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Looking to develop some great morning habits to set yourself up for success? Here are 15 essential habits to start developing now, to set you up for a bright, productive, and successful future.
Morning Habits of Successful Students
1. Waking up early
Waking up early has many benefits. It can give you an amazing start to the day and make you more productive.
If you have been planning to start waking up early for a while now, this might be a good time to start.
Not sure how to do it? You can start by signing up for early morning classes in college or sign up for an early fitness class to force you to start getting up earlier.
2. Not snoozing the alarm
Many of us have the poor habit of snoozing our alarm. While the extra five minutes of sleep after every snooze seem tempting, snoozing ends up doing more harm than good.
Those extra few minutes spent snoozing do not lead to restorative sleep. On the contrary, they can make you feel groggy and irritated by messing with your sleep patterns.
So, no matter how hard it seems, get up when the alarm goes off the first time. This is a good habit that is bound to stick with you for the rest of your life.
3. Soaking in the morning sun
Starting the day with some sunlight is always a good idea. The body creates vitamin D when you’re getting sun, and that helps strengthen your bones and improves the quality of your skin.
The first rays of the morning sun also improve the functions of your brain by making it more alert.
So, after waking up, go to the window, open up the curtains, and let the sun in.
4. Eating breakfast
Skipping breakfast is slowly turning into a norm nowadays. Some do it because of they’re following a diet and others do it because they are too lazy (or just late) to grab a bite before running off to classes.
However, skipping breakfast can, among other negative effects, cause you to overeat later in the day. Researchers have found that skipping breakfast can be linked to poor health, diabetes, and obesity.
So, to stay healthy, always eat a nutritious breakfast.
Related: Healthy Snacks for College Students (that also Taste Great!)
5. Making your bed
Researchers have found that small accomplishments in the morning can boost your energy and keep you motivated throughout the day.
Begin your day by making your bed right after waking up. This sense of completion and success will keep you motivated throughout the day and push you to complete the tasks on your to-do list.
6. Taking a shower
Showering is a big part of personal hygiene that you cannot skip. Some of us tend to skip showering in the morning and put it off till we return to our rooms in the evening.
College might be the right time to let go of this habit. Showering in the morning can leave you refreshed and balanced and prepare you for the day ahead.
7. Preparing a quick to-do list
The best way to stay productive throughout the day is to determine what you want to achieve that day.
After you wake up, take five minutes to figure out your to-do list for the day. Identify the most important tasks and prioritize them. That way, you won’t spend your energy on trivial tasks and will finish your essential tasks in due time.
8. Drinking water
Many of us tend to skip the morning glass of water and go straight for the coffee. However, drinking water first thing in the morning can help hydrate you and make you feel refreshed as soon as you wake up.
Therefore, drink at least a glass of water after getting up from bed. You can have a cup of coffee or tea after you have had breakfast.
9. Exercise
Doing some light exercise or even stretching in the morning can energize you. Exercising can boost hormones such as serotonin and endorphins that keep your mood positive the whole day.
If you are into yoga, you can take a few minutes in the morning for it. Otherwise, consider some stretching, pilates, or basic aerobics to kick off your day with a blast!
10. Avoiding social media
If you have the habit of checking your social media notification in the morning, change this habit when you are in college. The streams of notification can confuse and distract the brain in the morning.
Our brain can take in only so much information at a time, and social media notifications and feeds can do exactly that.
11. Doing something productive
As mentioned earlier, when you do something in the morning that gives you a sense of achievement, you will feel more motivated to continue the streak of achievements throughout the day.
So, try doing something productive that only takes a few minutes. Look at your to-do list and see what you could pick.
12. Listening to music
This might seem like a weird ritual, but listening to music in the morning can help your mind settle for the day.
Feeling upset in the morning? Listen to upbeat music. Feeling restless? Listen to calming, relaxing music. Need to focus? You can find binaural beats music available online.
13. Performing breathing exercises in the morning air
After waking up early in the morning, sit on your balcony (if you have one) and do a little breathing exercise for five to ten minutes.
If you don’t have access to a balcony, simply take a walk for ten minutes outside and perform the exercises.
14. Avoiding distractions
Even after avoiding social media and the internet, we can get tangled in unnecessary distractions, such as doing small chores, cleaning unnecessarily, returning calls missed the previous night, watching TV, and much more.
They might seem enticing at the moment, but they will cause further distractions and you might feel exhausted too early in the day.
15. Filling in the gratitude journal
A gratitude journal makes you write down things you are grateful for. Instead of writing in the journal the night before, write in it in the morning.
When you see and write down positive points and things that make you grateful, you will carry the feeling with you for the rest of the day. This will keep you in a positive mindset and help you get more things done.
These were our top tips for the best morning habits to incorporate into your college morning routine. Which one of these 15 will you focus on first?
You might also like to read:
Best Study Motivation Tips for College Students
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Keep this amazing list of morning habits for later reference, by pinning this article to one of your college Pinterest boards.
