. Not only does it set your mood, but it also might be the reason why you end up being non-productive. Sure, many students don’t even think much of their mornings as their main goal usually is to wake up on time and get ready. But what if you knew some great tips on improving your daily productivity by changing your morning routine a bit? Let’s get started and learn how to create a positive morning productive routine for students.
Establish a Consistent Wake-Up Time
Yes, you probably have heard about sleep hygiene and sleep routine not once. And you probably know already that it is crucial to establish a consistent sleep routine that you would stick to throughout your academic years. But we can’t omit this tip as it is the basis for a good and productive morning routine.
Let’s look at a common s of college students. They pull all-nighters, wake up in the morning at different times depending on which day of the week it is, might sleep till noon during weekends, and sometimes have no sleep when preparing for exams. Is that a healthy regimen? Definitely not.
What you should do is create a sleep routine that allows you to have a healthy number of sleep hours (7-9) and also is easy to follow even on weekends, including the wake-up time. For example, you might be getting up each day at 8 am but sleep until 11 am on Wednesdays because you have classes scheduled later in the day. That would not be a good option as it is hard for your brain and your system to adjust all the hormone levels and focus hours to such a weird and non-consistent schedule. If you choose to wake up at 8 am, do it every day.
Sure, it might be hard at first, but once you get used to it, there should be no troubles. You start to feel sleepy around the same time each evening due to your internal clock being all good and set up right; waking up is no difficulty; you feel fresh and ready for the day. Isn’t that what we aim for?
Start With a Glass of Water
After sleeping and rebooting, you need hydration to refresh your system and let it know you are ready for the day. Water is an essential part of our health, and it is crucial to stay hydrated to complete your everyday tasks, including brainwork.
It surely sometimes takes self-discipline to drink enough water, especially to remind yourself about it in the morning. You can try various helping little things, like an app that counts your glasses of water or sends you reminders. Or you can purchase a cute water bottle to motivate yourself, add fruits and berries, or find the water brand you enjoy.
Keeping a glass of water by your bed will surely help you stick to the habit and keep your productive routine.
Incorporate Stretching or Yoga
Gentle stretching, yoga, or a few light exercises in the morning is what your body needs after sleep. Your muscles and joints should get ready for active daily movements. Even the limited space of your bed or dorm room should be enough to have some morning movement.
If you do yoga, it’s a perfect way to start your morning as it helps to stretch your muscles and get energized.
Set Clear Goals
Morning is usually the time when your day isn’t that busy yet, and you have some time to spend planning and creating a to-do list. Write down all the tasks that you need to complete this day, and make sure you prioritize the ones that are the most important and urgent. For example, if you have an urgent essay writing task, you should put it high in your list.
You might also plan your day, including timeframes for each task, to give yourself some strict guidelines to follow. If you tend to procrastinate during the day, that would motivate you and help you stay more productive.
Spend Mornings With Digital Detox
The best way to improve your morning routine and set the mood for the day is to avoid checking your devices immediately upon waking, which most of us do. It is the time when you need to avoid putting yourself under the press of information consumption and rather have a soft and gentle introduction to a new day.
It is suggested to wait for at least 30 minutes after waking before checking your phone, as it is the time that your brain needs to be fully prepared for daily work.
Have a Healthy and Nourishing Breakfast
Food is fuel for your body and brain. It’s hard to imagine a car that would function without fuel, the same with your system. Having a breakfast that is healthy and nourishing, with all the needed vitamins and elements, is what you need to keep yourself focused and productive during the following hours. It is crucial to eat healthy meals in order to be able to have long study sessions and be a successful student.
Feed Your Mind
After feeding your body, it’s good to feed your mind as well. Some spare time in the morning is also a perfect opportunity of the day to do something that you always put away. We recommend reading a few pages of a book. That is the way to help your brain to adjust, boost your activity, and also finish that book at last.
Reading in the morning, even for 15 minutes, will also help you boost your creativity and get inspired, which is a great start to your day. Choose different books to achieve diversity in topics and genres – it will help you broaden your views and make your morning routine interesting and different.
Set Intentions
Not only your goals and plans for the day are important, but also your intentions and affirmations. Surely, not everyone might find this method useful but it all depends on personality as some people can motivate themselves and set the right mood by using visualization and affirmations.
The power of visualizing your goals and dreams is kind of like the power of positive thinking. It truly needs to sink in before it works, but after it starts to look silly. There is nothing bad about spending a few minutes in the morning thinking about what you want your day to be like, so why not try?
Pick the positive affirmations that resonate with your aspirations. For example, about your confidence or your memory, or your communication skills. Be sure to visualize the steps towards your goal – not only the goal itself. It might be a great way to make it all work in reality – create a plan, visualize it, get in the right mood, and start your day confident about your opportunities and abilities.
Conclusion
A planned morning, productive routine, and the right approach truly set the tone for the day. It is important to find the routine that helps you maximize your potential, energy, and motivation. This is the key to having your tasks done, as well as being active and positive.