Want to know the must-haves for a great start to your day every morning? It’s a morning routine that can take just a few minutes on your busiest days.
I have become a true fan of morning routines. It is so important to start your day off right so that you can be ready for any challenges you might encounter while maintaining a steadfast, calm, and resilient mindset.
Key Benefits of Morning Routines
Sets a positive tone. Starting the day with positive and intentional activities sets a positive tone and helps cultivate a proactive mindset.
Improves Productivity. A routine provides structure, helping you prioritize tasks and manage time effectively.
Mental Clarity and Stress Reduction. Morning routines can reduce stress, enhance mental clarity, and promote a sense of peace and balance.
Builds Healthy Habits. Repeating positive actions every morning builds habits that contribute to long-term success and well-being and enhances your ability to stick to goals and commitments.
Over the years I’ve tried all kinds of activities to try to drill down on the best morning routine. And here are the ingredients to mine - I hope they help you too. On a busy day, each activity can take as little as 1 minute – and everyone has time for a 5 minute morning routine!
Dr. Judy’s Top 5 Ingredients for Morning Routine
Respond to a journal prompt. Every morning, spent just a couple of minutes journaling to an idea or theme. My favorite is to journal on gratitude. I name 3 things I am grateful for and write them down. But you can journal to anything you’d like, a question, an idea, reflect on a book you read, an inspirational quote, the ideas are endless!
Do a task mindfully. This can be any task at all as long as you approach it deliberately in a present-minded way without distraction. My absolute favorite mindful task to do in the morning is to make and sip my coffee mindfully. It is amazing how much more enjoyable everything is when you approach it with a mindful focus.
Get moving. Do some type of movement in the morning to get your blood flowing and your muscles limber. This can be a few yoga poses, some nice relaxing stretches, or a heart pumping workout. My morning runs are everything to me.
Breathwork. The benefits of breath work are endless, and really helps to calm anxieties and stresses. There are multitudes of ways you can approach this, but I like box breathing. Simply count to 4 while inhaling, then hold your breath for 4, then exhale for 4 counts, then hold your breath for 4. Repeat 5-10 times for a great breath work routine!
Get connected. Start your day off right with what every human being needs - some social connectivity. This could be a quick text check in to a friend, a phone call to a family member, or even writing a card to someone you care about. This helps us to remember we are part of something bigger than ourselves, which contributes to meaningfulness and joy.
What’s your favorite morning routine activity?
NEW Episode of my Mental Health Bites Podcast!
Check out the 2nd episode of my new podcast! In this episode, we cover social media and mental health – and how you can build digital resilience for yourself!
Is Social Media Really Bad for Our Mental Health?
Welcome to another episode of Mental Health Bites with Dr. Judy! In this 10-minute episode, we delve into a timely and important topic, answer your pressing questions, and provide a practical tip to enhance your mental wellness. 🌟
Timely Topic Discussion: Is social media really bad for our mental health? With the rise of social platforms - many people experience increased anxiety and depression, and the surgeon general is calling for a black box warning on social apps. But is there more to this than meets the eye? Join Dr. Judy Ho, a clinical and forensic neuropsychologist, as she breaks down the latest research and offers insights into this pressing issue.
Q & A Segment: Today, one listener asks what to do if their elderly parent is struggling with social media addiction. This is a more common problem than you think! Tune in to hear Dr. Judy's expert answer and learn how to have difficult discussions about addiction with a loved one
Actionable Tip: Have you heard of social media fasting? There are huge benefits to your relationships, productivity, and overall well-being. Dr. Judy shares the keys to doing a social media fast and how to make it fun, too. Try this out and strengthen your resilience.
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About me:
Dr. Judy Ho, Ph. D., ABPP, ABPdN is a triple board certified and licensed Clinical and Forensic Neuropsychologist, a tenured Associate Professor at Pepperdine University, television and podcast host, and author of Stop Self-Sabotage. An avid researcher and a two-time recipient of the National Institute of Mental Health Services Research Award, Dr. Judy maintains a private practice where she specializes in comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations and expert witness work. She is often called on by the media as an expert psychologist and is also a sought after public speaker for universities, businesses, and organizations.
Dr. Judy received her bachelor's degrees in Psychology and Business Administration from UC Berkeley, and her masters and doctorate from SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology. She completed a National Institute of Mental Health sponsored fellowship at UCLA's Semel Institute.
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