5 Things to do Instead of Using Social Media Every Morning

You might or might not have noticed it yet, but your social media usage can get pretty addictive. It’s like a drug that you can never get enough of.

In fact, research shows that people who start the day with their social media are more likely to feel unhappy and tense throughout the day. Those negative feelings will then snowball into other aspects of your life as well.

So if you want to be happier, less stressed, and more productive at work (or anywhere else), here are some things you can do instead:

Also read – 7 Ways to Reduce Your Instagram Usage: Addiction Signs and Tips

Exercise

A healthy body leads to a healthy mind, and there are plenty of studies that support this claim. Not only will you feel better after a workout, but you’ll also be more productive throughout the day.

If you’re not sure where to start, there are plenty of online resources and videos that can help you get started. And if you have a friend who’s into fitness, they would be more than happy to show you the ropes (or offer some words of encouragement).

Benefits of exercising in the morning –

• Exercising early in the morning can help you improve your focus for the rest of the day. According to a studydone by the British Journal of Sports Medicine, an early morning exercise routine can help you improve your attention, visual learning, and decision-making.
• Cortisol is a hormone associated with alertness. It usually increases in morning and reduces in level by evening. Hence a morning exercise routine may be a better match for your body’s hormonal fluctuations.
• Early morning exercise is a good motivation to have healthier meals. In a study done by the International Journal of Obesity on 2680 students, it was observed students who stuck with the exercise programs chose healthier food options, even though they were not asked to.

Make a nutritious breakfast

Making a nutritious breakfast every morning is one of the best things you can do for your health and productivity. A healthy breakfast will give you sustained energy throughout the day, improve your focus, and help you make better decisions.

Skip the sugary cereal and processed snacks, and opt for protein-rich foods like eggs or oatmeal as a good way to start your mornings.

If you’re not sure where to start, I recommend checking out some recipes online or asking a friend for some ideas.

Benefits of making nutritious breakfast every morning –

• You will have a nutritious breakfast to eat every morning ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
• Eating breakfast regularly has multiple health benefits like better weight management, and it also reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart diseases.
• Regular breakfast can help you perform better in school and work. According to WebMD, a regular healthy breakfast helps with focus, memory, and overall performance.

A short walk in the sun

The benefits of exercising are many, but it can get a little too intense. That’s why some people make the most out of their exercise by taking walks in the sun instead.

Over morning walks, you could earn the same benefits as in an intense workout without having to take a full hour.

It’s important to note that we are creatures of habit. Chances are, if you develop a daily routine for getting outside and taking a walk in the morning, this ritual will become ingrained in your body and mind, making it so much easier to stick with it

Benefits of short walks in the morning –

• The most well-known effect of sunlight exposure is Vitamin D production which has multiple benefits like stronger immune health, decrease risk of heart disease, and also helps to regulate your mood.
• According to research one hour of sunlight in the morning can help you sleep at night. This is due to the production of melatonin in our bodies which regulates circadian rhythm.
• Walks in morning sunlight can help you keep your weight in check. The physical activity of walking will help with your cardiovascular health and the sun rays are known to shrink fat cells below the skin surface.

Meditate and practice mindfulness

Meditating in the morning can help you focus and be more present throughout the day.

Having a heightened awareness of what is going on inside and outside of you can help make you feel more connected, grounded, and relaxed.

This feeling will last throughout the day. When you start your day with meditation, you set the tone for the rest of the day.

Benefits of meditating every morning

• Over time, meditation can help you improve your focus and overall productivity as well. It takes a while to make it a habit, but definitely worth the effort.
• According to Mayo Clinic, meditation helps us to reduce stress, which is something we all can use, regardless of our age.
• Do you have trouble sleeping? Well, meditation has got you covered there as well. According to a study, mindfulness meditation is a viable treatment option for chronic insomnia, when compared with traditional treatments.

Create/Review your To-Do list

Step 1: Create a daily to-do list, if you don’t already do it regularly. Creating a to-do list is an excellent way to stay on top of your tasks, and it can help you prioritize what needs to be done.

The first step in creating a daily task list is figuring out what needs to get done during the day. Write down anything that comes up as you think about your workday or week ahead. These are things like meetings, phone calls, errands, projects due soon, deadlines for other people’s work…anything that has a deadline or requires action from you will do.

Every morning you can spend some time reviewing and prioritizing these tasks according to your day.

Benefits of creating/reviewing To-Do lists every morning –

• Having a clear plan for the day frees us of the anxiety of all the tasks we need to finish up according to a recent study by the professors of Wake Forest University
• Whenever we fulfill a task from our list, there is a sense of positive emotion due to the release of Dopamine.
• A regular habit of maintaining and reviewing to-do lists will greatly help in improving your daily productivity.

Conclusion

You wake up in the morning and immediately start scrolling through social media or reading emails, before even getting out of bed. You take a break for breakfast and find yourself checking your phone to see if anything exciting has happened in the last two minutes. And then once you get to work, chances are that you’re on your phone again.

So, if you find yourself wanting to reach for your phone as soon as you wake up in the morning, try one of these productive alternatives. You may be surprised at how much better you feel after getting some real work done instead of checking social media or watching cat videos.

And who knows? Maybe you’ll even start looking forward to getting out of bed in the morning so that you can start knocking out your to-do list! If you have any other tips for things people can do instead of going on their phones first thing in the morning, please share them in the comments below. We would love to hear from you.