Best Morning Routine For A Productive Day

What do Tim Cook, Michelle O'bama, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and Jennifer Aniston all have in common? Besides being successful in their careers, these household names are all out of bed by 5:00 am every day. While a bit extreme for some of us, there’s no doubt that a productive day starts with a productive morning.

Harvard biologist, Christoph Randler, found that the early risers are often much more proactive. This leads to a more productive day overall. If you weren’t born a naturally early riser, creating a morning routine is a great way to help get you going in the right direction each day. Use these 5 BATCH tips to help create the best morning routine for you.

According to leading sleep experts, waking up at the same time each day has huge benefits for your overall health and productivity. Specifically, keeping your wake time consistent has proven to cut down on daytime sleepiness. Even on the weekends or off-days, you’re better off not sleeping more than 2 hours past your usual wake up time. For the best morning routine, utilize tools like the iPhone’s built-in bedtime feature. Using this allows you to easily set an alarm for the same time each day and even keep a weekly sleep log. An added bonus is that you can be reminded to get ready for bed however long you want before bedtime. No iPhone; no problem. There are a plethora of free sleep apps available for Android and Google OS phones that have the same vital features.

Related: BATCH’s 5 Tips for a Better Night of Sleep

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 50 million Americans suffer from chronic pain on a daily basis. Stretching is a great way to help improve blood flow and can even help relieve nagging pain. Among other benefits, regularly stretching also helps improve posture, reduces risk of injury, and can reduce stress. For the best morning routine, check out Dr. Jo‘s seven-minute morning stretches. A physical therapist and doctor of physical therapy, Dr. Jo helps thousands with her informative and quirky YouTube demonstrations. Starting your day off with some simple stretches can make a big difference in having a productive day.

According to a study conducted by the National Coffee Association, 64% of Americans start their day with a cup (or more) of coffee. While there are well-documented benefits of drinking coffee, it’s better to start your day off with water. Research shows that your body’s cortisol levels are naturally high in the morning, making you alert and dialed in. These levels usually drop off after 2 hours of being awake. Try to hold off on your morning coffee until you’ve been awake for a few hours. This will allow you to use your body’s natural productivity boost. If you’ve been drinking coffee first thing in the morning for some time, you’ll notice that you’ve developed a tolerance. For some, drinking coffee while cortisol levels are naturally high can even induce morning anxiety. This is because caffeine (via coffee) actually replaces your body’s response to cortisol, rather than adding to it. Added benefits of drinking water early in the morning include boosting metabolism and aiding digestion. All this goes to show that in order to have the best morning routine, you might have to change parts of your existing routine.

When it is time for coffee, try adding BATCH’s CLARITY blend CBD oil to your cup. Boosted with an uplifting blend of citrus terpenes, CLARITY CBD oil helps keep you dialed in so you can push away trivial thoughts and get to work. Because CBD is commonly used to improve sleep, most people assume it will make them drowsy. However, the benefit of taking CBD  bed lies in its ability to ease your mind from racing thoughts. The same benefit can be very useful if included in your morning routine. By clearing your mind, you’re better able to focus on the task at hand. Pairing CBD with coffee makes for an even more balanced boost. The calming effects of the hemp plant help counteract the sometimes jittery side effects of consuming too much caffeine. The result: the most productive day you’ve had in months.

If you want the best morning routine for productivity, don’t stop when you leave the house. What would you do with 26 extra minutes every day? According to the latest census, that’s how long the average commute is in the United States. Although enjoying music has its benefits, consider what else you could accomplish during your commute. Podcasts have been on a sharp rise since 2016; perhaps you’ve jumped on the bandwagon and started listening to one of the thousands of free and educational podcasts available. E-books are another popular choice for those who struggle to find time to read. Even simpler, use your morning commute to call an old friend or catch up with your parents or siblings. Even if they’re busy at the moment, giving a call will lead to conversations when you’re both free. Whatever you do, don’t continue to waste valuable time listening to the same radio ads over and over again. Get creative and reclaim your commute.