Wake up. Yawn. Roll out of bed. Grab a Pop Tart. Rush to work.
Sound familiar? Instead of the old routine, try getting up a few minutes earlier and using these five strategies to awaken your senses and actually enjoy your morning.
1. Immerse yourself in your surroundings.
Each day make a conscious effort to open the window, step
outside and observe the world around you. Open your eyes, and the mind will
follow.
2. Play music early and often.
Balance out your alarm clock with some happy music. Even if
you only have 15 minutes to get ready, play some tunes in the background to get
into a rhythm early on in your day.
3. Move around.
Hit the ground running with an early walk or jog. Or touch
the sky with some morning yoga poses. Get your blood circulating and you’ll be
much more alert than you would be sitting in a chair reading the paper.
4. Treat your nose.
Whether its bath soap, fresh flowers or ground coffee, make
certain to liven up your olfactory senses with some pleasing morning scent. Use
each scent as a method of establishing yourself in the present moment.
5. Taste something good.
Leave the Pop Tarts in the box. Go for nutritious, taste
bud-pleasing breakfasts such as oatmeal, whole grain breads and fresh fruits
instead.
Involve your senses early in the day and you may find yourself more alert, more optimistic, and more productive as time goes on!