Starting a daily routine seems so difficult in today’s busy world. As a pre-med student getting a degree in biology, I maintained bad habits. In fact, they were so unhealthy I was sick 90% of the time. My bad habits consisted of poor sleep as well as horrible nutrition. I stayed unfit and smoked more than I breathed.
I am now out of school and I have had time to focus on my health as well as my routine. Understanding the power of a daily routine and its impact on overall health pushed me to make changes that improved my life. Here, I will share the tips that helped me improve my quality of life. First and foremost, you should start small. In fact, small steps achieve goals faster.
Tips For Setting a Daily Routine
Daily Routine Starts with A Good Morning Routine
Start your day with a morning routine that will set a good tone for your day. This does not have to be complicated in fact it can be as simple as cleaning your space after you wake up.
Wake up With the Sun
Waking up late is a luxury and we all love it. However, when you wake up with with the sun you get morning sunlight exposure. The magical morning sunlight helps regulate your body’s circadian rhythm. This means better sleep quality. In this article, we mention how sleep is important for optimal cortisol production. Also, the good sleep means more alertness and a happier mood. This will help you feel more awake in the morning. Open your blinds. Let the sun in! The sun helps with vitamin D production which also improves your circadian rhythm
Forget the Snooze
Speaking of feeling awake in the morning: Do NOT hit the snooze button. I know you want more sleep and it seems as if getting 5 more minutes of sleep will make you feel more rested but it will not. Studies have shown hitting the snooze button does more damage than good. When you hit snooze you are actually disrupting your REM sleep. Read Cons of hitting the snooze button
Deny Dopamine Hits: No Social Media
Ok, I get it. You wake up, your phone is right there and TikTok or X are calling your name. BUT each scroll, each post, and each click gives you dopamine hits that can make your mood unsteady for the rest of the day.
Dopamine can be addictive. You want more and more of it as you get a taste of it. It is a natural neurotransmitter with a biological purpose but we can abuse it easily. If you get all those dopamine hits in the morning, when you go about your day, your bound to crave more hits of dopamine. This will lead to a bad mood. We want a healthy lifestyle which means good moods. This starts with a good daily routine
Research shows using your phone in the morning leads to increased stress and anxiety. It will also distract you from your morning tasks, and negatively impact your focus and productivity.
Get Out of Bed
Waking up and getting out of bed seems impossible in the morning. Your bed is the most comfortable and then the sheets are warm; moreover the comforter is fitted around you just right. Now, I know this advice sounds harsh but DO NOT LINGER IN BED. Science tells us staying in bed after after waking up negatively impacts your cognitive function and overall alertness. Learn more about sleep inertia here.
Make your bed
How many days a week do you make your bed? I know, believe me, I KNOW how easy it is to get up and go about your day leaving behind a messy bed. But think of the times you’ve actually straightened out your sheets, laid out your comforter and fluffed your pillows. Remember how good it feels to walk into your room at the end of the day and witness that magnificent view?
“A cluttered room is a cluttered mind”
-Albert Einstein
Take a Moment
Breathe. Find peace in your morning. Journal for at least 5 minutes. Journaling allows you to take a moment to process your thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Personally, knowing what to write on a blank page of paper can be difficult at times. That is why guided journals are perfect for your few moments of reflections.
- Stop Overthinking by Nick Trenton is perfect to finding your calm. These prompts will help with stress and teach your how to avoid negative spirals.
- The Mindfulness Journal by Barrie Davenport has 365 daily writing prompts divided into 52 weekly. It focuses on mindfulness to help with anxiety.
- 2000 Journal Prompts to Become Your Best Self is a journal by Beryl Wishstone and Jaime Wishstonne. They focus the prompts on inspire self-discovery, personal growth, and emotional healing.
Plan
Set your intentions for the day and make a plan. Create a plan for your day so you can have a structured idea of what your day will look like. Use a planner. You can create one on Canva or purchase a template from Etsy. You can also get one of the following if you prefer a physical copy:
Premium Goal Planer is designed increase productivity and help achieve personal goals (or business). It features a habit tracker and provides you with daily inspirational quotes.
This FranklinCovey Planner has motivational quotes and a structured layout to keep track of upcoming events as well as additional pages for future planning . It also helps keep track of your personal goals.
Praying is also a great way to incorporate peace into your morning. It sets a good tone to your day and can also help you set a positive outlook on the day. A healthy lifestyle includes having positive energy.
Practicing gratitude also helps improve positivity. When you focus on the good in life, life seems so much better.
Healthy Body
A healthy body starts with a good daily routine. Read more about physical wellness.
Start your day with warm water
Start your morning with a warm glass of water. Listen, I understand cold water sounds way more refreshing but studies prove warm water is better for you and your stomach. You can even add lemon to decrease free radical activity in the body. Free radicals basically hurt your cells which can lead to damage. There are many benefits to drinking warm water in the morning.
- Firstly, it cleanses your digestion. It helps flush out toxins and break down foods faster thus allowing your digestive system to be on its best behavior.
- The second benefit is it helps with constipation. This stomach problem is so common, in my clinical experience I’ve seen laxatives prescribed way too many times. Did you know, the strain and bloating is caused by a lack of water? Drinking warm water in the morning on an empty stomach stimulates bowel movements and helps with constipation.
- Also, warm water can help with pain associated with menstruation or headaches. It calms and soothes the abdominal muscles which helps cramps.
- AND it can help with weight loss if that is your goal. By drinking warm water, you’re increasing your body temperature, thus increasing your metabolic rate. This increase allows the body to burn more calories.
- Lastly, but definitely not least: It helps with premature aging. The toxins in the body are what leads to premature aging and drinking warm water helps with the removal of toxins. It also helps repair skin cells which increases elasticity.
Hydrate!
You have heard it many times but your body needs hydration! Make it a part of your daily routine!! Water is essential for your well-being and a healthy lifestyle. Hydration is not only important for your skin but it is also important for your body to function at its fullest potential. Drink enough water to feel the effects of hydration. Trust me, once you hydrate your body enough, you will feel better. Your kidneys will also thank you. The problem is remembering to drink water throughout the day. You can either:
- Carry a water bottle with a water tracker
- Manually set reminders on your phone
- Download an app that will remind you automatically
Move!
Getting some movement is important for a daily routine. This does not necessarily mean lifting at the gym for 2 hours in addition to running a 5k every day. Instead, a simple 30-minute workout routine that elevates your heart rate is enough to improve your mood. So get your body moving. You can try:
- Walking
- Running
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Lifting
If you are uncertain on where to start, you can follow videos on YouTube or use an app. My favorite app is the Nike Training Club App
Take It One Step at a Time
Okay. This is a lot of information and I know it’s a lot to digest (warm water can help). But let’s be real for a second, you can not expect yourself to implement these changes all at once. Start slowly, and introduce one part at a time. Once you start completing this routine, you will feel so much better and be way more productive. Take small steps, be healthier and stay happy!
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