If January is the month of optimism and new beginnings, February is the month of realism. We are forced take account of our new year's resolutions and see we're doing well in some and not so well in others. If better mornings is something you are working on this year, and January made it obvious that the 5:30am wake up call to work out isn't going to happen, read on. We put together six easy steps that will improve your mornings with minimal effort.
1. Get an alarm clock
Be honest - what is the first thing you do when you wake up? Most people will check their phones before even getting out of bed. If you are one of them, it is time to get an old-school alarm clock that only does the singular job of waking you. When you check your phone first thing in the morning, your brain gets bombarded with stimulants from the outside world before you get a chance to be present and set intentions for how you want your day to look. You immediately start focusing on what the world demands from you: your boss asks you to send them something, your friend is showing you their beach vacation on Instagram and your sibling's text says they need you to babysit tomorrow. All of that can wait, so keep your alarm clock at your bedside and your phone outside your bedroom.
2. Hydrate
Drink a glass of water. If you don't have the stomach for the popular lukewarm water with lemon juice at 7am, we don't blame you. Pick your preferred temperature and go plain if you like, but drink that glass, because you just spent 7 to 8 hours basically hibernating. Which brings us to...
3. Sleep
Make it a priority to get the number of hours you need. Your productivity, immune system, mood, energy and much more depend on it. On the occasion that you don't get enough, make an effort to catch up on sleep the following few days.
4. Make your bed
It takes 30 seconds and gives you a small win first thing in the morning.
5. Carve out a few minutes to pause, and protect that time
Meditate, read the paper or listen to a favorite song. Whatever works for you to be present and in the moment, use it to give your brain a break and settle into your morning on your own terms. The sense of calm and control you experience will set the tone for the rest of your day.
6. Eat a breakfast that's good for you
Grocery shopping requires mental and physical effort. You don't have time to cook in the morning. Meal planning takes time and motivation. Biting into the cold mush of a protein bar so early is not appealing. Your daily habit of bagel with cream cheese isn't exactly the healthiest.
If this sounds familiar, you're not alone: over 30 million Americans skip breakfast every day, which is why we set on a mission to create breakfast options that check all boxes. Tankful products are high in protein, made with whole ingredients, easy to store and take seconds to prepare. Designed to keep you full and focused until lunch, they provide the warm, nutritious breakfast that you want in both sweet and savory options. Give it a try now and see how we can make your mornings better.