EVEN IF YOU DON’T LIKE MORNINGS, I have some suggestions for things you should consider doing when you awaken. Today, I want to share how I turbocharge my day.
Of course, I cannot resist sharing a quote with you. This time, we have Virginia Woolf, writing in To the Lighthouse.
“So fine was the morning except for a streak of wind here and there that the sea and sky looked all one fabric, as if sails were stuck high up in the sky, or the clouds had dropped down into the sea.”
Here are three habits that can help make your mornings better and more productive.
1. How I Turbocharge My Day – I Express Gratitude
Did you know that expressing gratitude can improve your health? Every morning, I think about something for which I am grateful.
In 2003, psychologist Robert Emmons published a landmark study examining how we can benefit from gratitude.
Here are the study results: Gratitude appeared to improve psychological well-being.
Subsequent research showed that expressing gratitude to others can improve our romantic relationships.
How I Express Gratitude
The American Psychological Association defines gratitude in this way:
Gratitude is a sense of thankfulness and happiness in response to receiving a gift, either a tangible benefit (e.g., a present, favor) given by someone or a fortunate happenstance (e.g., a beautiful day).
I know that the sources of many of the goodness in my life lie, at least in part, outside of myself.
I Try to Express Gratitude Frequently
While I feel gratitude when the hospital custodian offers kind words to me, I know that expressing gratitude helps me reap the rewards of the emotion.
I am working harder to express gratitude more frequently to my family, friends, colleagues, and all with whom I have a meaningful encounter.
But let’s get back to the morning. I awaken and internally express gratitude that I am alive and healthy.
That I live in such wonderful surroundings. That I have the privilege to help others. And that extraordinarily kind individuals surround me.
2. How I Turbocharge My Day – I Stretch
I stretch throughout the day, but my morning ones are vital. Stretching from head to toe helps me awaken. I also get an endorphin rush that can enhance my mood for the day.
Stretch, and you can get several benefits:
- Parasympathetic nervous system activation. Activating this branch of your nervous system may help alleviate the psychological effects of stress. This activation may help induce feelings of calmness and relaxation.
- Promotion of blood flow to your muscles.
- Release of endorphins that can improve your mood (and reduce pain). I could not find a lot of research about this topic.
Your central nervous system and pituitary gland make endorphins. The chemicals function as neurotransmitters. They cause euphoria when they bind with brain receptors.
Please talk with your healthcare provider if you have concerns about stretching, especially if you have a chronic health condition or injury.
How I Stretch
While you can stretch in the morning in many ways, I prefer a head-to-toe approach.
Here are some of my approaches:
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3. How I Turbocharge My Day – I Do A Difficult Task
I memorize a Japanese character (kanji) early in the morning. This task is particularly challenging for me.
Here is a kanji from today:
難
It means what I described: Difficult, trouble, or impossible.
Mark Twain allegedly (emphasis added) said this:
“If the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, you can go through the day with the satisfaction of knowing that that is probably the worst thing that is going to happen to you all day long.”
This means I get my most difficult task out of the way early in the day. Then, I do not have it hanging over my head. And I have a nice feeling of accomplishment.
4. How I Turbocharge My Day – I Meditate
Before beginning my regular meditation practice, I thought it was a rather odd thing to do.
Still, I was one of “those” people who promoted the practice while not regularly doing it.
Now, I meditate each day.
Mindfulness Meditation Upsides
Meditation helps me reduce stress. One comprehensive review concluded:
Meditation programs can result in small to moderate reductions of multiple negative dimensions of psychological stress.
I also use mindfulness meditation to improve my focus. One review concluded that meditation can reverse brain patterns associated with worrying, mind-wandering, and poor attention span.
I am not good at meditation. But 13 minutes daily can improve my memory and attention after eight weeks.
Try a short meditation session; you may be surprised by how much better you feel.
Thank you for reading “How I Turbocharge My Day.”
