Creating a routine each morning that works for you, which in turn helps you boost your productivity, makes all the difference to your day.
However, it is tempting to stay under the duvet as the mornings are that much darker! The consequences of tapping that snooze button once or maybe three times, are that an already busy hour becomes even more chaotic.
How have your mornings been going this week..?
Let’s start slow before we make any adjustments..
What does your routine look like at the moment?
How would you like it to look in comparison?
Grab a cuppa and 5 minutes to scribble anything that comes into your mind in your journal.
It helps to have a clear vison of the now and the wish..
I know it sounds crazy but writing it down brings a clearer idea of what you are striving to achieve.
Do you wake up every morning full of vigour, ready to tackle the day with all of your energy, youthfulness and vitality?
No? Well, if it helps, you’re not alone. Promise!
Many of us virtually sleepwalk through the morning in a serious mental and physical fog, desperately plying ourselves with coffee in an attempt to wake up!
If this sounds like you, you might think you’re just not a morning person, and there’s nothing you can do about it. This isn’t the case.
While it’s true we all have varying predispositions to being either a “night owl” or a “morning person” it is possible to boost your morning energy, with a few simple strategies.
Going to a room that’s inviting and calm to sleep really does have a positive impact on a productive day.
Get A Good Nights Sleep.
Obvious I know, a good nights sleep increases productivity to function at our best and most of us need around 8 hours of sleep each night. If this sounds too good to be true, here are a few tips:
Establish a routine.
What does your routine look like at the moment?
Go to sleep and wake up at roughly the same time each day.
Your body loves routine, and sleeping similar hours each day helps adjust your circadian rhythms, so that you naturally fall asleep and wake up refreshed.
Vigorous exercise or mentally stressful activities in the last hour or two before bedtime, can make it more difficult for you to fall asleep.
Chill out and relax before you go to bed. Watching Squid Game in bed isn’t the answer to relaxed sleeping, sorry!
The body responds to light and it is much easier to sleep in a completely dark room. Light can actually interfere with the body’s production of melatonin, a neurotransmitter which helps us sleep. Keep electronics and low lighting from alarm clocks to a minimum, especially your mobile phone. In an ideal world, it should be left outside your bedroom.
Start your morning right with a healthy, feel good breakfast.
Eat A Healthy Breakfast.
One of the main causes of low energy in the morning is low blood sugar due to the overnight fast and in addition to skipping breakfast.
We know this don’t we but eating a balanced breakfast, with a source of protein, whole grain carbohydrates, and fruits or vegetables prevents that mid morning slump and reaching for the biscuit barrell.
Avoiding sugary, highly processed carbs each morning, which trigger rapid peaks and troughs in blood sugar levels, means that those dips in energy will be gone and your productivity on point!
Avoid Excessive Caffeine And Alcohol.
Many of us feel dependent on the caffeine in tea or coffee, to get us through the morning. It does indeed provide a temporary boost, although this boost isn’t always as effective as you’d first think. Excessive caffeine can impair your ability to relax and it can interfere with your usual sleep patterns too. Alcohol on the other hand, tends to disturb your sleep cycle, leading to frequent waking, a poor night’s sleep overall and maybe even adding to that foggy head in the morning!
I’ve been loving these non alcoholic drinks which I’ve been switching for a glass of fizz – they are super yummy and low in sugar too.
Exercise In The Morning
One of the best ways to boost your morning energy, and ability to concentrate, is to get some exercise first thing in the morning. It was one of the many reasons I ran my fitness camps in the mornings at 6am and 9am.
Exercise helps improve your circulation, strength and flexibility, as well as your mood.
Exercising before work also gives you more energy on the job, while boosting your creativity.
As an added bonus, many studies have shown that people who exercise in the morning are the most consistent at staying with their exercise plan.
Waiting to exercise in the afternoon or evening, problems or scheduling conflicts often occur and prevent you from getting your workout in. (I know I’m guilty of this!)
Going for a morning walk, jog, swim session, or working out in your own home ensures that no matter what else happens that day, you’ve already had a chance to exercise. No excuses, hehe!
On a side note if my workout gear is all ready to go, prepped the night before, there is another little nudge to getting it done! Especially if you have arrange to workout with a friend.
Start your morning at the day ready to be productive
Creating A Morning Ritual Helps With Productivity
Try getting into the habit of starting your day with a relaxing ritual. Bare with me, especially if your morning this morning started with the alarm not going off and everyone charging out of the door clutching shoes and toast..!
Start slow but aim high – little by little introduce the above tips and it’ll happen! Promise!
I love to set my alarm that little bit earlier and head out for a walk in the Devon lanes, meditate or stretch. I know that might sound a little strange but I am SO much more productive for doing so.
Taking time out to simply be thankful for the day ahead, listening to uplifting music will help you to feel more in control of your day and set you up to deal with whatever life throws at you.
Remember, dreary, sleepy, foggy mornings don’t have to be the norm… With a little planning and preparation, you can start your day full of energy, enthusiasm and vitality!
Let’s make those little adjustments to a calmer and more efficient life without adding more!
Welcome back to the Blog. In this edit, I’m sharing with you 5 reasons it’s vital to have a healthy breakfast which will help you maintain a happy and healthy lifestyle. I’ll be sharing my top tips and recipes so grab a cuppa and get comfy!
First things first..
What is your breakfast routine ..?
Do you wake up too bleary eyed in the morning to think about having a healthy breakfast? Or even an easy breakfast?
With lockdown here in the UK beginning to ease and the children heading back to school tomorrow, I wonder how you are feeling…?
I know for my two, a positive has certainly been enjoying a little more snooze in the mornings and wearing comfy clothes for the school day. It’ll be a little strange I’m sure putting a tie on again! I think it might be a little hectic but I have a plan!
“Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dine like a pauper!”
Old Proverb
The truth is however that most people don’t eat a substantial breakfast, or even have breakfast at all, never mind eating “like a king!”
Breakfast literally means “breaking the fast,” and it helps us to ‘restock’ or ‘refuel’ our energy stores, which have been depleting during the overnight fast, giving us energy for the day’s activities.
We live in a very hectic world today where many are focused on building a successful career, raising a happy family and often place our health on the backburner, thinking that we can exercise and eat right later on, when the “to do” list is done.
Add a global pandemic in, job stress and everything that has happened in the last year, it’s easy to procrastinate, waiting until you’re successful or have time to spare, opting instead for quick, unhealthy meals because you have no time to prepare well-balanced meals.
Does this sound familiar?
You might’ve heard the saying:
“If you don’t make time for your health, you must make time for illness.”
Making small changes to your health, drinking more water, less caffeine, adding more greens can make a huge difference to not only your long term health but how you feel..
I promise I’m not teaching you to suck eggs here, pardon the pun, but you know when you’re stuck in a rut, sometimes fresh ideas or even reminders of what you used to love, I hope, are a little helpful.
We’re told to eat when we are hungry, however this may not be when you first wake up or at traditional “breakfast” time! That’s totally OK, planning in advance a few things you might fancy so if eggs are your ” go to” breakfast – you have some ready to go!
So, what should a healthy breakfast consist of?
In an ideal world, for optimal health, you are aiming for a breakfast of eggs, meat or fish… I know it sounds crazy but it’ll fill you up more than toast ands cereals any day..
When most people think of breakfast, a small handful of choices (often the same day after day) come to mind, but it really doesn’t have to be boring at all. Mix it up!
There are heaps of easy breakfast ideas that don’t take up half your morning preparing them, but it’s really important that you have something nutritious, for a number of reasons…
5 REASONS IT’S VITAL TO HAVE A HEALTHY BREAKFAST…
To kick start your metabolism – speeding it up, and therefore burning calories rather than storing them.
It boosts our nutrient intake – breakfast eaters have a lower fat intake, a higher fibre intake, and significantly higher intakes of vitamins and minerals, especially calcium, iron and magnesium.
A healthy breakfast helps prevent binge eating – hunger will be better regulated and therefore less calories are consumed from unhealthy foods.
It improves our memory and concentration – people who eat a healthy breakfast concentrate better, are more efficient and have improved mood, in comparison to those who skip breakfast.
Weight maintenance – those who eat breakfast are more likely to maintain a healthy weight.
I know some of you have been struggling to come up with meal ideas especially for breakfast and lunch, so I thought I would give you a few ideas. I’ve shared some healthy lunch “on the go” ideas on a previous blog here.
Scrambled eggs and Smoked Salmon – I know it sounds extravagant, especially regarding your time, but scrambled eggs take seconds to make and the salmon is ready to go! (For omelette and scrambled egg recipes – use 3 or 4 eggs!)
Banana and berry Pancakes Ingredients: 1tbsp coconut oil 1 handful of fresh (or frozen berries) I love raspberries on their own but anything will do 1 tsp cinnamon ¼ cup ground almonds ½ banana 1 egg Natural yogurt
Method Melt the coconut oil on a low heat in a flat pan. Beat your egg together with the ground almonds and banana.
Add the a spoonful of egg mixture to the pan in and allow to set, flipping once. They will look a little like scotch pancakes.
Once cooked, serve with berries, natural yogurt and a dash of cinnamon – (great to settle any cravings) Be ready to make plenty more!
Omelettes – so many variations: mushroom, cheese and tomato, tomato and feta cheese – the list is endless! Quick to make and super filling and delicious.
Mashed Avocado with poached eggs on rye bread or sour dough. Simply delicious. Add chilli flakes and freshly ground black pepper for extra zing!
Reasons not to love mashed avocado and poached eggs on sour dough?
Smoothies and juices – so super easy and quick to make and they can be prepared in advance and drunk on the move! Chop the vegetables and fruit in advance and store in there fridge or freezer.
Green smoothies are a massive shortcut to excellent health & vitality. This is why I’ve written my latest book: Green Smoothie Lifestyle; my favourite collection of green smoothies. It’s a simple to use, together with a shopping list – it’s design to take away overwhelm, rather than adding to it, should you need inspiration with recipes!
Green Smoothie Lifestyle
Poached eggs with undyed, smoked haddock (bake the smoked haddock in advance or pop in the oven in tin foil whilst you shower, by the time you’re done, so will your fish!
Healthy Full English! – poached eggs, grilled tomatoes, grilled mushrooms, grilled fish (same idea as above, bake or grill the ingredients whilst you’re in the shower and poach the eggs when you’re ready..
Kedgeree (serves 2)
Ingredients
large portions or 3 smaller ones!) 450g /1lb smoked haddock fillets 3 hard boiled eggs.
75ml rice milk
2tbsp fr. Parsley 150g/5oz (raw) brown rice
2oz butter
Place fish in a large frying pan, cover with water and allow to simmer for 10-12 minutes until fish is tender. Meanwhile cooked the rice in a separate saucepan.
Drain fish, remove and discard skin and bones. Flake the flesh. Chop 2 eggs. Reserve the third to garnish. Mix together the fish, rice, chopped eggs, parsley and rice milk in a large saucepan. Cook, stirring, until heated through. Serve garnished with parsley and slices of egg.
Fruit Kebabs
A combination of anything mango, peaches, apples,”grapes, pears, strawberries, banana, literally any fruit, preferably in season. Cut up into squares and feed onto kebab sticks. Prepare the night before and keep in a container in the fridge for breakfast, mid afternoon snack or anytime!
“When you wake up in the morning, Pooh,” said Piglet at last, “what’s the first thing you say to yourself?”
“What’s for breakfast?” said Pooh. “What do you say, Piglet?”
“I say, I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?” said Piglet.
Pooh nodded thoughtfully. “It’s the same thing,” he said.”
A.A. Milne
Imagine having breakfast here in the warm Australian sunshine! Threebirdsrenovations
I love the renovations Threebirdrenovations, three best friends based in Australia, who are focused on inspiring and empowering women, anywhere in the world, to turn THEIR renovating dreams into REALITY. I’m hooked! I’m sure breakfast here would be a dream, don’t you think?!
I’m hoping these recipes and ideas to inspire you at breakfast time this week and beyond! Let me know which is your favourite breakfast.
As always, I love to hear your thoughts and comments, I promise I read everyone.
Have a wonderful Sunday. Hope your week ahead is happy and healthy,
Establish a routine.
