By Nika Bosnic for Summersalt Yoga
“Set a goal that makes you want to jump out of bed in the morning.”
It’s so easy to say, but it’s very difficult to put into practice. There is some good news though.
According to a recent research, early birds are more proactive than evening people – and so they do well in business.
As we know that beginnings are always the hardest, especially if you are one of those who is always hitting a snooze button, we prepared a list of our favorite morning power boosters that will get you out of the blanket straight ahead. Thank us later!
Matcha
yOga
bReakfast
plaNning
medItation
mornIng elixir
Goals
MATCHA
Like green tea but better. The health benefits of matcha tea are numerous and they even exceed those of green tea because when you drink matcha you ingest the whole leaf, not just the brewed water. According to statistics, matcha green tea possesses antioxidant levels 6.2 times that of goji berries, 7 times that of dark chocolate, 17 times that of wild blueberries and 60.5 times that of spinach! But you might try it several times to get used to it as the taste is pretty unique. I usually make matcha latte by blending 1/2 tsp of matcha (powder), hot (but not boiling) water, coconut milk, agave syrup and little vanilla.
YOGA
Practising yoga in the morning will clear your mind, reinvigorate your body, reduce your stress levels and even boost your metabolism. You can read more about the benefits of yoga here or you can commit yourself to our 10-day yoga challenge here.
BREAKFAST
Try to wake up 15 minutes earlier to prepare yourself a breakfast that will fuel your day. Breakfast will not only pack you with the necessary energy for whatever challenges during the rest of the day, but also contribute to your better mood – imagine you have a delicious breakfast waiting for you first thing in the morning and you can indulge in it slowly before the day actually starts!. My suggestions are overnight oats or chia pudding (which you can prepare the night before), bowl of warm porridge with toppings, toasted avocado bread, green smoothie bowls, scrambled eggs with some veggies or cheese and greek /coconut yoghurt with muesli. Sometimes when I am in a hurry I will have my matcha latte and 1-2 “superfood balls” which you can easily prepare in advance (just put some dates, shredded coconut, raw cacao, cinnamon, coconut oil, little water and pinch of salt in a food processor, mix and form small balls). You can find many delicious breakfast recipes in Summersalt Yoga recipe e-book here.
PLANNING
While enjoying your breakfast you can easily do some day or week planning. This should include your daily obligations and reminders (your mum’s birthday, for example :)) but also events, and meetings that you look forward to. Because, let’s be honest – we all need little motivation to spice up the day.
MEDITATION
It’s no secret that meditation reduces stress, controls anxiety, enhances self-awareness, generates kindness (against yourself and others), reshapes your brain, improves your focus and productivity and much more.
Most people find mornings the best time to practice meditation. For the start I suggest to find a 10-minute guided meditation training on youtube or download the app to help you get familiar with this beneficial practice (my favorite ones are Calm and Headspace).
MORNING ELIXIR
This juice is my morning “Superman” when I need an extra kick. You can, of course, buy 100% juices (no added sugar), grate ginger and simply mix all together but the best one is straight from the juicer.
Ingredients:
– 3-4 carrots (approx. 1 dcl)
– 2 oranges (approx. 1 dcl)
– 1 knob fresh ginger, peeled
– juice from 1 lemon (approx. 1/2 dcl)
– 1 knob fresh turmeric, peeled (or 1/4 tsp ground)
Simply put all the fruits/veggies in the juicer and enjoy!
GOALS
Set your goals and tasks for the upcoming day and prioritize. Prioritizing allows you to identify the most important tasks and goals at any moment and give them more of your attention, energy, and time. It’s an efficient time management tool, which enhances your focus and allows you to spend more time on the right things.