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I have noticed that there are some practices, the implementation of which gives a result that is disproportionate to the time and effort spent.
You invest just a few minutes a day, and the beneficial effect lasts all day. Why is there a day, these practices daily replenish the treasury of strategic resources of health, youth, optimism, creativity and productivity.
They can be compared with a lever - a simple device allows you to increase the efficiency of the applied efforts tenfold.
In this post, I want to tell you about the practices that I do every morning. These are my morning secrets - what helps me to be healthy, cheerful and joyful every day.
I will be glad if you learn something useful for yourself and this post will inspire you to be more conscious about how you spend your morning.
Why morning?
Morning is the busiest time. The morning is the time to sow the seeds, and the rest of the day is the time to reap the rewards. How we spend our mornings determines how our day goes. And consequently, the whole life, because life consists of days.
Starting your morning with coffee, cigarettes and zombie news is a direct path to the abyss of bleak everyday life, meaningless work, chronic fatigue and depression.
Therefore, it is extremely important to accustom yourself to start the day right. Yes, it takes effort and discipline, but it's worth it.
Usually my morning practices and rituals take about 2-3 hours and include a full yoga and meditation session. Of course, in this post I cannot show in full all the procedures that I do in the morning, and this does not make practical sense - I understand perfectly well that not everyone can afford to spend three hours in the morning practicing.
So I was guided by this principle: if I had only 20 minutes in the morning, how would I use this time to the maximum benefit?
Especially for you, I have selected all the best in a concentrated form - 11 simple and effective techniques, the implementation of which in total will take no more than 20 minutes, and at the end you will get a different quality of life.
Miracles don't happen overnight. For tricks - not for me.
Any truly worthwhile change requires a lot of self-improvement and inner work. .
A conscious choice, persistent steps in the chosen direction, diligence and regularity - this is fertile ground for miracles in your life. Moreover, your changes will seem like miracles only to those around you, but for you it will be a natural result of the labor invested.
There is no magic in living the life of your dreams.
Actions lead to consequences. Habits shape destiny. What actions will lead you to the realization of your dream? What habits will shape the destiny you aspire to?
Our destiny is the result of our daily choices and actions.
You can work systematically to do what you love and travel. Work systematically to be healthy and happy.
All this is our choice. Lots of work and no magic.
Okay, enough of the lyrics, let's get down to action - let's go!
Feature #1 - wake up early
Since last summer, I have been practicing early waking up - ranging from 3 to 7 am. Of course, it happens that I get up later, but this is rare. I feel the direct influence of the time of awakening on consciousness, mood and all life:
Until 4 in the morning I didn’t get up so often - maybe 10 times in total. You won’t get up this early without a good reason, so each such rise is remembered for a long time. These are those magical mornings when life changes.
From 4 to 6 in the morning is the most resourceful time of the day, so you should try to capture these two hours as much as possible. It is no coincidence that in Vipassana and in monasteries of various traditions, 4 am is the standard wake up time.
The sun is like a strict but fair boss: if it catches us already at work, then we are entitled to a bonus: all day there will be strength, joy, optimism, we will succeed in everything and receive support in everything.
I feel it well when I get up before 5 am. The time from 5 to 7 in the morning (but before dawn) is also a good time to wake up if you go to bed late or need to recover well. Of course, early awakening requires inner work and overcoming your animal nature. But this is only the first 20 minutes until you wake up. And then - all day reward!
And vice versa: if the sun has risen, and we are still sleeping, wait for retribution: you will be gloomy, tired and sleepy all day, you will catch up, be late, and fuss all day.
I noticed that every time I get up after dawn, I feel overwhelmed, tired, irritated, apathetic, lazy.
Therefore, getting up late is a punishment. And chronically getting up later than dawn means deliberately dooming yourself to a difficult life.
By the way, I used to consider myself an owl and basically didn’t wake up before 8. Now I see that the division into owls and larks is essentially a personal choice between happiness and suffering.
Feature #2 - smile and gratitude (1 minute)
Without getting out of bed for one minute, we just smile. Yes, I know it's stupid, but it works. Within a few seconds, a smile from mechanical and artificial becomes quite sincere - indeed, why not smile in the morning? What reasons to smile a little?
By the way, about the reasons. Keeping a smile on our face, remember the 10 things we are grateful for this morning. I recently wrote about . The best time to practice gratitude is right after waking up.
Coming up with 10 reasons to be grateful is much easier than you think. The fact that you are alive and well, that there was a place to spend the night and the morning has come - these are already THREE reasons to be grateful this morning.
And yes, don't forget to smile :)
Feature #3 - a glass of water on an empty stomach (20 seconds)
For many years in a row, wherever I wake up, one ritual remains unchanged - there is a glass of water next to me. The first thing I do when I wake up is drink a glass of clean water. You can add a slice of lemon, you can without it - it's not so important. What is important is to drink a glass of water every morning after waking up. You can do more if you want.
For the curious - no, I don't drink hot water in the morning. I don’t know how useful it is, I haven’t studied this issue in depth, for me it is, firstly, unnatural, and secondly, tasteless. Instead, I drink hot pu-erh, but more on that below (see #9).
And no, I don't use baking soda. Eating soda to alkalize a supposedly acidic body has become a mass fad that I do not share. I do not think it is useful and even more so, tasty. And I recommend to all ardent sod-eaters to study the topic in depth and read expert assessments in order to get at least a remote idea of the entire complexity of internal processes and acid-base balance, before trying to interfere so rudely in them.
What makes you drink water in the morning on an empty stomach?
When is the best time to do A: First thing after getting out of bed.
Feature # 4 - cleaning the tongue from plaque (20 seconds)
If you brush your teeth in the morning, then you should make it a rule to brush your tongue as well.
I am sure you have heard about the benefits of tongue cleaning - now this idea is actively promoted by international corporations, because for them it opens up a new niche in the market - all sorts of clever tongue cleaning devices, fancy brushes, etc.
Meanwhile, Indian yogis have been cleaning their tongues since time immemorial with the help of such a simple device:
In my opinion, since the time of the ancient yogis, nothing more effective and simple than an ordinary metal scraper has yet been invented. It is ideal, of course, to use a silver scraper, but I use an ordinary steel one, which I bought for a hundred rubles.
The very procedure for cleaning the tongue is straightforward - we take a scraper and carefully remove all plaque from the tongue from the root to the tip in a few movements.
I recorded a short video in which I show what it looks like:
What does tongue cleaning do?
Feature #5 - Rinsing the nose with water (2 min)
Jala neti (washing the nose) is a classic cleansing action in yoga, one of the shatkarmas.
A simple and effective way to clear the upper respiratory tract, remove excess mucus along with accumulated dust, microbes and allergens. It is also the best prevention of colds and a very effective way against the common cold.
In the video below, I show how jala neti is performed:
What does nasal lavage do?
Instead of ordinary water for washing, you can use saline solution (concentration - 1 teaspoon of salt without a slide per 500 ml of water). Also, herbal infusions and decoctions are used to treat and prevent various diseases of the respiratory tract - you can go deeper and study this topic yourself if you are interested.
Important: Washing the nose should not be carried out immediately before going outside, especially in the cold season. After the procedure, it is necessary to thoroughly dry the upper respiratory tract - kapalbhati can do this very well - see # 7 below.
>>> Now we put the kettle on the stove and while it boils we have a couple of minutes. Let's make the most of them!
Feature #6 - Abdominal Manipulation (2 min)
Yoga has several powerful techniques that have a strong positive effect on the functioning of the digestive system and overall health. This is the Golden Foundation of Yoga.
True, not all of these techniques are available to beginners, so I suggest you master the best option for beginners - agnisara dhauti kriya(literally "kindling the inner fire"). They called it so for a reason - agnisara really enhances the digestive fire, and also perfectly massages all the internal organs of the abdominal cavity, harmonizes the digestive system, improves intestinal motility and helps to eliminate toxins.
In the video, I show how agnisara is performed, and also demonstrate an advanced version of working with the abdomen - naoli. Please read the contraindications below before proceeding.
What does agnisara give?
Contraindications:
When is the best time to do: in the morning on an empty stomach.
Feature #7 - kapalabhati (2-3 minutes)
Kapalabhati is a yogic cleansing breath, another shatkarma.
The name Kapalabhati consists of two Sanskrit words: kapala is a skull, and bhati means "to make sparkling, to clean." That is, literally Kapalabhati is translated as "clearing the skull" - the awakening and activation of the brain. It's just what we need in the morning, isn't it?
In the video below, I show how kapalabhati is performed. Read the contraindications before doing it.
What gives kapalabhati?
Contraindications:
When is the best time to do: in the morning on an empty stomach.
If you like abdominal manipulations and kapalabhati, then I strongly advise you to study the topic of breathing in more depth and take my introductory course on breathing practices from yoga:
It was the breaks that radically changed my attitude to the morning. And as a result, they have changed the way my whole day now goes.
Chip # 8 - hanging upside down (1-2 min)
We are as young and healthy as our spine is flexible and healthy.
Perhaps the best gift we can give our spine is to hang upside down for a minute or two.
Inversion therapy (as this practice is scientifically called) has a range of positive effects on human health. First of all, it is a decompression of the spine and an improvement in the blood supply to the brain.
I’ll warn you right away - this practice is not suitable for everyone, so first read the contraindications below, but rather consult your doctor.
And if all is well, then FLIGHT:
What gives hanging upside down?
Contraindications:
When is the best time to do: in the morning on an empty stomach or in the evening on an empty stomach.
Feature #9 - a cup of hot shu pu-erh
Good Chinese teas are my weakness.
For many years now, every morning I start with a cup of strong pu-erh. It is not easy for a beginner to understand the Chinese classification of teas, so I will clarify - we are talking about shu (black) pu-erh. There is also white and sheng (green) pu-erh and they are all very different - I will write a post about tea someday.
In Chinese medicine, pu-erh is considered a medicine of wide application, it is called "tea for a hundred diseases" and more than 20 healing properties are attributed to it. In Europe, pu-erh also became famous, but from a slightly different angle - as an effective means for losing weight.
So, shu pu-erh is the perfect morning tea. Due to the peculiarity of fermentation, unlike other teas, shu pu-erh is not harmful to drink on an empty stomach, on the contrary, it is useful!
I brew tea by pouring with the help of a special tea type. A good addition to morning pu-erh is a spoonful of honey or half a teaspoon of unrefined sugar.
One of the features of pu-erh is that it satisfies hunger, which is of great importance for my morning rituals: after tea, you can work out for a couple more hours without being distracted by the feeling of hunger.
What gives Puer?
Of course, only high-quality Chinese tea, which you cannot buy in a supermarket, has the healing properties described above.
Feature #10 - Surya Namaskar (5 min)
Surya Namaskar is translated from Sanskrit as "salutation or worship to the Sun". This is a dynamic complex that in yoga is usually performed before the practice of asanas to warm up the body, but can also be used as a stand-alone workout. The peculiarity of this complex is that the movements are coordinated with breathing, so the process of performing Surya Namaskar is similar to dynamic meditation.
There are many variations of Surya Namaskar. In the video below, Natasha demonstrates one of the most common Sun Salutations from the Sivananda Yoga tradition:
What does Surya Namaskar give?
- awakens, kneads and warms the whole body
- improves blood circulation
- develops flexibility, strength and endurance
- relieves tension and stress, inspires confidence and optimism
- clears energy channels, balances the chakra system
Feature #11 - morning meditation (5-10 min)
I have already written so much about the benefits of meditation that I do not want to repeat myself.
Let me just say that morning meditation (even if only for 5-10 minutes) is perhaps one of the most beneficial habits. However, I dare to suggest that since you are reading this post, then most likely you have already experienced the benefits of meditation yourself, having completed my initial seven-day course.
What is the best meditation to practice in the morning?
You can use the technique from the introductory course and practice .
If you have already completed my advanced Mind Detox 21 course, then you can practice satipatthana- a more effective meditation technique that we have mastered in the course.
And if you have not tried meditation yet, then subscribe right now and tomorrow morning you will begin to form a new habit for yourself - to meditate!
I hope this post will inspire you to start your day more consciously and make the most of your precious morning time.
P.S. Write in the comments below if you are interested in any of my morning practices? What do you want to try, what is not clear? And share your secrets of a good morning! I read all comments :) 
“The first thing I do when I wake up is drink a large glass of water. Before going to bed, I put two glasses next to the bed, so by eight in the morning I drink almost a liter. I live in New Mexico, where the air is very dry, which is not the best way for the body in general and the skin in particular, so I know how important water is. Although I never thought about the need to drink immediately after waking up, until I read the book "French women do not get fat." There was an idea that we lose a lot of moisture during sleep - simply due to breathing and thermoregulation. Now every morning I start with water - and I feel that it gives me as much energy as a cup of coffee!” - Maggie Hall, author of fantasy novels for children and young adults
They meditate
“I started practicing regular meditation when I was in my thirties because I felt its beneficial effects on mental clarity, calmness and concentration. In the morning I get up, wash my face, make my bed, drink a glass of warm water and meditate for 5 to 20 minutes, depending on how much time I have. For meditation, I took a special place in the apartment. Even if I can’t achieve the desired state of mind and I just sit, trying to breathe properly, it still helps me tune in to the day’s activities, focus and stand firmly on my feet, ” Aimee Gildea, founder and creative director of accessories line Ames Tovern
Don't skip workouts
“I have to spend so much time traveling that the regularity of my sports suffers, because of which I constantly feel overwhelmed and irritable. So I made a promise to myself to find time to exercise at least four times a week and plan ahead. I choose individual and group activities - cycling, kettlebell training, yoga, dance, trampolining - and distribute them so that I get three strength training sessions and one intensive cardio per week. Since in the morning I still have to collect and take the children to school, there is not much time for myself, but I try to prioritize. Understanding that I manage to do all the planned things on time sets me up in a decisive way and allows me to be less distracted by stress, ” Kim Janulevich, owner and editor-in-chief of the parenting blog A Child Grows in Brooklyn
Enjoying time for themselves
“Because I am simultaneously writing books, working full-time and raising a child, every minute counts! I get up at dawn, before everyone else in the house, in order to be alone for a while. I use it to write or do exercises. Sometimes I just sit in my pajamas, drink coffee and think about different things. Every woman should have time to be alone with herself, to concentrate on herself. Mindfulness is a great weapon against many troubles: depression, boredom, weight gain and creative crises, so you need to know how to use it. Siobhan Adcock, managing editor of WhatToExpect.com and author of The Barter
They love to lie in bed
“I have always loved to get a little soak in bed, but I thought that when I become a mother, this habit will have to give up. Only I suddenly realized that these extra few minutes in bed, focusing me on the expectations of a new day, is not just a habit, but one of the foundations of my life, which has made me a much more successful thinker and writer. I'm lucky my husband has a flexible schedule so we were able to move him around so he had time to enjoy the early morning (he's a morning person) and I had time to stay in bed longer. Sometimes I spend this time just sleeping, sometimes I meditate, and most often I read or invite the children to hug and chat. Such a quiet, calm beginning of the day always bears fruit later, ” Miranda Beverly-Whitemoor, author of four New York Times best-selling novels
They eat a bowl of oatmeal
“Ever since I was a teenager, I start the day with a cup of latte made on a vintage Bialetti coffee maker. The tenderness of cream in coffee is combined with the invigorating effect of caffeine. Then I have a bowl of oatmeal with chia or flax seeds, nuts, dried fruit, cinnamon, and almond milk—a breakfast that keeps me full until lunchtime. Eating normally in the morning seems difficult to many people, because time is running out anyway. But oatmeal cooks very quickly, it is healthy, and you can take it with you, ” Tanya Steele, Editor-in-Chief of Clean Plates, Julia Child Award Funder, and author of two New York Times best-selling cookbooks
When you learned to get up early in the morning, you probably noticed that there is more free time. You ask yourself: “What to do? Where to start the morning? Let's consider this question.
The first hour of the day is the golden hour.
Robin Sharma states that the first hour of the day is the most important time.
The first hour is better to devote to self-development and work on yourself.
Do not turn on any computers or TVs. So that nothing clogs your brain with unnecessary information.
Engage in self-development:
- writing personal notes;
- meditation and contemplation;
- reading inspirational books.
Remember how effective your first hour after waking up will be, this will be the whole day. Do useful things, and be very efficient for at least the first hour. Then everything will go by itself.
morning pages
Morning is the best time to write morning pages.
I've been doing this for over a year now and don't plan on quitting. Morning pages very well free the head from all unnecessary.
When I write, I feel connected to myself. Morning pages are the same as keeping a personal diary.
You can meditate in the morning
I can't do meditation. The only meditation I do is the Forgiveness Meditation. I usually do this meditation when I wash dishes or take a shower, as well as while walking.
Another meditation is Shavasana, from yoga, when you lie still for 10-15 minutes and try not to think about anything. In the morning after sleep, you should not do it, it is better during the day, otherwise you will fall asleep again.
“The first thing I do when I wake up is drink a large glass of water. Before going to bed, I put two glasses next to the bed, so by eight in the morning I drink almost a liter. I live in New Mexico, where the air is very dry, which is not the best way for the body in general and the skin in particular, so I know how important water is. Although I never thought about the need to drink immediately after waking up, until I read the book "French women do not get fat." There was an idea that we lose a lot of moisture during sleep - simply due to breathing and thermoregulation. Now every morning I start with water - and I feel that it gives me as much energy as a cup of coffee!” - Maggie Hall, author of fantasy novels for children and young adults
They meditate
“I started practicing regular meditation when I was in my thirties because I felt its beneficial effects on mental clarity, calmness and concentration. In the morning I get up, wash my face, make my bed, drink a glass of warm water and meditate for 5 to 20 minutes, depending on how much time I have. For meditation, I took a special place in the apartment. Even if I can’t achieve the desired state of mind and I just sit, trying to breathe properly, it still helps me tune in to the day’s activities, focus and stand firmly on my feet, ” Aimee Gildea, founder and creative director of accessories line Ames Tovern
Don't skip workouts
“I have to spend so much time traveling that the regularity of my sports suffers, because of which I constantly feel overwhelmed and irritable. So I made a promise to myself to find time to exercise at least four times a week and plan ahead. I choose individual and group activities - cycling, kettlebell training, yoga, dance, trampolining - and distribute them so that I get three strength training sessions and one intensive cardio per week. Since in the morning I still have to collect and take the children to school, there is not much time for myself, but I try to prioritize. Understanding that I manage to do all the planned things on time sets me up in a decisive way and allows me to be less distracted by stress, ” Kim Janulevich, owner and editor-in-chief of the parenting blog A Child Grows in Brooklyn
Enjoying time for themselves
“Because I am simultaneously writing books, working full-time and raising a child, every minute counts! I get up at dawn, before everyone else in the house, in order to be alone for a while. I use it to write or do exercises. Sometimes I just sit in my pajamas, drink coffee and think about different things. Every woman should have time to be alone with herself, to concentrate on herself. Mindfulness is a great weapon against many troubles: depression, boredom, weight gain and creative crises, so you need to know how to use it. Siobhan Adcock, managing editor of WhatToExpect.com and author of The Barter
They love to lie in bed
“I have always loved to get a little soak in bed, but I thought that when I become a mother, this habit will have to give up. Only I suddenly realized that these extra few minutes in bed, focusing me on the expectations of a new day, is not just a habit, but one of the foundations of my life, which has made me a much more successful thinker and writer. I'm lucky my husband has a flexible schedule so we were able to move him around so he had time to enjoy the early morning (he's a morning person) and I had time to stay in bed longer. Sometimes I spend this time just sleeping, sometimes I meditate, and most often I read or invite the children to hug and chat. Such a quiet, calm beginning of the day always bears fruit later, ” Miranda Beverly-Whitemoor, author of four New York Times best-selling novels
They eat a bowl of oatmeal
“Ever since I was a teenager, I start the day with a cup of latte made on a vintage Bialetti coffee maker. The tenderness of cream in coffee is combined with the invigorating effect of caffeine. Then I have a bowl of oatmeal with chia or flax seeds, nuts, dried fruit, cinnamon, and almond milk—a breakfast that keeps me full until lunchtime. Eating normally in the morning seems difficult to many people, because time is running out anyway. But oatmeal cooks very quickly, it is healthy, and you can take it with you, ” Tanya Steele, Editor-in-Chief of Clean Plates, Julia Child Award Funder, and author of two New York Times best-selling cookbooks
This article will reveal such a popular and important topic for many people as the right start to the day. After all, the productivity and working mood, the level of energy and self-motivation depend on what our morning rise will be. After studying this material, you will know how to start the morning correctly, what to do and what is not recommended. So let's go!
Psychologists have long proven that the right start to the working day is very important for getting the mood for the whole day. There is even a saying: “I got up on the wrong foot,” which reflects this rule. Statistics show that most people do not start their day right, so by the end of it they are barely dragging their feet. There are certain rules on how to start the morning correctly, which we will consider.
Plan your bedtime
In order for the working day to start fruitfully, you need to go to bed on time. An adult working person needs 7-9 sleeps to fully recover. And there is one interesting point, the earlier you lie down, the less time it will take to recover. The optimal time for going to bed is from 22-00 to 23-00.
In this case, you can wake up from 5 to 6 in the morning and feel great. If you go to bed at twelve or one in the morning, it will take not 7 hours to restore energy, but 8 or nine. That is, when you get up at 7-00 you will feel sleepy and sleepy.
For healthy sleep, you need an optimal microclimate in the bedroom. Comfortable air temperature is plus 20 degrees Celsius, the room should be ventilated, the bed should be clean and fresh.
Start the morning with activity
A person's behavior in the first hour after waking up sets the tone for the whole day. For this reason, you need to devote time after sleep to active actions, both physical and mental.
The right start to the day in my understanding
- Morning workout and run.
- Contrast shower, hygiene procedures.
- Stretching.
- Checking working papers.
- Meditation.
How not to start your morning
- To drink coffee.
- Watch TV or read social media (unless it's work related).
- Watch TV lying in bed.
Take time to plan in the morning
Set aside 15 minutes of your time to write down a list of things you want to do and prioritize it. This will allow you not to be distracted by meaningless activities, as you will have a clear plan of action. When compiling it, take into account biological rhythms - these are the periods when a person is most efficient and productive. Everyone has their own. I have the first period from about 9-00 in the morning to 12-00, the second from 14-00 to 15-30. It is in these intervals that I try to cram the most important things of the day.
Following these three simple rules will help you increase your productivity. Start the day right so that your energy level is at its maximum throughout it.
How do I start my morning? I wake up in the interval from 5-00 to 5-30, and I do it absolutely without an alarm clock. To get up early, I go to bed at 22-00. I wake up refreshed and rested. After getting up, I drink a glass of water, turn on the computer to check the status of the site, attendance, possible problems, check my mail, etc. At 6-00 I go out for a morning run and warm-up.
I run for about 40 minutes (5 kilometers), after 15 minutes I stretch. At 7-00 I am already at home, brush my teeth, take a contrast shower, change clothes. After that, I definitely have breakfast with some kind of porridge with meat, salad, drink green tea or pu-erh. At 8-00 I sit down at the computer to work on my websites and writing custom content.
In my understanding, this is exactly what the right beginning of a man’s working day should look like. I still want to lose weight, so I put a serious emphasis on the sports component. Of course, on weekends you can relax, lie in bed with your soulmate, but to be honest, after jogging and a contrast shower, you feel the best - energetic and cheerful, good mood and so on.