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How to create a successful morning routine

Morning Routine | UPMC Health Plan

Whether you are an athlete, business professional, or busy parent, you can benefit from starting your day off right. A good morning routine will not only leave you prepared for the day’s challenges, it will also leave you feeling less stressed. As an Ironman triathlete, my day starts early and moves fast. It’s important for me to plan ahead and stay organized. Here are my tips for creating a successful morning routine!

Prepare the night before

If the morning is hectic for you, prep the evening before. This doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be as simple as packing your lunch after dinner or setting out your clothes for the next day.

Eat breakfast

It’s no secret that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Breakfast is literally breaking the fast from the night before. Breakfast gives your body the fuel and energy it needs and kick-starts your metabolism for the day.

Get moving

Waking up early to work out can be hard for some people, including me. But if you can drag yourself out of bed, you will be happy you did. Working out in the morning has many benefits. People who work out in the morning report feeling more energized and less stressed during the day. Read more about morning workouts in my previous post “5 Benefits of Morning Workouts.”

Prioritize your goals

Knowing what you need to accomplish each day is important and can make your life less hectic. If you have a list of the must-do activities along with your would-like-to-do activities, you can do the more important tasks first. Then you can get to the would-like-to-do activities. When you don’t start the day with a purpose, time can get away from you very fast.

Hydrate

In the morning, many of us go right for the coffee. Instead, try starting your day with a tall glass of water. Your body may have become dehydrated during the night and taking care of dehydration first thing can help prevent fatigue, headaches, and sluggishness. Your body is over 50% H2O, so make sure you are drinking during the day to stay hydrated.

Starting your day with these simple basics not only sets you up for success, it also helps your body feel great! Success comes with the habits you work at daily, so start small and add to them over time. You will be amazed at what a difference a good morning routine can make in your entire day!