“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise” – Ben Franklin
“Put no trust in the benefits to accrue from early rising, as set forth by the infatuated Franklin …” – Mark Twain
However, there are a ton of other great benefits. Now, let me first say that if you are a night owl, and that worksfor you, I think that’s great. There’s no reason to change,especially if you’re happy with it. But for me, switching from being a night owl to an early riser (and yes, it is possible) has been a godsend. It has helped me in so many ways that I’d never go back.
The important thing about morning rituals is that they put you in autopilot mode once you have those going on for you. Just like, you don’t have to think when you brush your teeth. If you have a morning ritual you have done too many times, then you really don’t have to think about them every time you wake up because they become a part of you. Here are certain rituals you can try to be more productive :
- You Drink More Water – One of the most beneficial things you can do is drinking 2 glasses of water first thing in the morning. It replenishes your water stores and detoxifies the body.
- Time to Exercise – A 10-30 minutes workout will boost your energy and increase brain function. Come on, 10 minutes man, just 10, begin with 10.
- Daily Dose of Affirmations – Yes I write a post everyday on http://empress2inspire.blog so look not further, just follow or subscribe me :). Daily affirmations and giving yourself a positive pep-talk can help ward off any negative thoughts that can seep into your mind.
- Breakfast – Having a light and healthy breakfast is not only energising but your body will thank you while shrinking your waistline.
- Journal – This has revolutionised my life and how. I have always been a confident assertive woman in my life but journaling has taken me to a different level of mental clarity. Journalising helps you realise tension and gets your creative juices flowing. Try journaling about your mood or what you’re grateful for.
- Read, Read & Read – Damn I am so glad my parents coaxed us (me and sister) into a reading habit early in our lives. We hated it then because we would rather watch TV, play video games or listen to music (or in my case just sleep :P) but we love it now. Many things can count as reading, inspirational quotes, an article on your favourite blog (like http://empress2inspire.blog 🙂 , a scripture, a chapter in your favourite book, a love message: the list is infinite.
- Podcasts – These have been my fascination since a good part of last year. Finding the right podcast is like finding someone who gets you. The right podcast can easily put you in the right headspace.
- Listen to Music – Music has always garnished healing powers and can just about put you in a good mood 100% of the time (avoid the sad songs please, unless they bring you joy, which is an oxymoron). A feel good playlist would have you ready to kick your workday’s butt.
- More Time – Waking up early and putting just 30 minutes to an hour of your time and energy to focus on your passion will not only make you feel better, but your hard work will pay off in the end.
So to take away from this, how do you go about making your own productive morning ritual? Well, the first thing you want to do is you want to take out a blank piece of paper or a text program on your computer and use the framework that we have just given you. You know that every morning you have to drink water, you have to use the washroom, you have to have a good breakfast, you should review your goals and tasks, and at some point you have to check your email and your social networks. Using this, start building your productive morning ritual. Work out what pieces make you go from groggy to awake in the morning and build them into your morning ritual. And, by all means comment on this on this article, send us an email, send us a message on twitter, let us know how it goes. Let us know if you find things that you feel should be part of every single morning ritual.
Be Inspired..!! 
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