How to Start Your Day with Energy

How you start your day can make or break your next 24 hours. There are so many ideas and suggestions about how to spend your time immediately after crawling out of your cozy bed. I've heard a lot of people say getting the hardest task out of the way first is the right approach. Others say following a morning routine will set your day up for success. After trying more morning rituals than I can count, I've learned that the best way to start my day is to do something that gives me energy. Feeling like I can tackle the day, rather than walking through the motions sluggishly, has helped me lead a happier life.

To Start the Day Right, Be Open to New Energy-Filled Ideas

But let me be clear. The activity that gives you energy at the start of the day may not be something you look forward to. For example, I've found that exercising within the first hour of being awake gives me an incredible amount of energy throughout the day. However, I don't wake up, pop out of bed, and cheer that I get to sweat for 30 minutes to an hour.

I've come to realize, though, the feeling I have after I finish exercising is so worth the struggle to actually start. Sometimes it takes energy even to put my shoes on, but I try to imagine how I'll feel the rest of the day once I finish exercising.

How to Figure Out What Gives You Energy to Start the Day

So, how do you determine the activities to try when you start your day? Take three days to observe when you have the most energy by:

• Typing a quick note on your phone or writing in a notebook when energy hits you after an activity
• Thinking about how it makes you feel to have that energy
• Describing that feeling in detail in your notebook or on your phone
• Picking one of the activities and trying it first thing in the morning for three additional days 
• Observing how your day changes and making note of any significant shifts

Be open to learning from your observations and trying a few new ideas. You may realize the way you're spending your morning is actually depleting you of energy. If one activity doesn't feel right for you when you wake up, explore something new. It's perfectly fine to try different approaches and see what works best. Another option is to rotate through a few energy boosters to keep your mornings feeling like Groundhog Day.

How do you start your day? Share your story in the comments.