The pace of life never slows down, which is why starting your day on the right foot can make all the difference in achieving success, happiness, and overall wellbeing. We've gathered some of our favourite tips to help you kickstart your mornings and establish a routine that sets you up for a productive day ahead.
By Elena Carruthers. Published 20 February 2023.
Get a good night’s sleep
The best unkept secret for getting going in the morning is that it starts the night before. Sleep is a powerful healer; it balances our energy levels and revitalises the body and mind.
Typically, we should all aim for a minimum of eight hours sleep per night. As well as the amount of sleep, it’s important to understand the importance of good quality sleep. Factors such as drinking caffeine late in the day, eating too close to bedtime, and drinking alcohol can all reduce sleep quality. Being aware of this will help you to maximise your sleep quality and wake up feeling more refreshed.
Start slow
Give yourself enough time for a waking-up/getting ready process. The worst thing for your wellbeing is feeling rushed when you are not even fully awake. Getting up even just twenty minutes earlier will give you time to exercise, journal, or do anything that will help you to feel more motivated for the day ahead. It is also beneficial to kickstart your day by writing down your main goals, with research finding that you are significantly more likely to achieve something if you write it down first.
Make time for exercise
Not everyone is a fitness fanatic and it’s not necessary to spend hours in the gym every day, but staying on top of your fitness is crucial for mental wellbeing. A 2019 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that exercise improves attention, visual learning, and decision-making. It does also produce the ‘stress hormone’ cortisol, but we need this in moderation to feel balanced.
If you haven’t found a form of exercise that you enjoy, consider trying something new. At The University of Law, we have a range of societies and clubs for you to indulge in across all of our campuses.
Food comes first
Food is another secret weapon in conquering your day and getting going. Alongside having a good night’s sleep, a balanced breakfast can provide you with energy that will feed your body and your brain.
When feeling full and hydrated, we often come up with our best ideas and tasks that are sometimes challenging become easier. This is because we are experiencing a hit of those all-important vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that protect our cells and encourage them to rejuvenate.
Keep hydrated
When studying hard and making time for other activities such as exercise and socialising, it can be easy to forget to drink enough water. Be sure to always carry a water bottle around with you and drink it regularly, even if just in smaller amounts. Keeping hydrated flushes out the harmful toxins from our bodies, which is why it is a powerful tool in clearing acne, facilitating weight loss, and generally improving physical and mental health.
Activating these benefits in the morning will create an optimistic mindset that will set you up for successful study, rest, and play.
Find out how you can learn your way with our range of flexible study modes.
