“Your day is pretty much formed by how you spend your first hour. Check your thoughts, attitude, and heart.” Starting your day on a good note is key to being productive. And you can only start on a good note when your brain is active. Having a lagging brain has a way of reducing your level of creativity, and makes it difficult to focus on daily tasks.
Personally, I detest being unproductive because of a brain drain, or a lag in my mental strength. And so, I do a few things. In this article, I will share some of the steps you can take to ensure that you jump-start your brain to achieve success and optimum productivity.
But, before I continue, I’d like to remind you that You can still grab The AfamUche Self-development Journal (Here: The Life Compass Workbook) and Planner (Here: Goal Chaser) now! Yes, you can get your copy of the journal or planner on the blog.
We have carefully created these books to help our beautiful readers on the journey to achieving their goals of being a better person. Feel free to ask questions about them in the comment section, I will be reading and ready to reply.Now, grab a bar of chocolate, and let’s look at some of the hacks you can employ give your brain a jumpstart every morning:
1. Bask In The Light
First, I’d call this: “basking in the light”. To bask in the light is to be exposed to the pleasant warmth especially that of the sun, for relaxation and pleasure.
You can soak yourself up in the early morning sun rays for five to ten minutes before you do anything else. Exposure to sunlight increases the brain’s release of a hormone called serotonin. This hormone is associated with boosting the mood and aiding a person in feeling calm and focused.
What better way to start your day than to wake up, bask in the sunshine, and be lounged in its warmth. Soaking some morning sun is a good idea health-wise because the molecules that produce vitamin D which aids healthy skin, healthy hair, and strong bones are present in the sun.
The several hours of the afternoon sun are more intense and can get harmful, so the best time to fully activate the benefits of sunlight is basking in the morning sun.
2. Get Hydrated
I used to have an unsettling stomach for most of the week for a long time till I came across a program where the doctor advised that a glass or two of water in the early hours of the morning is very essential.
The brain is made up of 73% water so staying hydrated is essential for maintaining optimal brain activity. Drinking water first thing in the morning helps fuel your brain and increases your daily productivity. Experts say a glass of water even before your morning cup of coffee could jumpstart your system when you need it the most.
When the brain is fully hydrated, the exchange of nutrients and toxins will be more efficient, therefore ensuring better concentration and mental alertness.
Getting hydrated also increases blood flow and oxygen to the brain which in turn improves concentration, supports memory function, balances moods, and emotions, and reduces stress and headaches.
Except you can manage to drink water in your sleep which is not humanly possible, six to eight hours of sleep is a long period to go without any water consumption. I hope after reading this article you begin to take a glass or two of water (room temperature preferably) as soon as you wake up.
3. Practice A Deep Breathing Exercise
“Just Breathe” Did you know that deep breathing is one of the easiest and most convenient ways to fight stress and anxiety, reduce pain, fight high blood pressure, and even aid digestion? It’s the little things that seem very trivial that matters.
Taking deep breaths slows the heart rate, making more oxygen to enter our bloodstream which ultimately makes the brain relax. Breathing is in charge of 70% of the cleansing of the body toxins through the release of carbon monoxide.
If you do not breathe fully, your body will work overtime to release these toxins. Breathe in calmly through your nose, filling your abdomen and chest, and hold your breath for 3 seconds.
Slowly release this breath through a slightly parted lip or “O” shaped lips. Repeat this process for at least five minutes and be aware of your breath, heartbeat, and release tension from your body. The best time for this practice is in the morning. It may take time before it becomes a habit but don’t stop trying. Anytime you wake up, remember to Just Breathe! In and Out.
4. Stretch And Wake Up Your Body
Stretching first thing in the morning can relieve any pain or tension from the night before. It also increases your blood flow and prepares your body for the day ahead. By stretching yourself in the morning, you are improving your brain activity and increasing your energy level throughout the day.
Stretching wakes the body up and makes you feel more refreshed and ready for the day. You can try the following morning stretch routine when you wake up and your brain would be more refreshed and your day a whole lot brighter;
Head Rolls: Slowly roll your head in a circular motion from shoulder to shoulder 5 times clockwise and anti-clockwise.
Low Back Gap Stretch: Lay on your back and let one of your legs rotate the opposite way as your chest and your extended arm. Hold this position for at least one minute before switching to the other side.
Quadriceps Stretch: Lay on your side, reach behind your back with your hand and pull your foot towards your back to get a stretch in your front hip and thigh. Hold this position for one minute then turn over to the other side and stretch your other leg.
Spinal Mobility Roll: Start by reaching up towards the ceiling then slowly bend towards your feet. Hang down at your feet for at least ten seconds then gradually roll your spine back up to the starting position. Repeat this sequence at least five times.
5. Visualise Your Daily Success
“As a man thinks, so is he…” Your subconscious communicates through your thoughts and emotions and is highly influenced by both external and internal pictures which is where visualisation comes in.
By taking your time in the morning to visualise how you would like your day to go, you are building a memory bank that your subconscious will try to make a reality. When you can successfully visualise how you would like your day to go, your brain is more relaxed and confident.
The most important part of visualising your day is that you are more focused and prepared for any obstacle or challenge you might face. Before you reach for your phone to check your mail or start your day, you must first take time to visualise how you expect your day to go.
Try to visualise the most important parts of your day and picture yourself victorious. If you cannot think it, you cannot be it. Make this your daily morning routine and you would be amazed at the remarkable improvements and achievements you will make.
6. Give Thanks
Gratitude makes our brain to attain higher levels of positive emotions throughout the day. When you remind yourself of people you are grateful for and situations you are grateful for, you become more compassionate. Gratitude reduces toxic emotions like envy and resentment that could be harmful to your brain and your mental health.
You don’t exactly feel enthusiastic when you wake up except you are looking forward to something. Hence, it is a choice to be wake up and consciously think about things you are grateful for.
Practicing this makes you more aware of what you’re grateful for in every moment and this will help you have a much freer, fuller, and expansive experience of being alive. I strongly advise that you inculcate this simple but powerful habit for at least 30 seconds in your morning routine.
Verbally acknowledge to yourself things you are grateful for and even the fact that you are alive and breathing is a lot to be grateful for. Starting your day by giving thanks helps you behave in a prosocial manner even when your niceness is not being reciprocated.
It can be simple words like
- I am thankful for my safe and secure home.
- I gratefully receive the lessons that each experience brings.
- I am grateful for the constant flow of money through my life.
- I realize how fortunate I am that so many people love me.
- I have access to nourishing food and clean water, and I am so thankful.
- I appreciate all of the people involved in bringing food to my table.
- Every person I meet can teach me something.
- I am grateful for their wisdom. I realize the gift of this precious human life.
- I love and appreciate my beautiful family
Write down things you are grateful for and take some time to meditate on them every morning.
7. Take Time For Self-Care
Self-care is any activity that you deliberately involve yourself in, to take care of your mental, emotional, and physical health. Good self-care is a good way to jumpstart your brain in the morning because it makes the brain relaxed and increases its productivity for the rest of the day.
For the first hour of your day, you should stay away from any form of media so you have time to focus solely on yourself. You can practice the other ways to jumpstart your brain as listed in this article or you could read from a book that inspires you. Develop a healthy ritual that gives you time to declutter your thoughts, to meditate, and to make important decisions for the day.
Some may prefer to read the bible, meditate, or practice yoga. It is called self-care for a reason so you must purposefully make it a time for just you. It’s a time you come first, before any other thing or person.
8. Declutter Your Thoughts (Journaling)
Morning journaling is a writing process that declutters your thoughts and clears your mind. It builds your mind and creates room for greater creativity.
You do not have to be a professional writer to cultivate the art of journaling. Just take a book and write down any thought that comes to your head.
The Life Compass workbook has been designed as an empowering and life-changing journal that you can use in the morning to prepare for the day. When you wake up, your mind is filled with thoughts from the previous night and when you take time to write them all down your brain is lighter and you can approach the rest of the day with more clarity.
Your brain is freed from information that can weigh you down and affect your productivity. Avoid any distractions so you can focus on your thoughts and writing them down. Get in a comfortable position and you’ll surprisingly find yourself looking forward to this time of the day.
You must do your journaling in the morning because that is the optimal time of the day for a stream of consciousness daily practice. Don’t worry about grammar, you are writing raw emotions and real thoughts. Just Write.
9. Fuel Your Body
“Respect your body. Fuel your body. Challenge your body. Move your body. And most of all Love your body.” You cannot fuel a body you do not accept or love. Even if you do fuel such a body, you might not fuel it with the right things. Fueling your body involves eating the right food and drinking the right fluids, in the right amounts and at the right times.
The brain demands such high amounts of energy so the food you consume greatly affects brain function, including everything from learning and memory to emotions. The main energy source and preferred fuel for the body are carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are important for fueling the body and brain and also protecting the muscles.
However, stay hydrated, eat enough carbohydrates, spread out your protein. In all, maintain a healthy diet and a healthy workout routine. Eating three meals a day in addition to two or three in-between-meal snacks provides your body and brain with adequate energy necessary for health.
These are the best and most effective ways to jump-start your brain for the day. If you diligently follow each one of these steps, you are going to have a more productive and purposeful life.
I must also add that they would make life a whole lot easier for you because a benefit of giving your brain a jumpstart in the morning is that it gives you foreknowledge of what is going to happen in the day and as such, you are mentally, physically and emotionally prepared for whatever might happen.
To achieve the best result, you have to be a morning person, and if you are not, it’s not too late to inculcate the habit. Set an alarm and be up as early as possible to give your brain a jumpstart.
When you begin these exciting routines, you begin to look forward to them and you get naturally accustomed to the habit. It doesn’t matter if you miss a day or two, every morning you can, as much as you remember, practice these routines and you’ll be amazed at the positive and powerful impact they would have in your life.
FOR YOU:
Hey there! Thank you for reading this write. I want to believe that you are not going to end this at just the reading phase.It is important for you to take action too. Feel free to your thoughts in the comment section for me. I will be reading and ready to reply.
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