8 MORNING HABITS THAT'LL PUT YOU AHEAD OF 97% OF PEOPLE1. AVOID YOUR PHONE 71% of Americans check their phone within 10 minutes of waking up. Checking your phone: e Increases stress and anxiety ¢ Hijacks your attention e Primes your brain for distraction Try to give yourself 30 minutes of clear air before looking at your phone.2. MAKE YOUR BED Make your bed straight away. It's simple and has multiple benefits: ¢ You're less likely to get back into a made bed * Takes 2 minutes to complete your first task e Easy way to get a sense of accomplishment ¢ Keeps your space neat and promotes a calm mind3. DRINK WATER A glass of water helps your body recover from overnight dehydration. There are many other benefits of drinking water when you wake up: ¢ Better skin e More energy e Fewer headaches e Improved metabolism e Boosted immune system4. PRACTICE GRATITUDE Practicing gratitude will make you happier, and more empathetic and improve your self-esteem. Some ideas for incorporating gratitude into your morning routine: e Start a gratitude journal ¢ Go for gratitude walks e Express gratitude towards others5. GO FOR A RUN OR HIT THE GYM When you exercise, your body releases endorphins that boost your mood, reduce stress and improve focus. Exercising in the morning means you'll enjoy these benefits all day long.6. READ Reading helps reduce stress, improve your communication, and sharpens your focus for the day ahead. You also take in more of what you read in the morning. Leverage this to read over notes for a presentation or educational content you want to retain before a busy day.7. MEDITATE Meditating, even for 5 minutes will help: ¢ Boost your confidence e Enhance your awareness e Reduce stress and anxiety e Increase your compassion e Improve your concentration and focus Meditation primes your mind for a productive day.8. GIVE YOURSELF TIME Give yourself enough time to complete your routine and get to work on time. If you arrive at work stressed because you're running late, you've already lost the momentum that your morning routine built.