Morning routines. What do you think of when you hear that term? Some people feel lazy and immediately yawn. At the same time, some associate it with keeping themselves active and getting things done. If you ask me now, I would happily say I’m a part of the second kind. But if you asked me a few years ago, I would probably yawn, too. So, how did I achieve that morning routine, and how did decluttering my morning routine help me deepen my mindfulness?
1.Be Aware of Your Surroundings
This may sound like the simplest step in every step-by-step guide. But it’s deeper than that. You need to be aware of your surroundings, such as where you are, who you are, what you have ahead of you, and why you need what you want. Is that thought-provoking? It sure should be. Here are a few ways through which you can be aware of your surroundings:
- Be mindful: when you wake up, acknowledge that you have woken up. Use all of your five senses of seeing, touching, hearing, smelling, and tasting to awaken your mind.
- Be strategic: plan and move about by strategy. You need to know what you have ahead of you and how to go about it accordingly.
- Think about your day: know what you have to do that day when you wake up and think about the things you have to achieve.
These are some ways through which you can become more aware of your surroundings and kick off your morning to a good start.
2.Download Apps to Keep Track of Stuff
Sometimes, the human mind cannot be completely relied upon to keep track of your personal information, health, important dates, schedule management, etc. In order to make sure you have everything you need in one place, downloading an application and putting your data up there is a great way to keep everything sorted. Here’s how apps can help you:
- Keeping things cluttered: downloading an app to keep your information in one place is one of many great decluttering tips too.
- Saves time: looking for a crucial piece of information that you cannot find at 5 in the morning? With a simple tap on the phone, you will find that required piece of information.
- Makes Analyzing Easy: if you’re someone who saves work-related stuff on their phone, an application can make it way easier to analyze information.
All you need to do now is look up for the best life organizer app online and go for one which has the most functionalities, good reviews, user-friendly, and of course, one that consumes the least storage! A personal management software is perhaps one of the best ways to keep track of your personal stuff while also keeping it confidential and safe.
3.Wake up with Gratitude
Waking up with gratitude can become a habit if practiced consistently. But yes, I will be honest. Being consistent in gratitude is probably the hardest. In order to wake up with gratitude, you need to sleep with gratitude as well. Think about everything you’re grateful for before going to sleep, and hopefully, you will wake up with the same energy as well. If you don’t, you can think of all the things for which you are grateful. It can be something as seemingly small as being able to wake up that day or something big, such as an achievement you may have gotten in your life. Here are a few ways you can wake up with gratitude:
- Make a list: list down everything you’re grateful for, or just 5 things would be enough, too. You can think of those 5 things in your mind.
- Journaling: write down those 5 things you’re grateful for. Writing them down will make you reflect on them even more and make you realize how grateful you truly are for them.
- Choose powerful words: it’s important that you choose powerful words when thinking of what you’re grateful for and even when writing them down. They’ll leave a psychological effect on your mind and make you feel powerful, too.
Waking up with gratitude is one of the best decluttering tips, especially for your mind. The way your living space, wardrobe, or phone may become cluttered after some time, the same way your mind can become cluttered too. Therefore, it’s important to declutter it. And what better time than the morning when you wake up, ready to start a fresh new day?
4.Start Your Day with a Healthy Breakfast
A healthy breakfast is the best way to kick-start your day. The phrase ‘you are what you eat’ is pretty true. When you feed your body with the right foods, you’re setting yourself up for success, both physically and mentally. And isn’t that what everyone wants? Instead of grabbing something sugary on the go, take a moment to enjoy a balanced meal that will keep you energized throughout the morning.
- Choose whole grains like oatmeal or whole-wheat toast.
- Include proteins like eggs, yogurt, or nuts. (if you’re not allergic)
- Add fruits or vegetables for extra vitamins and nutrients.
- Skip sugary and processed foods that can leave you feeling sluggish later.
By starting your morning with a nourishing breakfast, you’ll feel sharper and more prepared to take on the day.
5.Get Moving and Feel the Difference
Exercising in the morning is like hitting the refresh button on your body and mind. It’s one thing that makes you feel better about yourself in seconds. It doesn’t have to be an intense workout—just a little movement can go a long way in boosting your mood and getting your mind in gear. Plus, it helps you shake off any grogginess and jumpstart your energy for the day ahead.
- Try yoga or simple stretches to wake up your muscles.
- Try Pilates or watch its videos online.
- Take a brisk walk or light jog to clear your mind.
- Do some strength training for a quick energy boost.
- Add deep breathing to your routine to feel calm and focused.
When you make time to move in the morning, you’ll feel more grounded and ready to tackle whatever comes your way. It’s the perfect way to get your day off on the right foot.
6.Follow a Routine
Ever since I started following a routine that I had set for myself, it helped me keep track of my life more than anything else. A lot of people often hesitate before coming up with a routine or forming a routine to follow because of the level of dedication it requires, or so they believe. The truth, in fact, is quite different. The key to setting a routine that you can actually follow is creating a routine that is a lot similar to your existing routine. For example, if you wake up at 9 am every day, you cannot set a new routine to wake up at 5 am every day. You can set your waking time as 8 am and decrease that with time. Therefore, whatever routine you set for yourself needs to be achievable, attainable, and, most importantly, close to your actual routine.
- Write down your routine somewhere or use personal management software to set it
- Set small goals so that you can achieve them
- Be consistent with your routine so that you stick to it
- Find your motivators and write them down
- Track your progress from time to time
- Reward yourself upon completion of certain tasks
One of the best ways of schedule management is to plan it all out and make up your mind to stick to it. If you have a routine that you know you have to follow, that is the very thing you will remind yourself of the first thing when you wake up. So when you wake up, your body will already know what your routine is and what you need to do that day.
7.Declutter Regularly
If you haven’t gotten it from the blog yet, then here it is again: declutter, declutter, and declutter. This applies to your wardrobe, your living space, your surroundings, your mobile phone, and practically everything around you. If you’re looking for decluttering tips, here are a few:
- Keep your clothes folded and assorted in your wardrobe from time to time so that you can find them whenever you need them.
- If you have a bunch of random stuff lying around you, pick it up. Place it in its place.
- Is your mobile phone full of random pictures and old text messages that you no longer need? This is your sign to delete them all.
- Each and every one of your belongings need to be in its right place. If you haven’t set a place for your belongings, its time you do so.
By decluttering your surroundings, you will find more room to breathe and live your life without any worries. Cluttered surroundings psychologically affect your mind and make you think you don’t have your life figured out. On the other hand, a clean and decluttered space will make you feel fresh as soon as you wake up.
8.Make Your Bed
Yes, you read that right. Make your bed before going to sleep in it, after waking up, and keep fixing it throughout the day. You can also get yourself a nice bed set or duvet set with a comforter to keep your bed as comfy as you can. Your bed is the place you get your beauty sleep, so you need to make sure it’s habitable for you to sleep in it comfortably. Looking for more ways to keep your bed looking and feeling comfortable?
- Grab some throw pillows from any home décor store for that extra cushioning,
- Buy a silk pillow cover for its many benefits: clearer skin, frizz-free hair, lesser dirt and bacteria, and ultimately better sleep,
- Get a matching bed set, with a pillow cover, throw pillow covers, bedsheet, comforter, and everything else,
- Get fitted sheets to avoid making your bed again and again,
- Go for light-colored bed sets to keep them clean and bacteria-free.
So now, you not only know how to make your bed, but how to make it in the best ways possible. Your bed is where you end your night, and where you start a new day from. If your bed is made and kept tidy, so will be your day!
9.Know Where Your Stuff Is
Let’s face it. We’ve all been through this situation at least once in our lives. Or when it comes to me, I’d say too many times. You go to the mall, and you purchase a brand-new skincare product, a dress that you love, and some snacks to munch on. You get home, you look at all your stuff, and you realize it’s time to go to bed, so you keep your stuff away, and you fall asleep. A few days later, you feel like something’s missing. Your days kept you so busy that you almost forgot that you got yourself a bunch of stuff. What do you do now? You try to jog your memory but can’t recall where your stuff is. After almost giving up and going through all your dressers, you finally find the items from your little shopping trip. How could all of this be avoided? Easy. Know where your stuff is.
- Your skincare needs to be on your dressing table
- Your snacks need to be in a designated compartment
- Your clothes, of course, in your closet
- And your makeup, also on your dressing table, but in see-through storage boxes
In this way, you never lose track of where your stuff is at any time. And what’s the most important thing in the morning when you’re getting ready? Finding the right things at the right time.
Conclusion
Decluttering your morning routine will help you strengthen mindfulness, which will have an overall positive affect on your day, demeanor, attitude, and your life! It begins with something as small as setting a small goal and something as big as taking your time out to declutter your stuff. Happy decluttering!
