Six Morning Routines that Will Make You Happier, Healthier and More Productive

Of all the different things you can try to improve your productivity, a morning routine is one of the most effective:

• It gets you started and sets the tone for the upcoming day;
• They take place in the most consistent part of the day - mornings are usually quiet, with fewer social obligations.

When it comes to productivity, getting enough sleep is essential. Any morning routine you develop needs to accommodate your sleeping rhythms.

And research indicates that 7-8 hours per day is a nearly universal requirement.

There isn’t one perfect routine that will make you rich and happy overnight. Instead, there’s different routines for different purposes: if you're focusing on health and fitness, starting with exercise or eating a healthy breakfast might go first. If you're working like crazy, getting straight to work on your most important tasks may be better than cluttering up my morning with different tasks.

Right when you wake up, before eating breakfast, checking your phone or the TV, go out and move:

• it puts fitness in that all-important first slot of the day, especially if you're struggling with making this a priority; 
• It will wake you up and keep you alert.

If you start your day with meditation, it’s important to do seated meditation and not do so lying down in your bed, or you’ll be likely to fall back asleep. This routine will help because:

• it leaves you calm and focused for the day;
• allows your mind to wake up without strain.

The key to productivity is just doing the work. This routine underscores this by making getting some work done your first priority, so that your first break is the chance to eat breakfast, shower etc. :

• it not only maximizes your time, it shifts your productivity much earlier.
• it is that you get to take a break when you need it.

Don’t just jot down some to-do items, but actually imagine working on them: What will be the complications, where will you have gaps in your schedule that need filling, what will you need to focus on etc. Doing this planning first thing in the morning can be a good way to prime your day for success, especially if you have a hectic busy schedule.

By putting your house in order, you put your mind in order as well: Making your bed, brushing your teeth, showering, shaving, doing makeup, pressing your clothes are all little tasks that can put you in good form for the rest of your day.