my mindful and productive morning habits
Having a good morning routine and also sticking with it can be quite a challenge sometimes, but once you find a morning routine that truly works for you, it will benefit you in ways that you would have never imagined!
Today, I’m taking you along with me for a mindful and productive morning. This morning routine really helps me to slow down and connect with myself. I hope this video can also inspire you guys to put more thoughts into your mornings to kickstart your day!
WAKE UP TO
A CALMING ALAM
During the past few months, I’ve been trying to get up early and now it is 6:00 a.m.
Instead of using the automatic alarm that is quite loud and tends to give me a heart attack sometimes, I switched my alarm to a peaceful and bright song that can wake me up more gently.
MAKE YOUR BED
To start off, I like to make my bed.
Because when you walk into an organized, clean space, you feel excited to do things with your daily life.
So make your home your happy place.
CREATING BEFORE CONSUMING
After getting up, I like to keep a clear and uninfluenced mind to myself during my morning routine.
So instead of scrolling down on my phone screen and getting sucked into social media feeds, I normally put my phone away in a designated space so that I can focus on “creating” something on my own rather than “consuming” others’ information during my precious morning time alone.
VISUALIZATION WHILE GETTING FRESHEN UP
After putting my phone away, I will start my favorite morning playlist and go to the bathroom to freshen up.
One trick to make this 5-10 min period more fun is to start visualizing something very pleasant and inspirational. It can be anything, as long as it makes you happy and inspires you.
It can be something you look forward to today, it can be your dream vacations, it can be picturing yourself accomplishing something important today, and it can be your ideal relationship with your loved ones and with yourself.
Visualizing like this is not only fun but also very powerful. After vividly picturing your dreams or something you’ve always wanted to do for a while, your vision becomes clearer and you start to think about ways to make it happen, and one small step after another, you are already on your way to your dream situation.
DRINK A CUP OF LEMON WATER
Getting a cup of lemon water in the morning does not only rehydrate your body from a whole night’s sleep, but it is also a great way to wake up your body and mind for a brand new day.
In addition to boosting your digestive system, various nutrients in lemon such as vitamin C can also boost your immunity, helps maintain healthier skin, and a healthier weight.
10-MIN MEDITATION TO CONNECT WITH YOURSELF
While my body is still absorbing the lemon water, I am sitting in my favorite spot ready for my 10-minute meditation session.
I found meditation a great way to care for yourself. A few minutes of mindfulness can calm everything down so that I can just be with my thoughts.
Being able to have this 10-min quietness and mindfulness to myself every day, I’ve become more aware of what is important and what is not important in my life. It gives me a focus and a much clearer mind throughout the day. And now I can better manage my energy level both mentally and physically.
10-MIN STRETCHING
After the meditation, I am putting out my yoga mat, ready for some stretching to fully wake my body up.
Beginning with a comfortable sitting position, let’s stretch our upper body first. I always start with a neck release to release the tension in my neck from a long night's sleep, and then a few rounds of "cat and cow" to release the tension on my back and spine. (Click here to see the video illustration for the neck release stretching pose)
Afterward, I will pick another few stretching poses depending on which area I feel the most tension that day. While stretching out, just be very mindful of your breaths, and it feels so amazing opening up your body like this every morning. You will find freedom and relaxation in your body almost instantly.
COFFEE TIME
Nothing feels better than enjoying a good cup of coffee and taking the time to make a healthy and delicious breakfast in the morning.
It is truly one of my happiest moments of the day, and it has become one of my major motivations to wake up and start my day early.
I normally drink two shots of coffee in the morning to kick start my day and then switch to drinking tea or water in the afternoon. This way, I am intaking enough caffeine to stimulate my mind during the day. And at the same time, not drinking any coffee past 2 pm, I am making sure that my sleep cycle won't be affected when I go to bed around 11 pm.
TAKE TIME TO MAKE
A HEALTHY BREAKFAST
The process of making coffee and breakfast is like meditation for me. It is a time when your mind can quiet down and fully concentrate on the food you are preparing.
And let’s be honest, good food always makes people happy. So I am really enjoying my daily food therapy here.
READ MY FAVORITE MAGAZINES WHILE ENJOYING BREAKFAST
While enjoying my breakfast, I like to read my magazines for inspiration and fresh ideas.
Reading diverse topics by different creators can really inspire me to look at things from different perspectives and will almost surely light up my imagination.
It is a very important time for me to recharge
for my creative content.
MORNING JOURNALING
After breakfast, I am wrapping up my morning routine with journaling, which gives me clarity and points me in the right direction for my day ahead.
For the past few months, I’ve simplified my morning journaling down to only three sessions, and I’m loving this new format. It is short and sweet but very effective. (Click here for details on my miracle morning journaling structure)