Bad morning habits ruining your schedule? It might be time to play the check-and-discard game.
Read on to learn about the 11 things you need to avoid doing in the morning for a healthier and finer routine.
Morning is the most exquisite point of the day.
Darkness disappears, the light slowly starts taking over, and nature is waking up everywhere around you.
There are some amazing things you can do in the morning to add to your well-being.
For me, nothing is more beautiful than watching the morning sun and spending five minutes in the presence of the first rays of light. It’s an activity I try to partake in as often as possible.
Building good habits and sticking to them is essential for our self-growth.
But for most of us, the real struggle is to first eliminate the toxic habits cluttered throughout our daily routine.
Bad habits can be hard to quit, but cutting them out of your life is the only valid option.
And in my opinion, the best place to start your declutter program is by taking a peek at your bad morning habits.
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Here is a comprehensive list of bad morning habits that you need to discard for a better lifestyle.
I have dealt with most of these habits in the past, so I know how troublesome they can be.
But with some itsy bitsy efforts and determination, I was able to cut them out, and you can do it too!
Let’s dive in.
11 Bad Morning Habits That Can Ruin Your Day
1. Waking Up Late
If you are a late-day bloomer and find that your mornings coincide with your afternoons, then it’s the first bad morning habit you might want to look into.
Waking up too late tilts the balance of your routine.
You might even find the rest of your day passing by in a haze, which is a tiring and unproductive state of mind to be in.
You also lose access to the positive vibes that only mornings can give you. And trust me, it’s a lot to miss out on.
Your focus level during the morning is off-the-chart, a fact that I love using to set achievable daily goals for myself.
It really is the best moment to set positive intentions for your day, and actually see them through to the end.
Related Post: How To Become A Morning Person And Love It
Your body is meant to sleep during the night and rise with the sun. I want you to trust this fact and use it to your advantage rather than making it a weak point.
Follow the natural order of things, and the occasional times when you do sleep in late will then give you bliss instead of exhaustion and a truckload of guilt.
2. Checking Your Phone The Moment You’re Up
I consider this one to be a deadly morning habit, and I am not being dramatic when I say this.
After waking up from a good night’s sleep, your phone might be the first thing you reach to check for any notifications or missed calls.
And that’s where it all goes wrong.
You’re barely up but already your mind is occupied with thoughts of the external world, which isn’t really a soothing point to start your day.
If you can relate, I urge you to ditch this habit from tomorrow.
There are brighter ways to greet a new day than exposing your squinty eyes to your phone screen.
Do a morning bed stretch, open your windows to let the air in, and appreciate the quiet moments of the morning before charging into your routine.
3. Staying In Bed Even After You’re Up
Look, I get the bliss of staying in bed on a Sunday morning. It’s a perfect lazy activity for a comfortable weekend morning.
But if this is a regular habit, it needs to go.
Up until a few months ago, I was guilty of this. I would be wide awake, staring at my ceiling or texting a friend about my plans for the day which I had no intention of getting started on.
Your bed is a safe spot in the morning, a comfort zone that you don’t feel prepared to step out of.
When you do crawl out about an hour too late, you’ll find yourself moving around with the same lazy energy.
That’s why it’s important that you beat procrastination by leaving your bed within 5 minutes of waking up. Because this enthusiasm is what you want to carry for the rest of the day.
And believe me, once you train yourself to launch into your morning activities without any delay, you’ll love your own energy and won’t ever want to go back.
Recommended:5 Wellness Hacks I Wish I’d Learned Sooner
4. Leaving Your Bed Unkempt
After getting off your bed, don’t walk away without rearranging your sheets. It’s a lazy and bad morning habit to entertain.
An unkempt bed produces untidy morning vibes, and might also prompt you to slide right back in.
So, your first order of business in the morning should be to make your bed.
You will love starting your routine with this basic chore and also feel active in the morning.
Rearrange your pillows, fold your quilt, and put it in your cupboard. Get rid of any stray things lying on your bed and put them in their rightful place.
If your sheets have been on the bed for more than a week, throw them in the laundry, lay down a fresh set, and enjoy moving around a clean bed.
5. Not Hydrating Yourself
Water is essential for your body throughout the day, but you need it, especially in the morning.
If you don’t hydrate yourself in the mornings, you’re inviting gut health issues.
While you sleep, toxic substances accumulate in your system, and they need to be flushed out when you wake up.
The best way to do so? You got it right – Drinking water!
To start your day on a positive and healthy note, grab a glass of water within the first fifteen minutes of waking up.
For extra benefits, make it warm, and drink it before brushing your teeth.
Recommended Post: How To Sleep Better At Night
A gentle reminder: Don’t drink water only when you’re thirsty. It should be a habit rather than a need. Carry a bottle with you, take small sips, and stay hydrated throughout the day.
6. Starting Your Day With Coffee
The urge to grab a cup of coffee in the first hour of your morning can be strong, especially if you’ve been doing this for some time.
But it’s not a wise idea to introduce caffeine to your system in the early hours of the day.
Coffee is quite rough around the edges, and wouldn’t do your gut much good as a first drink.
As mentioned in the last point, it’s best to start your mornings with a glass of warm water.
After 40 minutes or so, you can go ahead and brew a fresh pot of coffee.
Check Out: 8 Healthy Food Habits For A Beautiful Lifestyle
7. Not Doing Basic Grooming
If you’re someone who skips out on your basic grooming needs in the morning, you might want to reassess your hygiene routine.
Your body is in a resting zone during the night. After waking up, it needs to be tended to for a few minutes.
Ignoring this part of your body wellness leads to lazy energy which can easily be avoided by doing some little grooming activities.
First and foremost, wash your face with cold water. It works like a charm to rouse you from sleep.
Also, don’t wait until you’ve had your breakfast to brush your teeth. Your oral hygiene demands that you brush before eating.
Brush your hair, do basic skincare, apply a gentle lip balm, and then move on to your routine.
These simple acts can make a big difference to your morning mood, so remember to work on this habit.
8. Being Physically Inactive
Morning workouts are not everyone’s cup of tea, which is understandable.
Some of you might prefer to exercise in the evening. I’ve tried both, and have found them equally energizing and uplifting.
But even if you save your exercises for the later part of the day, you should get some moving done in the morning.
If you spend most of your morning being inactive, it is bad for both your physical and mental health.
An active morning routine boosts your spirit and helps you stay active throughout the day.
Do some of your daily chores in the morning.
Dust your room, make your bed (which we’ve already established is important), take a short walk, and use a desk instead of your bed for any work-related tasks.
For some healthy morning inspiration, check out these 5 good benefits of morning exercise.
9. Skipping Breakfast
This is one of the most common bad morning habits.
I know some people end up skipping breakfast because they wake up late, are in a hurry to get to work, or are probably being health conscious and watching their diet.
Whatever your reasons are, they shouldn’t take precedence over your breakfast. It’s the first meal of your day and is vital to your good health.
A fulfilling breakfast gives you the strength you need to hit start on your daily activities. Making a healthy choice in this regard is also an awesome way to set a green diet tone for the day.
Eliminate your reasons for skipping breakfast. If you find yourself sleeping through your breakfast time, start waking up early.
Also, there should be enough time between your wake-up time and office hours to prepare food and consume it mindfully.
Do take note that missing breakfast isn’t the way to be healthy. If anything, it adds to your fitness troubles and slows down your wellness progress.
10. Jumping Straight To Work-Related Tasks
This point is a gentle nudge to all my readers who work from home.
Don’t get started with your work right after you’re up, even though I know the urge can be quite strong.
When there is not a 9/5 job to tend to, we feel pressurized to work constantly. Not doing so makes us feel guilty and fearful of failing at our job.
But you can’t let this mindset rule your mornings and trick you into turning on your computer.
It will only cause you stress and anxiety, which are just the things we’re looking to avoid in our morning routine.
It might take a few days to get rid of this habit. Your fingers will probably twitch with the urge to tap your keyboard and check in on work.
But you need to resist this, and instead, do some other mindful morning activities.
Exercise, take a shower, eat your food, and grab all the positivity you can before sitting down to work with a fresh mind.
11. Not Having A Set Morning Routine
Many of us rely on our daily instincts to guide our day. I believe in the concept of lowing with life, but my mornings are strong exceptions.
You can alter many things about your day – skip a workout, eat takeout for a change, or miss your weekend laundry.
But your mornings should have a set order about them.
As I’ve already mentioned, this is the time during which you can set positive intentions for your day and create some order in your life, which is good to have even for people who love being spontaneous.
A fixed morning routine keeps you grounded, motivates you to do better, and fuels your determination to fulfill your vision of life. It is also a perfect form of self-care.
So, for the sake of all things related to your wellness, build a personalized morning routine, and watch yourself transform beautifully.
A Super Important Post: 9 Healthy Morning Routine Ideas To Start Your Day Right
Make The Most Out Of Your Mornings By Quitting These Habits
Morning is the golden period of your entire day, and the way you spend this time says a lot about your lifestyle.
A good morning routine has the power to make your days brighter and more productive.
But the positive benefits of the golden hour often get shrouded by some bad morning habits, most of which we discussed in this important post.
I urge you to recognize your bad morning habits from the list above and work on discarding them from your life.
Always remember that you have it in you to fix your morning routine and mold it to your liking. So do your best, and it’s only the best that you will get. 🙂
Got any morning routine troubles you don’t know how to fix? I’d love to help. Drop a question in the comment box, and I’ll get back to you with a response as soon as I can.
Shirley says
First thing in the morning I do when I wake up is have a glass of water. Then I have breakfast and make half a pot of coffee. Take a shower to wake up before I do anything else.
Jennifer says
First thing I do is …well, I fart. Then I dash to the toilet to tinkle. THEN is the cup of water! More like a 500ml bottle, but I have kidney problems so I tend to drink a LOT of water throughout the day.
Good idea to have it a little warm (room temp is easily done by bottle just sitting there overnight). Didn’t think COLD morning face washing would matter vs warmer water.
I like to start showers lukewarm, then hot when doing shampoo, rinse ice cold, then back to warm while stretching under the water, then hot for body wash and face wash then rinsing ice cold and staying ice cold till done.
Input on this?
Akansha says
Haha, that sounds like a good way to start the morning. I’m glad you’re taking care of your hydration needs. I sometimes do drink water from my bottle when I’m not in the mood for anything warm, and that feels just as good.
Yeah, there are scientific benefits backing up both cold and warm face washing, but the reason I stick to cold is because it wakes me up real quick. Though since it’s starting to get colder now, I might soon switch to warm.
And I like that shower routine! I guess it all comes down to what suits your body the best. If I wash my hair with hot water, it becomes dry and frizzy and is a mess to deal with after drying. In winters, I have to stick to a semi-hot temperature and just make do. But your bath routine sounds like cold-water therapy, which I haven’t tried myself yet. That will need to change soon.
Thank you for leaving your thoughts behind. Really appreciate it.