How to Have A Better Morning

Ahh mornings, you either love them or you hate them. I've gone through your typical ups and downs of a love hate relationship with mornings, especially during college, but that was mostly due to not sleeping. So let's jump right in to how to start your morning off on the right foot, get more sleep. Yes, they say you can sleep when you're dead, but getting adequate sleep, especially when you're in college makes a huge difference in your daily performance. Definitely enjoy life and live it to the fullest, but getting at minimum 8 hours of sleep per night will reap huge benefits in your daily activities.

I always start my mornings, and end my evenings with a big glass of cold water. It gives you an extra jolt of energy right when you get out of bed before you get your morning coffee. I've always been big on water, because I've never been a soda or juice fan, so this is something I've been doing for years. Just as with sleep, you'll see a huge difference in your skin and energy level throughout the day if you're properly hydrated. 

Since so much of my life is spent plugged into my phone or computer, I try to start my morning only answering texts that I may have missed from the night before, mostly from my sister in another time zone or my mother, who's also an early riser, and staying off the phone for a bit. I typically pick up whatever book I'm currently reading and get a little bit in before getting up. 

Aside from reading a book or magazine to start my day, I also check Refinery29's This AM app, The New York Times' Morning Briefing email (M-F), and theSkimm (M-F) so I know what's going on outside of my cozy bed.

Next, it's coffee and computer time. My favorite coffee creamer of the moment is Califa Farm's vanilla almond milk creamer, so delicious! I check emails and respond to anything urgent, and check out a few of my favorite blogs and websites. 

I go through my planner and to-do list for the day and see what has to get done first, and the rest follows in order of importance. Another big part of my mornings is my breakfast! I've always been a breakfast gal, and was taught early that sitting down to eat and not eating on the go is another big way to ensure a great day. I shared my favorite and most frequently eaten breakfasts last month, so one of these is definitely what gets made in the morning. If I'm feeling sore, I roll myself out a little bit with my foam roller, but always do a few sun salutations and basic stretches to get my body moving and stimulate blood flow.

Of course, there are mornings when I oversleep, don't get to make coffee at home, or am running behind and my "me time" gets cut short. Generally I try not to let this happen because all of these things combined and taking a little extra time for myself before I really start my day makes a huge difference.