What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? My slow morning routine tips are all about sharing ideas you can get inspired from to make yourself feel focused, balanced and energised each morning. I hope my tips will encourage you to slow down a bit and make mornings last. Create yourself a slow morning routine which suits you as a person and sets you up for a successful and productive day.
I am definitely an early bird and I tend to go to bed fairly early too. This lifestyle works and suits me perfectly and my body is grateful for the sleep it gets each night. I’m a laidback sleeper, I could sleep anywhere and I’m waking up naturally very early too. How I start my day almost completely defines the way I will feel the following 24 hours – hence mornings have an incredible power to drive my productivity and overall feel. Having a solid, slow and healthy routine filled with great amount of self care has simply become a must have in my life. I love starting my day with an early morning exercise.
Open the Window and Let The Sun In – As soon as you wake up open the windows or blinds and let the fresh air and sun in your home. This is such an underrated advice which is not only improving your indoor air quality but surprisingly – your mood too! I recommend flipping and airing your bedsheets and duvet to reduce moist, keeping your bedding nice, fresh and crisp!
Skincare – Washing your face with cold water shortly after waking up can be slightly uncomfortable but very refreshing. I love washing my face with plain cold water but I also enjoy using my cleansers and gentle exfoliators – Lately I’ve been loving my vegan multipurpose coffee face and body soap ‘You Had Me At Coffee’ from Holler and Glow.
Warm Lemon Water On An Empty Stomach – Oh yes!! Always. There is not a single morning passing by without this one. Although the detoxifying benefits of this concoction is a questionable topic, lemon juice is a great source of Vitamin C and for me (primarily) it helps maintaining a healthy digestive system which is inevitable for a healthy lifestyle. I feel very good from it! The biggest lemon water benefit however is coming from the temperature of the water – so drink it warm!
Dry Brushing – I’m not a fan of body lotions so I’m dry brushing instead. My skin feels incredible soft and buffed from it which not a single body lotion can beat. Give some attention and love to your body before showering or dressing up and try dry brushing. Read more about dry brushing here.
Water Your Plants – Be kind to all living things! I find this one such a relaxing and peaceful activity early morning. Although plants are more likely to suffer from too much water than too little – showering them off and giving them some love in the morning when they need it won’t do any harm. This activity could shift your attention and divert you from jumping on your phone straightaway after your breakfast – I try and stay offline between 7-9am – it is truly rewarding for the mind.
Morning Pilates or Yoga – Sign up for an early morning bikram yoga class – alternatively – practice some yoga in bed. If you prefer staying indoors, build yourself a 15 minute workout routine and start absorbing it slowly. It doesn’t have to be longer than that. Whether it is yoga, a short pilates, meditation or HIIT – just do it. You will feel sharper and invigorated during the day which will improve your overall performance and mood. I’ve added my favorite morning workouts below from a beginner to an intermediate level.
Transform your to do lists – My to do lists are never quite done. Before work I use the time to summarize my thoughts and create my list for the day which will help me to prioritize. They dampen anxiety, increase control about life and giving me structure. To do lists are often all about the pressure of having to get things done within a certain timeframe and failing to complete them are causing pain and emotional damage – often hurting your self-esteem. Wrong. Create to do lists that are associated with positivity rather than stressful milestones and continuous deadlines. Similar to tasks, simply writing them down will make you feel more effective. Incorporate elements similar to ‘taking a break’ or ‘self care minutes’ encouraging yourself to do things for your mind and body without getting lost in the lines and goals you set to achieve that day. Stop doing things that make you unhappy, just stop it. If writing a to do list is one of them (just to look and feel hyper productive) – stop. Include a section on your notebook or Excel sheet which contains the goals you have achieved and tick them. List the things you are grateful for. We hear this word a lot more recently and that is because being grateful is the greatest way to be – it is a very powerful practice to keep your everyday life running – finding that inner happiness and gratefulness even during difficult times.
B🌻
Your Slow Living Guide 