Seven Simple Habits to Start your Day with Energy and Vigor
By: Steve Olson
Quit the cup. Switch to plain water to get energized in the morning.
Simple habits can get your day off to a great start. They may seem obvious--but most of us fail to do simple things that can make us feel better. We don't take the time to live and be conscious, because we're too busy. But, in fact, it doesn't really take too much for us to find quality time for ourselves--as long as we have the energy for it.
Here are seven energy-boosting moves you can do in 30 minutes or less:
1. Stretch first thing in the morning. Do you wake up with aching muscles? Start stretching your legs. If it's painful, you've probably let yourself go too long, but if you start slowly and stick with it, it will improve the way you feel for the rest of the day. Take two to three minutes to do a series of moderate stretches every morning.
2. Exercise immediately after you stretch. You don't have to run five miles or do a full body workout at the gym. Start with something simple that takes a couple of minutes like 20 push-ups and 30 squats and work toward 100 push-ups and 100 squats. It only takes a few minutes--but the benefits last all day.
3. Drink two glasses of water Nighttime dehydrates us, and the first thing most of us drink is coffee, which makes it worse. A major cause of fatigue is dehydration. I've discovered that if I drink two glasses of water just before breakfast it gives me a bigger boost than coffee ever did.
4. Eat a whole foods breakfast. Never skip breakfast, but give up processed food. Put away the Froot Loops and the Eggos. Avoid doughnuts and bagels. Instead, eat a bowl of fresh strawberries or blueberries and an egg or two. Even bacon and sausage will serve you better than breakfast cereal (be sure to eat only grass-fed nitrate-free meats). You might think this is time consuming, but it isn't. If I prepare the night before, it only takes 5-10 minutes to eat a healthy breakfast. Eating a healthy breakfast, low in refined sugar and flour, can boost your IQ by 15 percent.
5. Skip the coffee. Think you'll die without your morning coffee? You won't. You'll feel better without it. Sure, it will give you a kick for a couple of hours after drinking it, but you will crash hard later and nothing will pick you back up. Your energy levels stay much higher during the day when you avoid coffee. Instead of peaks and valleys, you will have a consistent good feeling all day.
6. Do a standing meditation. Every morning, walk outside and stand silently for a few minutes. Try to observe without thought, without worry, and without judgment. Feel the the universe surrounding you. It will calm you. It will expand your conscious awareness. It will help you think clearly later.
7. Turn off the news and talk radio. This might seem a bit off subject, but it isn't. The ideas you allow into your mind, especially in the morning and just before bed, will affect your energy levels. During your commute, turn off the morning shock jocks and political talk radio. They push negative emotional buttons, a heinous crime you can't do anything about, a corrupt politician, or some horrible injustice. Sitting in a car pumping negative garbage into your mind is a lousy way to start your day. Instead, get an iPod and download some podcasts or get a good audio book on audible.com. Absorb some actionable information, information you can use, information that inspires. Start your day with something positive. I recommend the Alan Watts Podcast.
Remember that the time to energize your life is now. You never know what tomorrow may bring, so make sure that you have enough energy to seize the day.
Credits: Photo by Vojko Kalan, courtesy of Public Domain Pictures.
The author is a blogger, IT manager for Ergotron.com, and entrepreneur. He is also a technology, marketing, and personal growth enthusiast. But, his biggest passion is helping people achieve freedom in their lives. On his personal blog, For People Pursuing Freedom, he covers personal finance, entrepreneurship, education, self-improvement, business, ethics, and emotional intelligence.
Suggested Resource: To find out how to get energized the right way, sign up for Simpleology 103: The Simple Science of Personal Energy and get clued in on more energy-boosting tips and resources.
Comments
Excellent post, Steve. I just started doing the water thing (my coffee consumption is way off of the chart), and I already notice a difference - the energy level has definitely gone up.
I need to know how switching water for coffee is going to ENERGIZE me in the morning?
Excellent recommendations. I would emphasize though the importance of proper hydration. A technique I was taught about a year ago is to drink six glasses of water (it's difficult when you are starting!) first thing in the morning. Then wait about 45 minutes or an hour (while you are getting ready) to eat or drink anything else. Then continue drinking clean pure water the rest of the day as normal. This technique stimulates all the internal organs and brings them rapidly to prime condition. You will feel the difference in a few days. Also another tip is to take ice cold showers. It will feel you with super energy and also make you sleep better at night.
Art Gonzalez
great post, some very good and simple practical tips.
I especially like the standing mediatation in the morning (before I drink my coffee though) as we have an amazing view from our apartment. It really does help to get centred and ready for the day ahead and it only takes a minute or two.
Interesting post.
I like the idea of turning off the news and talk radio.
Another tip if you drink coffee - always have a glass of water for every cup of coffee you drink to prevent water loss (coffee is a diuretic) and to help flush out toxins.
Thanks for all the great feedback guys. Glad you enjoyed the post. I do cheat a little on this, I drink decaf coffee. Old habits are hard to break ;-)
Prayer helps too. I pray in my car on the way to work. Makes a big diff in how the day turns out.
I have an IPOD but listen to music. I really need to start getting into the whole Podcast thing so I can learn new things while on the way to work.
Thanks for the good article.
I am always interested in health tips and information. I will try not listening to news in the morning and see what effect that has on my day. I will also try 2 glasses of water even tho i do not drink coffee. when i get to work i usually drink a cup of herbal tea. i bought a water bottle with a filter in the top that cleans up tap water and holds 20 oz of water. i have started drinking that at work. good article.
You are so right about the news and radio and all the negatives pumped into your mind for breakfast. Cool tunes is the best way to start the day!
Thank you Steve. I am a student and worker at same time. I use your steps and combine with energy exercise and meditation. It is very usefully. This is something that change ours lives. We create our lives with passion.
Best wishes
Darko
Great ideas here. Especially the one about turning off the news. Makes so much sense - especially in these challenging times. There are (many) days when after hearing the news, I simply don't have the energy to get out of bed. Talk about your negative energy buttons. Committing to just one of these ideas each week will make a massive difference. I must get started! Thank you!
Thanks for these practical tips for everyone, especially for moms like me who need to multitask the whole day.
Great advice!! Thank you for the tips!!
For the comment on water vs coffee... according to menshealth.com 2 cold glasses of water (they emphasize the cold part) will increase your metabolism up to 25% for about 2 hours. Makes sense that your energy levels will be up if your metabolism is hightened. Also, this will obviously help you with you calorie consumption for the morning.
Proper hydration is essential. No doubt about that. But, drinking 6 glasses of water at a time is something not everyone can do. So, I drink as much as I can and walk for a while. As regards coffee, I never liked coffee and prefer tea instead. A maximum of 3 cups of tea a day atleast one of which will be green. A good energy booster during the day is brown chogolete (I prefer Quality Street).
Well we are all conscious about our physical health. What about the other two kinds?
The standing meditation was a great tip for me, thank you. I often spend about 15-20 min in meditation which sometimes can turn into a mini nap, so I think this will be a much more effective way. Thanks a lot and happy holidays!
I long ago stumbled on the idea of taking my morning coffee out in the garden. That 15 minutes does something that sets the rest of the day straight.
A previous poster mentioned praying while driving. I'll second that.
Oh, and take your vitamins. All that water on top of coffee is going to drain you of them (literally!)
I like to drink a lot of Chinese tea, it is calming and seems to flush toxins out of me.
I remember when I quit coffee. I had to in order to get some sleep! The best side effect of quitting was an energy boost throughout the day. When coffee is a staple, your body requires it to maintain a regular energy level. Having that mid-afternoon cup of joe only boosts you back up to normal levels. If you quit, the odd coffee will boost you above the norm :)
Good idea with the Alan Watts :)
I usually wake up at daybreak and enjoy the morning.
I usually have a cup of tea but like your idea of a couple of glasses of water as well.
I live in rural countryside which is very tranquil so I like to spend 30 minutes listening to the land come alive with the sounds of birds and cattle.
Excellent tips. I usually drink a full glass of water, do yoga, drink another full glass of water, meditate, and then study my scriptures.
I find that the stretching and exercise work great for me.
Excellent post. Once in a while we need to be reminded of these simple but yet powerful nuggets that helps to make life more exciting. Thanks for sharing
Wonderful post and great true points you have made - stretching first this is simply essential, hydrating your body in the morning as well - your brain really will function so much better - especially if you have eaten a good breakfast. - Although I still like my coffee in the am, I make sure to drink my water first.
everyone should take your advice!
Some of this stuff, might work, but I don't know how switching water for coffee is going to help. And I need my talk radio...
Thanks for the post!!
i'll try to put that news off!!!
Have u tried these things??
Excellent article. I use many of the same rules each day. One thing I always do on my drive time in the morning is I pop in some personal development cd's, gets your mind ready for the day in a positive fashion. Also if you do these things and still feel drained also get checked for a sleep disorder. Many people have them and do not even realize it.
Rob
These are really good tips; I need to stick to them a bit better, though I've improved on some notes -- I recently started the thing about drinking water first thing in the morning, and it really does make you feel more refreshed.
stretching in the morning really helps!!
And coffee - forget about it.
If you've never really drank coffee, don't bother, it's useless and apparently addicting.
AJ Kumar
Wonderful post. Its very helpful.
It will help me to maintain good health. I was used to skip breakfast and was not drinking enough water in the morning.