25 Jun Top Tips to Boost Your Morning Mood for a Positive and Calm Day
Are you one those rare individuals who can wake up and “jump” out of bed with enthusiasm and positive energy each morning? Congratulations if you are an energetic Morning Person! If you are were thinking “No, that’s not me at all, I am not a Morning Person“, you are among the majority.
Most of us need some time and space for positive self talk, and prepare ourselves mentally for the challenges we face.
If we wake and feel tired from poor sleep, have fears and anxieties, and we feel unmotivated, and in a bad mood this can affect how we approach work tasks, our personal and work relationships, productivity, and overall levels of happiness, calmness and motivation for the whole day.
It is vital that we start the day with a positive and calm attitude.
Here are some top tips to establish your morning habits:
Wake up at the same time each morning and choose what you wake up to – Our director Heather Wright says we should utilise our iPads and phones more to choose our first trigger in the morning. A motivational or relaxing playlist, your favourite artist, some classical music, or nature sounds could all be the morning booster we need. We can control what our brain takes in when we wake up to start our day, and this trigger can determine our mood and mindset for the rest of our day.
Attach positive triggers to your morning routine such as a motivational quote or question “What is your purpose today?” on the bathroom mirror or your wardrobe door. Connecting a new discipline (or trigger) with an established, often subconscious discipline such as brushing our teeth will enable a higher success in building a new habit.
Read your Inspirational Quote: Our daily motivational quotes are selected to motivate you, give confidence, focus on your “why”, and leadership and teamwork inspirations. It takes a few moments to open the daily quote and gain a positive boost of a saying or piece of advice or experience that you can carry through your day.
Practise your Self Talk. Heather talks to herself in the shower – reminding herself of her goals and mindset for the day, and she tells herself how she will make a difference to other people that day.
Spend quality time with your loved ones: We can never have enough time with the people we love the most in our lives. Working as a team in the morning builds connection and relationship happiness that empowers us through the day. So, consciously set your routine in a morning to have that quality time to chat about your plans and hopes for the day. Get up at the same time, share the morning chores, and put away your devices and connect. The 75 year Grant Study by Harvard Medical School found that life success depends more on strong caring relationships than anything else. So share breakfast, a coffee or a morning yoga session with your partner or children.
Calm Yourself with Yoga and Mindfulness: We have explored the benefits of mindfulness in previous eshots, including working relationships, and mental health and physical well-being. By introducing mindfulness exercises on a daily basis, you establish a calm routine to focus your mind consciously, and remove morning anxieties. By practising yoga each morning, you can add exercise and a physical element to centre yourself. Heather follows a yoga instruction programme each morning to establish calmness and focus before taking on the challenges of her day.
Exercise in the morning. We know exercise helps to make us feel healthier, revs up our metabolism, and boosts our positive endorphins. Make sure that you add some exercise in your morning routine such as a brisk walk with the dog, cycling or a jog with friends before your working day. Research shows that morning exercise improves your mood for the day, and therefore has an impact on your success and relationships as well so it is worth establishing the routine.
Spread Positivity, Joy, and Gratitude Create a habit of paying a compliment to each person in your home every morning. Set yourself positive small tasks such as smile at three people on your commute, or compliment two work colleagues today. Share your good vibes with others to boost their mood which bounces back to boost yours. As we have discussed previously, research on the active practice of gratitude has found very positive benefits for well-being, happiness levels, and success.
By starting our day with a routine of positivity and calmness, we establish our mindset, attitude towards others, and our behaviour so we can be the best version of ourselves for the day.