Time is the most important asset an entrepreneur can have, but it can seem like there aren’t enough hours in the day. Even if you sit at your desk for 12 hours straight, if you’re not using this time efficiently, you’re going to end the day feeling unaccomplished.
For most people, the morning is the most important time of day ⏤ your actions in the morning set the tone for the rest of the day. Unfortunately, most of us wake up feeling stressed, tired and overwhelmed by the endless number of tasks on our to-do lists. This negative mindset at the beginning of the day will only set you up for failure.
Having a positive start to the day will ensure that the rest of your day follows suit. Even if you’re not really a morning person (honestly, who is though?), simply having a routine in place can be the difference between a wasted day and a creative day. Being organized decreases stress and leaves your mind clearer in the morning, ready to work on those ideas you already have and generate more.
Here are 7 morning rituals to kickstart your creative productivity!
1. Exercise
Getting active in the morning is one of the best things you can do for creativity. Whether you go for a run, squeeze in a few yoga poses, or you do some quick push ups, you’re breaking that dreaded cycle of waking up and traveling to work ⏤ the excitement of doing something active (or just something different) can lead to more creative insights. Vogue’s Anna Wintour plays tennis for an hour almost every morning at exactly 5:45!
Scientifically, exercise also encourages creativity in our minds by helping the blood flow to our brains and releasing endorphins, a neurotransmitter that leaves you feeling euphoric. A happy person is a creative person!
2. Have a Shower
You may be one of those “wash the night before” types who would rather stay in bed for an extra 30 minutes, but what if showering in the morning could make you more creative?
Having a hot shower in the morning not only gives you that energy-boosting wake-up call, but it also releases dopamine, another neurotransmitter that increases our adrenaline and creativity. When we get in a hot shower it relaxes us and we become absent-minded to a degree, soaking up the pleasure we feel from the warm water.
This relaxed state of mind encourages the release of dopamine and gets our creative ideas flowing.
Alternatively, if you're brave enough, cold and contrast (hot for 2-3 minutes then cold for 1 minute and repeat) showers have also been suggested to boost creativity.
When cold water is poured onto our bodies, we get a shock and a rush of adrenaline. We take in more oxygen to try to warm ourselves and our heart rate also increases. This results in blood rushing through our bodies and giving us that energy boost and invigorated feeling we need to start the day with a buzz.
3. Open-Monitoring Meditation
Our interactions and experiences with the environment around us is what fuels us creatively, and inspires us, but sometimes we’re too overwhelmed and anxious to take notice of it. One type of meditation can change that.
Continue reading %7 Morning Rituals to Kickstart Your Creative Productivity%
by Rebeka Bergin via SitePoint
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