Working at home can be challenging for many individuals during these times. We are all social beings to some extent; despite our personality traits, we need people. Many of my clients have struggled with finding the motivation and energy to be working at home.
Here are 10 brilliant morning routines that boost our happy hormones and help us stay focused, motivated & productive.
1. Breakfast
Start your day with a nutritious breakfast, give it some thought & start preparing it already on a Sunday for the week. I, for example, love to do homemade muesli. My breakfast, therefore, consists of plain yogurt, fresh fruits & a lot of proteins that I get from my muesli.
Research has shown that kids that skipped breakfast did worse in school than kids that ate a nutritious breakfast. Eating healthy does a lot for better concentration & memory.Â
2. Hydrate!
This one is so important. Sometimes the feeling of tiredness is just dehydration. When we drink too much caffeine, we forget that we also need water. Try this next time you feel tired instead of a cup of coffee.
3. Pamper yourself
Self-care boosts the chemical in our brain like dopamine, which is good for our well being. What could you be doing that is suitable for your health? I like to take omega 3 every morning, multivitamins, and collagen, for example. What about you? What food supplements can you add to your morning routine?
4. Goal setting
Write down your goals for the day. Having a visual plan for the day increases the probability that you will reach your goals. Plus, writing things down reduces stress.
5. Exercise Daily
Plan a little exercise that you do either before you start working or in-between when you feel like your concentration is not optimal. There are so many fun challenges on Youtube that don’t take a lot of your time. I decided to do this peachy bum challenge & one of my friends decided to do abs in 6 weeks challenge. Think about what you want to focus on and start already today! Just have fun with it & maybe challenge some of your friends to do a challenge with you.
6. Yoga & Meditate
Believe me; you don’t have to sit down for an hour. Just pick a ten minutes Mindfulness guided mediation from the internet. Research has shown that only 10 minutes a day of Mindfulness affects your brain in a positive way. You become more optimistic, less stressed, more focused, and it strengthens your memory. Everyone can do 10 minutes, and I do this when I feel that I need a bit of a creativity boost.
7. Nostalgia!
Whenever I feel that I need to be more creative or I just need to wake up, but it’s not really happening, I pause and pick an old song from my past and listen to that. Believe me, and nostalgic effects have been supported by research to affect optimism, creativity, joy & reduces stress. Plus, the results wanted to invest your time in for a long time? Maybe you could use that as your reward in your breaks? One of my friends has been working at home for months now and what has really kept him going is his new interest in the dart. I myself am more a chess nerd, so I have been finding my passion for that again.
8. Social life
Yes, I know, you love socializing and everything. However, you can go a long way through social media. Then I mean engage in a conversation with a friend instead of just scrolling through social media. Is there a specific friend that you have been thinking about reaching out to? Now is undoubtedly the time.
9. Cold shower!
This is such a significant energy boost. If you are a morning shower person, start practicing cold shower as well. There are so many health benefits, e.g., glowing skin, it wakes you up, boosts blood circulation. Promotes weight loss & boosts productivity! Much needed when working at home.
10. Limit your screen time
Scrolling on social media often becomes a habit and can be very time consuming and energy draining. Set yourself a time limit and stick to it. You are going to be more productive & energetic.
