10 ways to improve your morning routine

When it comes to starting the day, the first hour can set your mood for the next 15 hours so it's important that we have an enjoyable and effective wake-up routine so that you feel fresh, confident and prepared to achieve your missions for the day.

Here are 10 ways to get that better start.

1.) Prepare a To-Do list the night before:

Get a pen and paper and take 5 minutes to write down your to-do's for the next day. This will help strengthen your vision for the day and cement the thoughts into your subconscious so that you'll just cruise on autopilot ticking off your goals for the day. Tim Ferris says that you should at least aim to get 2 big tasks done every day. Try and distinguish what is urgent (to be done today) vs what is important (long-term habits).

2.) Don't hit the snooze and make your bed

Your definition of success is directly correlated with your ability to maintain discipline, repetition, persistence and will power. The day's first test of this is the moment your alarm rings. So get up, make your bed and allow the momentum of GETTING THINGS DONE to continue as you move forward and closer to your goals.

3.) Do 15-20 minutes of stretching/exercise

Motion is lotion. Whether its yoga, tai-chi, cardiovascular activity or any other form of heart-beat raising activity, it will dramatically help prevent disease and injuries, improve blood circulation, relieve stress, improve posture and release natural feel good endorphins.

4.) Meditation

If there has been one ancient past time proven to be of significant impact on your minds ability to focus and take control of your life, it is meditation.
Scientifically it has been proven to reduce stress, combat anxiety and depression, enhance self- awareness, improve memory and attention span, prevent addiction and generate kindness. So try that 10-minute meditation playlist and observe your bodies thoughts, emotions, reaction, breathe. It's like doing push-ups for your brain.

5.) Eat a healthy breakfast

Filling your belly with some food in the morning will help sustain your mind and bodies ability to perform effectively and efficiently.
Try to include in your meal the following:

-Dairy/Protein:
low-fat or fat-free yogurt, milk, cottage cheese, cheese, egg or egg whites, or even a lean protein like sliced turkey or chicken breast.

-Carbs:
whole grain toast, cereal, granola, or oats.

-Fats:
natural nut butters, raw nuts or seeds, avocado, olive oil

-Fruit:
whole fruit: Bananas, Berries, Apples, Grapes, Melon

6.) Drink some water

After sleeping for 8 hours your body is sure to be dehydrated, so fill those cells of yours with some H20. Adding some lemon in there can also improve your body's immune system and keep your organics engines firing away at 100% efficiency.

7.) No electronics for the first hour

It is so easy to wake up and look at your smartphone to catch up on the night's social media posts. But this will induce socially related thoughts about your place in the world. Instead use the first hour to consolidate yourself and be comfortable with who YOU truely are and what you are preparing to bring to the world.

8.) Read the news

Reading is so good for your brain and mental health. Not only does it give you new topics to talk to others about but also improves memory and writing skills, increases vocabulary, improve focus and concentration and decreases the chances of dementia and Alzheimers.

9.) Tackle your hardest To-Do first

By completing your toughest task for the day first, you are able to continue with the comfort in knowing that something has been done and achieved. This yields you that feel good fulfillment and motivates you further to continue ticking the to-dos on the rest of your list.

10.) Reflect

The morning haze can sometimes make you feel like you don't know how the day is going to go. This is why reading and writing in your diary can keep you on course to achieve your personal goals and reflect on your positive life experiences.