A few days ago, I found myself rushing out of bed for a 7 a.m. meeting at the hospital. The ungodly hour was brutal, and it doesn’t help that my sleep routine has been a mess lately.
By some miracle, I arrived at 6:55 a.m., with just enough time to settle down and get ready. It was the first day of my sixth year, and my first time in orthopedics. The room was jam-packed with orthopedic doctors and there wasn’t a single chair left. I hurriedly set my stuff down and went in search of an extra chair. No luck. When I returned, the door was locked. The meeting had started without me.
Usually that would have been fine and I would have been happy to spend my time elsewhere, except today my backpack- with everything I need- was in that room.
Out of annoyance, I headed to the park and hoped to come across some dogs on their morning walks. Instead, I pass by a group of grandmas doing plaza dancing, a very common sight in Taiwan. I stood behind them for a moment, swaying along left and right, but quickly felt awkward and moved to sit under a tree, where I watched another group of grandmas dancing salsa.
Lost in thought, I noticed someone approaching me. A middle-aged white man with just the right hint of American accent- the man who also happens to be leading the plaza dance. He very kindly invited me to join their dance, and as I danced along to Psycho by Ava Max with a crowd of Taiwanese grandmothers, I realized that this was the best and happiest morning I’ve had in a long time. I felt energized. I felt alive.
Social media often puts such an emphasis on waking up early to be productive, but no one actually talks about what to do in the mornings to feel energized and good. What you do first thing in the morning will have a huge impact on how you feel the rest of the day. Obviously, not every one has the time to go plaza dancing in the morning, so today I’ll be showing you 4 practical ways to have a high energy morning even if you’re short on time.
Table of Contents
Ways to Have a High Energy Morning
Moving Your Body
Whether it be a lack of time or the fear that it might make them more tired throughout the day, many people are intimidated by early morning workouts. If this sounds like you, then you have to know that moving your body can take on various forms; it doesn’t have to be an intense gym session if you don’t want it to be.
I did just half an hour of plaza dancing, which I usually wouldn’t even consider a workout, and my mood was boosted 1000% for the rest of the day. I actually did feel like I got a workout in as well, and that’s definitely one of the keys to a high energy morning. So if you’re thinking of incorporating some light movement into your morning routine, here are some ideas to start with:
- Stretching your body and releasing any tension before getting out of bed
- Following a light morning workout or yoga on youtube
- Going for a Hot Girl Walk
- Plaza dancing with your local grandmothers
Being Present in Nature
Going out into nature is my number one secret to having a high energy morning everyday. My ultimate goal is to be able to wake up early enough to take my dogs on early morning walks before the sun gets too bright. But even on the days where I have to be at work super early, just seeing the sunrise makes me feel like dragging myself out of bed was worth something.
If you’re not able to find a quiet park or trail near you, then getting some morning sunlight will also work wonders. One of my favorite morning activities is to sit by the window and sunbathe with my dogs.
Things to do at the park that will boost your mood:
- Play with dogs on their morning walks
- Bird watch
- Close your eyes and feel the morning breeze
- Let your thoughts flow
Dress Well, Look Good, Feel Great
If you read my last post about why I don’t believe in waking up early for productivity reasons, then you might remember that dressing up and looking presentable for the day is a non-negotiable part of my morning routine. I firmly believe in looking good and dressing well whether you’re going to work, a grocery run, or even just working from home. This is because when you’ve taken the time to look presentable, you’ll feel ready to conquer the rest of your day and that will reflect in the quality of your work.
Also, you never know who you’ll run into. There are plenty of new opportunities everyday, you don’t want to miss an opportunity just because you didn’t look like you were readily approachable.
Knowing that you look good will make you feel amazing for the rest of the day. So not only will this step help you achieve a high energy morning, but you’ll never have to experience running into someone you know outside in pajamas and wanting to bury yourself in a hole ever again.
How to prepare for success:
- Pre-plan and lay out your outfit the night before, including your accessories, bag, and shoes
- Lay out all of the makeup you’ll be using in the morning. If it’s not there, then don’t use it. Do not waste time scrummaging through lipsticks.
Find Inspiration For the Rest of Your Day
One thing that gets me so pumped to start my day is finding inspiration in the mornings. No matter if it’s inspirational quotes, books, or even if you like to scroll through inspirational videos. In my post 7 Super Easy Ways to Actually Read More Books, I mention how I prefer to read non-fiction books in the morning, especially self help books because I find so much inspiration in them and they motivate me to be productive while still remembering to enjoy my life for the rest of the day.
A book that I’ve been loving on spirituality recently is Ask and It is Given by Esther and Jerry Hicks, it gives me so much clarity and leave me excited to create my own dream life.
Ways to find inspiration and motivate yourself in the morning:
- Looking at your vision board, visualizations, and affirmations
- Create a motivational morning playlist
- Journal down your intentions for the day
- Read a self help book
Tell me: what are some of your high energy morning habits that keep you energized throughout the day?
Until Next Time,
Emi
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