The Art of Morning Rituals

Perhaps yesterday had been exhausting. As the alarm shrieked in your ear, you may have bolted out of the bed, heart pounding, head still deep in that mildly disturbing dream. As you turned on the shower, the cold blast of water may have jolted you awake further as you rushed to wash your hair, brush your teeth and scrub yourself simultaneously. Breakfast may have been a functional affair – a slice of toast shovelled down with strong black coffee that made your blood pressure drop for a tiny moment. And the out of the door into the roaring world you bolted, where you distracted yourself on a jam-packed commute with news of impending wars, deaths and gossip. At work you may have rushed through the entire day, composing and completing those last assignments before the weekend arrived. You may not even remember the blur of paperwork, endless clicking and tapping. But you wondered where the day went as you finally relaxed back at home in the evening. That book you wanted to read for a while now remains on your night-stand. You may turn down invitations today because you are still carrying the stress of the commute back home. The unanswered emails seem to be judging you, and the house looks like a disaster.

With today's hectic cycles and stresses, your time is constantly splitting and splintering down between all sorts of obligations.

But thankfully, you always have another chance to start fresh. And why not start with the right foot forward?

A morning ritual can be a wonderful way to restore your body, mind and soul back to a calmer centre. As busy and as obligated towards other tasks and people your life may be, it is important to afford yourself the same care and consideration. In order to return to the world and its demands fresh and fierce, you must give yourself a bubble of space and time where you do things your way, for yourself. And setting up a pleasurable morning routine can be the perfect signal to yourself to recharge yourself, gain back a grip that always seems to buckle a bit under pressure, and help you ride out stresses and burnouts in the long term.

The timing of a morning ritual

Your ritual is a highly individual construction. Let's face it, on most weekdays it can be difficult to slow down a rushed routine. Sometimes it is not possible to lie in bed for ten minutes in blissful nothingness, or to spend time preparing the kind of elaborate breakfast you'd normally enjoy unhurried. Perhaps as an early riser, you need to complete your exercise routine and then rush into the shower before work. Perhaps you like to sleep to the very last minute, and it's sheer panic that gets you out of the door. Choose a day for yourself where you have that additional time to slow things down a couple of notches – perhaps a day in the weekend.

Or perhaps you are not into deliberate rituals. This doesn't mean you can't benefit. Perhaps you only have a single thing you want to do – like start your morning listening to your favourite song to get you up and running. Perhaps it could be as simple as an extra hour in bed to make up for the weekdays. The importance – and the success – of a morning ritual lies entirely in creating a personal way to reach out to yourself and get back to your core.

Some ideas

Wake up slowly

Today you can afford to wake up whenever you like. If you are stricter with your schedule, perhaps you could invest in a music alarm that gradually gets louder. Anything but the shrill and shrieking beeps that wake you up with heart pounding.

Spending a few moments simply waking up

Feel your senses awaken. Feel your limbs, attune your hearing to your surrounding sounds. Keep your eyes closed whilst you take slow deep breaths, gradually opening them when you feel the rest of you has woken up.

Do some gentle stretches in bed

Stretch your limbs, bring your knees to your chest, flex any limb you feel may be harbouring tension.

Meditate

Give yourself time to take deep breaths and calm yourself. Sometimes the body carries the week's stresses, which spill out during sleep. You then wake up nervous and agitated, and it can be hard to shake this feeling off during the day. Don't let it, not during your morning ritual. Bring your mind to a calm place, assure yourself. Devise positive affirmations that speak to you personally – a quotation that inspires you, a self-penned mantra, a list of gratitudes. Think of them as you lie in bed, enjoying its warmth and calm.

Stay away from your computer/phone/tablet

Resist the temptation to plunge yourself into shocking news, envy-inducing or tear-jerking social media updates. This little space of time you have, this is yours alone. Don't invite the whole world into your personal space just yet.

Keep a glass of water by your bedside

Slowly sit up on your bed and take slow, gentle sips. The water may have cooled overnight, so you don't want to shock your system by gulping down too much at once. Teas can be a little harsh on the empty stomach, but warm water with a slice of lemon juice is another great alternative to get your body awake.

Have a morning beauty routine

Nothing necessarily too elaborate. Gently take the time to wash and pat your face dry, rather than splashing it up and scrubbing it down with a harsh towel. If you have a skincare regime, take the time to slowly go through each step. Massage your face slowly with the cream you have selected; first on your cheeks, then heading to your forehead, and finally circling down to the chin. Slow down the process by several notches, enjoy the sensation of the massage and the scent and feel of the cream on your skin.

Have breakfast like a king

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and rightly so. A well-balanced breakfast can set the tone for the rest of your day, including your eating patterns. Since you were fasting for about eight hours of sleep whilst your body was rebuilding and repairing, you will need to give your body the nutrition it needs to keep you healthy. Although many people (including myself) have a difficult time eating breakfast so soon after waking up, it is important to find a breakfast for yourself that nourishes you and is manageable. The options for your breakfast need not be typical: whilst yoghurt or oatmeal with fruit is a highly-recommended option, a light broth, a delicious egg sunny-side up, or a smoothie is also an option you can start the day with.

Have a coffee ritual

If you love a cup of coffee with your breakfast, creating a mini ritual can also serve as a delicious meditative task. Granted, slowing down to make yourself a cream-topped, caramel-infused showstopper may not always be possible. But on a slow weekend morning, it can give you a lot of pleasure to prepare your perfect brew. Even if you like your coffee powdered and plain, you can enjoy it in a cup you really like. For example, I have a beautiful gray cup shaped like an elephant. So even when I don't have the desire to construct an elaborate concoction, drinking out of it gives me a quiet sense of joy.

Stay away from your computer/phone/tablet

Yes, this point is so important it appears twice in this suggestion list. Whilst you are having your breakfast and enjoying your brew, resist the temptation to switch on your laptop or respond to the notifications on your phone. Remember – this is your morning ritual. The world and its demands for your attention will surely find their way to you. But for now, be in your own company, nourish yourself, allows yourself to stay in your quiet zone for just a little longer.

Allow yourself 10 minutes of room organisation

Now that you've had a slow prelude into your day, do your bed, gather all the clothes you need to put into the laundry, open up the windows and air the room, make a list of all the things you need to do today: from grabbing any weekend groceries, to any tasks you may have placed on the backburner during the week. It may not be particularly exciting to throw chores into your relaxing morning ritual. But interestingly enough, I find that putting down the things I need to do into a paper list eliminates those nagging feelings at the back of my mind that prevent me from truly sinking into a soothing flow. And chores need not be dull – put on your favourite playlist, the one that gets you moving, and dance your way through!

Embrace the morning air

Or go out. Whether it is for a walk to the market, or to meet your friends for brunch, or your daily jog, being out in the fresh morning air is a magnificent way to start the day. See if there are any interesting events in your area – and go there.

And finally? Grab that book on your night-stand and take the opportunity to catch up on your reading!