To be more productive, do these 7 things before 7 in the morning
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Young woman is doing morning stretching in bed, arms raised, rear view (iStock)
For some of us, the morning routine consists of rolling out of bed, taking a quick shower and forcing down a bleary-eyed breakfast.
But experts claim that you should be making more of the first few hours of your day by ticking off these seven things — no matter who you are or what your job is.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Life coach Sam Sahota and clinical hypnotherapist Dipti Tait revealed the activities you should be doing before you leave the house every day.
And some of them are quite surprising.
1. Drink a glass of water.
There’s no excuse for not ticking this one off: everyone should flush any overnight toxins from their body before they start their day.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A glass of water before breakfast will also help you hydrate, giving you the best chance of performing at work and making your day a success.
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2. Read.
Taking a few minutes to read something inspiring or educational in the morning will put you in a good frame of mind before you’ve even left the house.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}If you’re not into books, then try a newspaper to keep well-informed and get your brain in gear early.
3. Exercise.
A series of short exercises will get your blood pumping early on, and put an end to any drowsiness.
Yoga is good for your mind and body, and can easily be done at home.
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4. Sing in the shower.
One of the easiest things on the list, singing in the shower is said to be seriously beneficial.
This will get you in a good mood, and help you take on the day’s first challenges with a chirpy mindset.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Though it may not go down well with your housemates, depending on your vocal talents …
5. Meditate.
It’s not for everyone, but sitting down with your own thoughts can help you to visualise how your day is likely to go and calm you down.
A few stress-free minutes of relaxation will prepare you for whatever is on your agenda, and give your concentration levels a boost.
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6. Set goals.
You should give yourself a few targets in the morning so you know what you’re aiming to achieve every day.
However, it’s important that these goals are realistic to motivate you to get cracking on with that to-do list.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}7. Smile.
Oxytocin, aka the love hormone, is the chemical in the brain which makes you feel warm and fuzzy.
You can give yourself a dose of this in the morning by thinking about the people you love first thing.