The first part of the day can easily getaway from you if you roll out of bed every morning without a care in the world. Throw something on, eat the first thing you see and just barely make it to work on time, still half in a daze. Make your day more productive, kickstart your day with these 11 badass habits. You may not want to incorporate all of them, but just a few will get you moving in the right direction!
11 Badass Habits to Start Your Day
- Get Your Ass Outta Bed – This shouldn’t come as a big surprise to anyone who wants to get ahead in life. The earlier you rise, the more time you have to complete all the amazing things you want to do in a day. Set your alarm, don’t hit snooze, get up and get it done. Have a morning routine that you stick to and don’t waiver from it. But of course, it doesn’t make you less productive if you’re not a morning person either. You may just start your date later than others, whichever it is for you; make the most out of your day, by following a set routine when rising.
- Meditate and Set Intentions – setting your intentions briefly for the day, will put you in a positive state of mind and focus yourself for the day ahead. Not sure how to meditate, try a guided meditation. There are plenty to find on youtube or attend an online group guided meditation. Not a fan of meditation, then consider listening to something positive or inspirational, to get you into the right state of mind. Listen to something educational – an interview, a podcast, anything to get your mind activated and inspired.
- Eat a High Protein Breakfast – breakfast really is one of the most important meals of the day. Having breakfast kicks starts your metabolism and gives your brain energy to get your day going. Breakfast literally breaks the fast that you just went through over the course of the night. Just eating breakfast leads to less calories eaten later in the day and having a high protein breakfast such as eggs or yoghurt, reduces the hunger you may experience between lunch and dinner. Protein is extremely satiating, because it takes longer to digest than most other foods, not to mention it has a high thermic effect, which means the body burns calories just digesting it.
- Have a Great Coffee– there’s no reason you can’t have a coffee, especially a good one if you love it as much as I do! Put a drop of unsweetened almond or coconut milk and your choice of natural sweetness if you must! Choose stevia, maple syrup, agave or honey. Coffee can spark focus, metabolism and give us a much needed boost to take us to the day going. It also has a boatload of benefits – just read about them here if you’re not convinced.
- Research a Side Hustle – you can’t focus your all your slay in only one area of your life. Always have a plan b, c and d! Make sure it’s something you love to do and have passion for. It should be something that can strengthen your current career path, or add to it. If you want to broaden out from your current role, think about what else you can learn and how you can apply it to the next phase of your career or life for that matter.
Everything is a teaching ground! I went from researching ingredients, to developing kick-ass supplements to marketing them, to writing about them and now into the world of healthy food. Along the way, I also competed for many years in fitness, developing a network of contacts and experiences across every area of the business I love. Sure, they’re not a far stretch from each other, but enough to evolve my career and progress it across the wellness, health, fitness and nutrition business.
Not to mention, internationally! I lived abroad, doing what I love on the other side of the world in Dubai and even went so far as consulting for companies in Shanghai and Australia. Developing your interests and passions gives you wings and opportunities to branch out, something you will not experience if you stay in your current spot. Don’t follow the same path.
- Pack Fresh Food– eating healthy food is extremely important. If you don’t have a good diet, you’ll feel exhausted most of the time. Following a healthy diet gives you energy to go the distance, not just for your workouts either. A healthy diet will also fuel your brain too.
Diets that are high in processed foods, sugar and fat will lead to weight gain, increases in belly fat, accelerate the aging process, reduce brain power, decrease mood, and increase your risk for all kinds of diseases.
Eat a well balanced diet, full of fresh fruits, vegetables, high quality proteins such as poultry, fish, lean cuts of meat, low fat dairy and good fats such as olive oil, coconut oil, avocadoes, nuts and seeds. Balance is key, aim for a diet that provides about 40% protein, 30% of each carbs and fat. When leaving the house, bring at the very minimum a few healthy snacks or pack a meal.
- Hydrate, Drink Water – drink water, lots of it. Water is essential to existence. We need water to make our digestive system work and make our metabolism function properly. Being de-hydrated makes you feel fatigued, tired, and cranky. Drink at least 3 to 4 L of water daily. Carry a water bottle with you, drink it, fill it again and again. Exercise and the weather will make you lose water faster than you know. You could be dehydrated without even knowing it – don’t mistake hunger, or lack of energy for lack of water. Have a hard time drinking water, have infused water made with fresh cucumber, slices of citrus fruit, berries and fresh herbs. Herbal teas are also a great idea – hot or iced with lemon.
- Brush and Floss Yo Teeth– these are just the first two important things to start your day. Brushing and flossing keeps your mouth clean and keeps away germs! You also need to make sure you brush and do your hair – duh, put your make-up on – yes even just a little goes a long way toward building your confidence and dress like you give AF. It’s important to have a regular beauty routine. Take care of yourself, get up and put effort toward your life. First impressions, really are important.
- Exercise Your Assets – working out first thing in the morning may not be for everyone, but it sure comes with it’s benefits. It gets your metabolism fired up, releasing feel good endorphins and adrenaline stimulating neurotransmitters that spark brain focus for more clarity come work time! Morning workouts have also been associated with deeper night sleeps, lower blood pressure and less stress.
- Don’t Be Lazy, Make Your Bed – yes make your bed, because coming home to a neat and organized house really can make a difference. It may seem meaningless but making your bed can actually give you a sense of accomplishment first thing in the morning. A goal accomplished and it’s not even lunchtime! Research actually showed that those who make their bed in the morning are happier, more productive and are more likely to be better prepared for tasks they don’t enjoy doing – like making the bed! #justsayin
- Have Your Shit Together – putting your life together the night before can help you save time from running around like a crazy person in the morning. Prepare and pack your meals; put your gym clothes in your bag. Organize your meetings, your workbag and have set goals for the day. This will help keep your life on track and keep you moving in the right direction toward your goals.
There you have it 11 badass habits to kickstart and motivate you for the day ahead. Have your own badass habits – share them in the comments below!
Until Next Time,
Be Fierce & Rule the World,
Lauren Jacobsen
