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The way you spend your morning can determine how your entire day will go. Admit it: when you wake up late, stuff a croissant in your mouth in the car, and are so rushed that you wear the same damn thing you always wear and neglect the cute wardrobe you’ve curated, you’re in a bad mood for the rest of the day. The AM sets the tone for the PM. Those first couple of precious hours in the morning are when you either grab the day by the horns…or don’t. And if you don’t do that in the morning, the day has a way of grabbing you by the horns. Or the neck. It’s amazing how a few habits that only take a few minutes can alter the way you experience the hours of the day. But it can happen. Here are healthy morning habits you should pick up today.

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Stretch
Stretching keeps your muscles from becoming short and tight. Keeping your muscles loose and lean can prevent injury. Stretching can also get your lymphatic system moving, which boosts your immune system and improves your circulation.

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Get some sunlight
Getting some natural light first thing in the morning can boost your mood. Studies have even found that getting sunlight first thing in the morning can lead to a healthier weight, too.

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Have some green tea
Green tea is better for you than coffee because it won’t cause the jitters or the crash that comes when your coffee buzz wears off. It also boosts your metabolism and can protect cardiovascular health.

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Drink two glasses of water
You probably knew you should have one glass of water in the morning, but since you haven’t had any fluid for possibly up to 10 hours at that point, aim for two glasses. It’s good for your metabolism, improves detoxification, and boosts alertness.

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Have protein and fiber
Have a breakfast high in protein and fiber, and low in calories. The protein and fiber will keep you energized for hours, helping you get over that morning energy slump, and the low calorie picks will help you start your day feeling good about your food choices.

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Take your vitamins
If you take your vitamins first thing in the morning, you’re sending your brain the signal, “We are taking care of ourselves today.” You’ll be less inclined to grab an unhealthy snack at 11am if you already put healthy vitamins into your body.

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Dry brush your skin
If you haven’t gotten into dry brushing your skin, it’s time to start! It helps increase circulation and remove toxins from your body. It also supports your lymphatic system and can increase energy.

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Create a tight schedule
You’ll feel less stressed about the day if you know exactly when everything is happening, and if you allow each task its necessary time slot. So write down exactly what you’ll be doing at 9am, 9:30, 10 and so on. This will also hold you accountable for getting your tasks finished.

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Get the toughest thing over with
Whatever you dread doing the most each day, do it first. Having that activity looming over you prevents you from fully enjoying the rest of your day, or focusing on your other tasks.

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Don’t wait to eat
Don’t let the day’s demands keep you so busy that you don’t get to eat until noon. Making your day wait, even 20 minutes so that you can have a nice breakfast is your way of putting yourself first and prioritizing self-care. Only from there can you do a good job on anything else.

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Look at your spending
Each morning take a quick look at how you spent money the day before. This will keep you very conscious of the little places your dollars go. Perhaps you didn’t realize you bought a coffee out three times in one day.

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Weigh yourself
Weighing yourself will help to keep you accountable for the food and exercise choices you make throughout the day.

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Write in your journal
It’s very possible that some of yesterday’s events affected you in a way you don’t yet realize. If you don’t give yourself the time to process those, they can carry over into your following day, leaving you moody, sad, or distracted.

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Take a shower
If you’re having a hard time choosing between being a morning bather or an evening bather, go for the morning. The hot water will boost your circulation and getting clean will lift your spirits.

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Work on your own thing
Take 15 minutes to work on your own thing, whether that’s your blog, your book, your online business, your non-profit, or whatever else your side hustle is that you hope to one day make your main hustle.