There are things we do every morning even without thinking(habits) because we do them often and have become part of us.
Some are really toxic and they should be gotten rid of because they limit our productivity.
What we do in the morning matters a lot because the morning sets the pace for the rest of the day.
“Win the morning, win the day!” – Tim Ferris
This is cliché but it’s so true!
Below are some common toxic morning habits you should do away with in order to be more productive:
1. Not having a waking time
While it’s okay to sleep in occasionally especially during the weekends or when you’re exhausted, letting your body to determine your waking time every day can inhibit your productivity.
You know why?
Because you can never sleep enough!
Your body will always tell you you need more sleep.
Making your body your alarm is a toxic morning habit you need to drop in order to have a productive day and week.
You should have a wake up time so you’d get to plan your day.
This also enables you to prepare well enough for the day so you won’t have to rush through things, skip appointments or even forget important things for the day.
Set up an alarm and DON’T snooze it, no matter how tempting it is.
People who have a waking time go on to have a more fulfilling day than those who don’t.
2. Scrolling through social media
Many of us take our phones to bed with us at night, which makes it easy to reach for them immediately we wake up.
Je suis coupable
I’m guilty of this.
Even though it’s so tempting to want to check our email and social media updates and notifications, this isn’t always a good thing to do.
Because most of the time, we get lost in scrolling through social media thereby spending more time on it than we intend to.
This habit can be curbed by setting aside a certain number of minutes to spend on social media and sticking to it or replacing it with more productive activities like meditation, reading, writing, praying etc.
3. Mourning your problems/situations
Life isn’t a bed of roses; many of us have certain issues we are battling with.
However, filling your mind with all the things that are wrong in your life every morning will only make a mess of your entire day.
The mood you start your day with will influence your entire mood throughout the day.
Truth is, there will always be issues to deal with at every point in life, so the goal is to choose joy and a positive attitude no matter what you’re faced with.
We all need hope to cope in life. Hopelessness is the reason people give up on life and on themselves.
Staying hopeful in tough times doesn’t come automatically, it’s an intentional act.
Ditch the habit of thinking about your problems/unpleasant circumstances every morning except you’re thinking of the way out.
4. Skipping breakfast/consuming unhealthy meals
It’s said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
A healthy breakfast gives you the fuel you need to start the day with. Also, you’re less likely to get cranky, tired or binge on unhealthy foods when you eat breakfast.
Quit the habit of skipping breakfast or consuming unhealthy meals for breakfast.
Your body will surely thank you for it.
5. Starting the day with no plan at all
If you leave your day to chance, you will hardly get much done because you have no guide.
You’re likely to spend your time on just about anything because you have no to-do list to direct your activities.
Apart from guiding your activities and how you spend your time, having a plan for your day motivates you, gives you a sense of purpose and fulfilment when you eventually achieve your goals.
Write your daily goals on a sticky note, diary, journal, or on your phone. You can set a reminder if need be.
From experience, having a written to-do list makes my day very productive.
6. Feasting on the news
I used to be an avid news reader because I loved to be current.
However, I stopped feasting on the news when I realised I only got sad and helpless from reading newspaper contents as they were mostly bad news.
Bad news sell and spread faster than good news, so it’s no wonder the newspapers are filled with them.
Now, I intentionally choose the content I fill my mind with because staying sane is my responsibility.
Don’t make it a habit to feed your mind with negativity every morning. It’ll only drain your joy and peace.
7. Ingratitude
Waking up every morning and thinking of the things you’re not grateful for is a toxic habit you need to throw out the window.
Life is all about attitude, and attitude is everything.
There will always be things you’re grateful for and the things you wish could get better.
It’s your choice to determine which one to focus on.
Remember that whatever you focus on has the capacity to magnify.
The more you focus on the things you’re grateful for, the more you see reasons to be grateful, and this gives you the hope you need to stay positive in life.
Complaining will only make you oblivious to the good things in your life.
As you wake each morning, train yourself to focus on the things you’re grateful for, even when times are tough.
What are you grateful for? Family, spouse, friends, your job, a roof over your head, food to eat, good health, safety and protection, savings, good looks, your dreams etc.
If you think about it, there are things in your life to be grateful for. Don’t ever take them for granted.
We usually don’t appreciate what we have until we lose them.
Don’t let that happen to you.
Writing this article made me review my own morning habits and I must admit I need to do away with some toxic ones.
I hope you’ll do the same.
