6 Simple Ways to Improve Your Morning

A little while back I shared a post on simple ways to brighten your week which got a lovely response from you all, so I thought I would share more of those kinds of posts – starting with this one! No matter how you feel about mornings there are lots of little changes that can make them more enjoyable, and help you start the day on the right foot. I’m generally pretty good in the mornings, so here are my 6 simple ways to improve your morning!

6 Simple Ways to Improve Your Morning

1. Plan Ahead

The absolute best way to ensure you start your day with the least amount of stress is definitely to plan ahead, and this can cover a number of things. Before heading to bed at night think about what you have on the next day and check the weather forecast and then lay out your clothes for the next day to avoid having to stand in front of your wardrobe half-asleep the next morning not being able to choose what to wear. I also pack my bag at night to make sure I have everything I will need for the day ahead, as I’m much less likely to forget things that way! I also pop any food that doesn’t need refrigerating on my bench (like an apple or mandarin for work) and make sure my lunch is sorted as well. These things only take a few minutes in the evening, but generally save much more time than that in the mornings, as well as reducing a whole lot of stress!

2. Give Yourself Time

For me, there is no worse way to start my morning than to be rushing around non-stop, and then leaving for work feeling frazzled and stressed. In order to make sure this doesn’t happen I set my alarm a little earlier than I really need to (nothing drastic, just 10 or 15 minutes) to give myself a little extra time to get myself ready for the day ahead. This means that I have the chance to do a few things that aren’t directly related to getting ready for work, like pottering around and watering my plants, reading the news or some of my favourite blogs, or just having a buffer in case something goes awry with my clothes or I burn my breakfast and need to start again. It doesn’t take long for your body to adjust to that little bit less sleep but I find it’s most definitely worth it – I leave feeling like I have had a calm start to the day which really sets the tone for the whole day ahead.

3. Eat Something Nourishing

I’m one of those people that couldn’t possibly skip breakfast, probably because during the week I eat dinner like a nanna (as in, rather early!), so by the morning I am more than a little hungry! Giving yourself time and eating something nourishing rather than just eating on the run (or skipping breakfast altogether!) is such a simple way to improve both your morning and your whole day. My breakfast of choice changes regularly, with smoothies and chia puddings on high rotation in summer and porridge or eggs my go to for winter. I’m currently in an egg, avocado & spinach on sourdough phase and it really is an excellent meal to kick my day off with! Also don’t forget to maintain good oral hygiene by learning dental care tips from Delaney Park Dental.

6 Simple Ways to Improve Your Morning

4. Stretch

Starting your morning with a few gentle stretches is an excellent way to improve your morning, your health and your whole day! It gets your blood flowing, grounds you, releases muscle tension and improves your flexibility. You could find a 10 minute yoga sequence you like, or just simply step through a number of stretches to target particular parts of your body – whatever works for you! If you really want to start your day on the right foot then you could add some morning meditation into the mix as well – this is something I’m trying to get better at doing myself!

Obviously if you’re a morning exerciser then you can combine your morning stretches with more vigorous activities. but I’m more of an evening exerciser personally (it takes too long to wash my hair in the mornings!), so I stick to just a simple morning stretch routine.

5. Make Your Bed

I know lots of people think making your bed is pointless as you’re just going to mess it up again at night, but I think it’s such an important step in setting up my day. Once my bed is made my bedroom looks cleaner and more organised, which makes me feel more organised as well! It’s such a small thing but it really does make me feel more on top of my day, so if you’re not in the habit of making your bed everyday I recommend giving it a try! I also make sure to open my curtains at the same time as making my bed, even if it’s still dark or rainy outside, as seeing the natural light coming through the window is also key to improving my morning and starting my day right. The fabric and the opacity of the curtain plays a vital factor in the amount of light that enters the room. Hence, the curtain makers from Edinburgh profess that when one chooses their curtains, they also choose the hue and brilliance of the room.

6. Leave Your Phone Alone

When your alarm goes off it’s so tempting to just have a quick flick through social media, check your emails or just play around with your phone in general, but resist! Not only will it suck up lots of time, leaving you scrambling later on and possibly running late, but it is also not a great first step for your day. We spend so much of our days staring at screens of all kinds, so give yourself a chance first thing in the morning to do other things (like stretch and make your bed!) before picking up your phone and checking in on what happened overnight. Once you’re ready and have eaten your delicious, nourishing breakfast then feel free to instagram-away, but just not first up!

There we have it, my top 6 simple ways to improve your morning! I’d love to hear your tips as well!

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16 Comments on 6 Simple Ways to Improve Your Morning

    • I Spy Plum Pie (admin)
      August 22, 2015 at 8:23 pm (9 years ago)

      Give them a try this week and hopefully you find them helpful!

      Reply
  1. Ellen @ Potential Psychology Blog
    August 21, 2015 at 8:40 pm (9 years ago)

    I don’t stretch but I’m getting better at a good breakfast and I always have all of my and the kids clothes laid out the night before (and lunches made). I just have to LEAVE MY PHONE ALONE. That is such good advice! x
    Ellen @ Potential Psychology Blog recently posted…One simple experiment for a happier life

    Reply
    • I Spy Plum Pie (admin)
      August 22, 2015 at 8:24 pm (9 years ago)

      Stretching is the one I’m trying to get more consistent at too. Glad to hear you found this helpful! xx

      Reply
    • I Spy Plum Pie (admin)
      August 22, 2015 at 8:24 pm (9 years ago)

      Same, I’m definitely much more productive in the morning, both at home and at work! Walking is one of my favourite things to do as well

      Reply
  2. Jodi Gibson (JF Gibson Writer)
    August 21, 2015 at 8:56 pm (9 years ago)

    Mornings really are my favourite time of the day. I have a pretty rigid routine: Wake, exercise, shower, make bed, write, catch up on social media. All before everyone else is out of bed. It gives me a sense of achievement each day. Even if everything else turns south for the rest of the day, I still accomplished so much.

    Reply
    • I Spy Plum Pie (admin)
      August 22, 2015 at 8:25 pm (9 years ago)

      That’s an impressive amount to fit in before everyone else gets up, I hope there’s some coffee involved there too!

      Reply
  3. Rachael
    August 21, 2015 at 9:40 pm (9 years ago)

    Love hearing new ways to make ones morning bearable and happy! I particularly loved No 5; snap I too mentioned this point in my post this week too. My tip would be a cup of tea in a lovely mug, it’s what gets me out of bed each day. Nice to meet you!
    Rachael

    Reply
    • I Spy Plum Pie (admin)
      August 22, 2015 at 8:27 pm (9 years ago)

      It’s amazing how much of a difference such a small thing can make, isn’t it?! Hard to beat a nice cuppa as well! Lovely to have you here

      Reply
    • I Spy Plum Pie (admin)
      August 22, 2015 at 8:27 pm (9 years ago)

      I think #6 might be the hardest for most of us, but it does make a difference I promise!

      Reply
    • I Spy Plum Pie (admin)
      September 6, 2015 at 11:22 am (9 years ago)

      It’s amazing how food is one of the first things to go when we’re busy, it’s so important but also so easy to skip!

      Reply
  4. Mrs W
    August 24, 2015 at 8:38 pm (9 years ago)

    You are so spot on with these tips! Especially stretching – I’ve been experimenting with this lately, and have found that I definitely have a calmer and more positive start to my days when I wake up a little earlier to do a simple yoga routine. Not only does it clear your mind, but the release of any muscle tension from sleep is so key to maintaining calm!
    Mrs W recently posted…33/52 – A portrait a week

    Reply
    • I Spy Plum Pie (admin)
      September 6, 2015 at 11:23 am (9 years ago)

      It really is amazing how much of a difference it can make. Stretching is the one I’m trying to get better at including, so thanks for the push!

      Reply

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