4 Things to Avoid in The Mornings

Preface: I'm not a morning person. At. All. Anyone who knows me probably knows this. So I don't claim to be a pro at getting you up and motivated in the AM.

But over the last few months I've been working on switching up my routine to make my day more productive, my mornings more relaxing, and over time to bring a new sense of vitality to my life, particularly during the working week.

1. Only set one alarm, and snooze it once. No setting 5 alarms 10 minutes apart (which I used to be guilty of) and ignoring them until the one titled "Leave the house!" goes off. You don't feel any better with an extra half hour of broken sleep, and chances are you'll end up in a mad rush.
2. Get moving. Whether it's a full hour of yoga or just a good stretch, the most important thing to do when you get up is to get your body moving and your muscles loosened up. A good stretch of the whole body just before you get out of bed is a great start; if you have time for a workout then I love a bit of yoga and a few push-ups, sit-ups and jumping jacks. 
3. Don't get social. Checking social media is one of the main things that harpoons morning routines. Your mornings are for you, to centre yourself for the upcoming day, not for inviting everyone you know into your life. You get sucked into endless scrolling and waste time that could be spent on something much more productive. Like...
4. Breakfast. Obvious one? Absolutely. But how many of us skip breakfast in favour of an extra five minutes zzz? A lot. My trick is to plan or prepare a breakfast so good that I can't wait to get downstairs to eat it. Cereal or toast just don't inspire me in the slightest, but avocado on toast or eggs benedict will ALWAYS get me down the stairs in a flash. For something with less prep time, try a variation of overnight oats. 

What do you love to do in the AM that gets you up and about and sets you up for a great day? 

Also, WHERE can I get the mug in the photo? Image from weheartit.com