4 simple ways to optimise your morning routine
Hey, I’m Radhika. I’m passionate about health and wellbeing, particularly optimising my body. I don’t want to just survive, I want to thrive as much as humanly possible. Let’s talk about morning routines and why they’re important. Morning routines allow us to program the rest of our day. For me, my morning routine usually determines the rest of my day. How you start your morning is important.
Waking up early: Now I’m not saying you should wake up at 5am every day, I mean more like 7–9am. This way, you can get a lot of your morning wellness routine out of the way before you start your day. Once you optimise this, you’ll be unstoppable.
Nutrition: Our bodies are usually dehydrated by the time we wake up, so the first drink I consume is warm water (lemon is optional). This can be herbal tea or plain water. Sometimes I mix in apple cider vinegar (ACV). This will rehydrate your body and get the digestive system started up. Now I'm a fan of eating fresh fruit first thing, as this is when it's best absorbed. After this, feel free to eat your usual breakfast. Mine consists of a plant-based breakfast, usually involving either oats, a smoothie, avocado and/or scrambled tofu. For some of my mornings, I like to add a green smoothie with vegan protein to get a boost of nutrients that come from fresh greens. My recipe is simple, add your greens (I like to use spinach), add your choice of vegan protein, 1 banana or your choice of fruit (you can also use mango or pineapple here), then I add some plant-based milk and blend! If you want to get extra fancy, then add some nuts and seeds here for that boost of nutrients.
Meditation: This is a vital step in my routine, and I love starting my day with meditation. I usually do this before or after breakfast, depending on how hungry I am!
Use guided meditation apps. My favourite one I’ve been using for over a year now is Balance. They have guided meditations for all your needs, including stress relief, improving your sleep, midday reset, improving your focus and lots more! This app has changed my meditation routine and allows me to be consistent. Alongside using an app, I also use Om Mantra Meditations on YouTube, which help me gain deep focus and inner peace. I could talk about the benefits of meditation for a long time. If you want to learn more, check out my blog post on the 8 benefits of meditation.
Journaling: This ties in with meditation, and I usually slot these in around the same time in my day. I am on the 5th journal of my life, wishing I had started sooner! The benefits of free writing in a journal are incredible! I will always recommend writing to help with stress, anxiety, problem solving and lots more — it’s like having your own therapist. If you’re new to journaling, try free writing until you get in the flow of writing naturally. For example, allowing yourself to write for five or ten minutes without stopping. This technique helps silence the inner critic, which inhibits the flow of ideas and creativity. Do yourself a favour and buy a journal!
I know this seems like a lot for a morning routine, especially when you have other responsibilities. Start with one or two of these things, then gradually build your way up. By doing it this way, you will build up your tolerance and healthy habits simultaneously. You might find it beneficial to wake up slightly earlier than usual. There’s no harm in trying it out, right?
