By WIN Contributor: Dr. Nicholas Slowinski, Chiropractor
With spring officially here, and the warm weather finally starting to show around the Niagara region, like most of you, my attention has already started to drift towards all the joyous activities summer brings. However, that’s no excuse not to make your bed in the morning… I know what you’re thinking, what you just read makes no sense. But what if something as simple as making your bed each morning could have a tremendous impact on your day with regards to increased productivity?
Having a regular morning ritual is something that has allowed me to start my day off on the right foot. These activities facilitate success in your endeavours for the next 12+ hours! This concept is something I’ve borrowed from Tim Ferris, who wrote “Tools of Titans.” Without spoiling too much of a good read, you should know that the concept of the book is that Mr. Ferris interviews several world renowned CEOS, billionaires, pro athletes etc, and implements aspects of their lives that make them great into his own.
The section titled “5 Morning Rituals That Help Me Win The Day” resonated with me in a big way! I’ve implemented certain morning rituals to help me get the most out of each day. Some of these may seem like little things, however I promise they can make a big difference.
Without further delay, here are…
Dr. Nick’s 5 morning rituals that help him rule the day!
1) Make your Bed
Simply put this one is the easiest to do and takes the least amount of time. It is also something that no matter what kind of day awaits you, you can control! Furthermore, even if your “to do” list is outrageously long, you have already completed one task within the first 3 minutes after waking up….and that feels good!
2) Pack a lunch
Meal prep is essential! If you think of your body as a vehicle, it’s easy to understand why if you don’t fuel it right your not going to go very far. This could be a whole blog on its own, so for now I’ll keep it simple. Avoid processed foods, get enough protein and load up on veggies!
3) MOVE
Morning exercise is essential to my routine, and believe me it wasn’t always the case! I plan my workout for the next morning the night before; I rise early and hit the gym! This can be as simple as 10-20 reps of any given exercise. This is enough for you to “get into your body”, and ready your vessel for the coming day.
4) Meditate
This is not a new concept anymore, but it is for sure an important one! Daily mindfulness practice is a great way for me to set my intentions for the coming day. I usually like to do this in the sauna after my workouts for a minimum of 10 minutes.
5) Drink My Coffee
I try to limit my coffee consumption to as few as possible, but I always have one in the morning. The caffeine kick is enough to get my head in the game for what might come. Lately I’ve been experimenting with different tea throughout the day, but more experimentation is required.
As I said earlier, these things take practice to turn them into habits, so if you’re just starting to experiment with morning rituals set the bar low. I consider it a successful start to my day even if I only hit 3/5 of my morning rituals! I should note that this is a continuous work in progress for me as well, so if you try any of these strategies out let me know how they work for you or if you have any other suggestions!