Start Your Summer Day with This Summer Morning Routine

Shall I Call You a Good Summer Morning Routine?

Good morning, Baltimore!

Every day is like an open door.

Summer, as far as anyone is concerned, should be a time of relaxation. No more classes, exams are done, you get to travel … and yet here we are, talking about some Summer morning routine. While it may be tempting to just stay in bed and not face the heat, having a structured morning routine can set you up for productive Summer days.

Having a balanced and organised morning routine is greatly beneficial for your mental and physical well-being. Some of the advantages of starting your day early include:

• Planning your entire day. When you get up on time, you have the chance to plan ahead and organise your day, write a to-do list, and get about your business without being stressed about whether you’ll achieve your goals.
• Sense of control. Getting up early gives you ample time to finish your morning routine and spend some time on your own. You cannot control what will happen at work or later in the day, but you can control how your mornings go, which has a positive effect on your psyche.
• Energy boost. Believe it or not, once you get into the habit of getting up early, you’ll find that you’re much more energised and ready to tackle the day. Bye-bye sluggish mornings!
• Healthier choices. Getting in a morning workout is likely to send you off on a healthy day filled with nutritious foods and lots of activity.
• Stress relief. Kicking the day off with that rewarding morning routine reduces stress. Consequently, you’ll feel more confident, less forgetful, and less likely to have mood swings.

With that said, let’s get you ready for your Summer morning routine!

Basic Summer Morning Routine Ideas to Include in Your Day

There is only so much you can do in the morning, and some activities are better than others. To start your day off properly, incorporate these five steps into your mornings – no exceptions!

1. No snooze button. You shouldn’t ditch your alarm clock completely over Summer – after all, Summer will end (☹), and you’ll have to go back to getting up at certain times. You can give yourself some extra sleep time, but once your alarm goes off, you should hit the ground running. Hitting the snooze button repeatedly will only leave you feeling more tired once you finally get up due to multiple interruptions to your sleep.
2. Make your bed. Small accomplishments count. You’ll thank yourself when it’s time to sleep and the last thing you want to do is yank and fit the sheets.
3. Morning hygiene. Brush your teeth, wash your face, and take a shower (hold the shower if you’re doing a workout!).
4. Air your place. Beat the heat and get some fresh air into your home before the merciless sun decides to sabotage you.
5. Drink some water. Summer nights, in particular, tend to leave you dehydrated in the morning. Get some H2O into your system ASAP!

Once these steps are done, you can proceed to build your morning routine depending on your personal preferences. Getting some movement in is always a good idea, as is breakfast.

Indispensable Parts of a Healthy Summer Morning Routine

While the rising heat may seem like a good excuse to throw in the towel and just ditch all your healthy habits, sticking to a healthy morning routine guarantees that you will stay fit and able to deal with these not at all calming temperatures. Here are a few ideas on how to enrich your mornings with healthy activities:

• Morning meditation. A good way to start your morning is to ground yourself, tune in with your body, and listen to your thoughts. Use your morning to feed your own mind with positive affirmations and good vibes, as the kids nowadays say.
• Workout. Bust a move straight out of bed before the daily grind and its accompanying distractions find their way to you. If you’re not used to working out on an empty stomach, grab a glass of fresh orange juice or a piece of fruit (e.g. one banana can power you through the entire workout) and leave heavy carbs for later. If your stomach doesn’t disagree with a sweat session on empty, you’re good to go. Make sure to do a thorough warm-up before starting the real thing, and watch your energy spike!
• Healthy breakfast. If you’re used to skipping breakfast, I’m here to tell you it’s a bad idea. Eating a healthy breakfast in the morning helps keep your blood sugar level throughout the day, prevents post-lunch slumps, and gives you energy. Go for protein-rich choices and a healthy dose of carbs. And sure, enjoy your morning coffee with it!
• Morning massage. Show kindness to yourself by running a full-body massage as you take a shower. Tune into what your neck, shoulders, and back have to say after the previous night (sometimes we just sleep weirdly, especially in Summer) and rub knotty spots to alleviate the pressure. Alternatively, you can try some foam-rolling.
• Make time for your family. Health is not just about fitness; it’s about mental well-being too. Take a few minutes to call your parents, chat with your siblings or flatmates, or cuddle with your SO before you hit the door.

Depending on how much time you have, you can include any and all of these activities in your morning routine to stay healthy and happy. Be mindful of physical exercise – not one type is the right one in the morning. Listen to your body and move in the way that makes you feel strong and capable, not because you feel you must. Whether that looks like jogging, lifting, or yoga is totally irrelevant, as long as it makes you feel energised and refreshed.

Speaking of Health: Summer Morning Skincare Routine

As you’ve noticed, I’m quite adamant about the insane heat this Summer. Climate change is at its all-time peak, and while we’re doing what we can as individuals, the fact is that summers are likely to become more difficult. It’s extremely important to take care of your skin these days and not to overexpose it to UV rays. Here’s how:

• Wash your face regularly to remove excess oil. Don’t leave face-washing for the morning only – do it as many times as possible during the day to keep your skin hydrated. Ideally, you won’t be wearing too much make-up during Summer – excessive amounts tend to close your pores, instigate acne attacks, and prevent you from wiping sweat off your face.
• Exfoliate. Use products that contain alpha or beta hydroxy acids.
• Stay hydrated. Start the morning with a glass of water (you can add a few slices of lemon, too) and keep a bottle nearby during the day. Drinking plenty of water keeps the body and, of course, skin hydrated.
• Moisturise. You don’t need a fancy or expensive brand in your moisturiser – any decently rated one will do, and you can find them in any cosmetics shop under skin care. Consult with your dermatologist if you have sensitive skin, or ask at your local pharmacy for recommendations.
• Always wear sunscreen. Apply generously at least 30 minutes before leaving the house, and don’t worry about white specks here and there – the skin will absorb them.

Ultimately, the best you can do for your skin is to stay away from the sun during the hottest hours. If your work or other duties don’t allow this, make sure to have sunscreen and moisturiser close by as well as enough water.

You Can Keep Your Summer Holiday Morning Routine Even When Travelling

Lots of people choose to travel during the Summer. Even more decide that vacations are a great time to NOT have any routine or any plans whatsoever and simply go with the flow. There’s nothing inherently bad about being spontaneous every now and then, but even if you’re on your long-awaited holiday, you can still maintain a healthy(ish) morning routine.

While travelling is a good opportunity to lessen the pressures of daily life, make sure to follow a relatively stress-free routine to kick-start your day:

• Get up when you’re awake. If you want to do away with alarm clocks while on vacation, that’s fine, but once you’re awake, it’s time to start the day.
• Get in a light workout. Most of the time, we’re fairly active on vacation – hiking, swimming, and sightseeing. This means you can slightly reduce the intensity of your workouts if you want to, but it’s always good to get some movement in.
• Take a cool shower. Help your body cool down and hydrate.
• Have a balanced breakfast. We tend to relax with our eating habits on vacation – so many great foods to try. Feel free to indulge, but try not to go overboard with fast food and saturated fats. Having a balanced breakfast in the morning will help you stay on track.
• Plan the day. If you’re on a cityscape, decide what sites you want to visit on that day. On the other hand, if your vacation has taken you to the beach, check out whether there are any cool activities to do. Maybe it’s time to cross surfing off your bucket list?

Grab a cuppa if you need it and hit the road; your vacation will be far more interesting if you’re not in your hotel room at all times 😉.

Why Do You Even Need a Productive Summer Morning Routine?

To recap, having a good morning routine will help you start the day in a productive way. It’s a good way to jump-start your metabolism, get your blood flowing, and plan your day. As you structure your morning routine, make sure to follow the obligatory five steps:

• No snoozing.
• Make your bed.
• Wash your face, brush your teeth, and take a shower.
• Drink some water.
• Air your home.

When these are done, you can start tweaking your mornings by adding any number of healthy habits to your day, including:

• Getting a workout in.
• Having a healthy breakfast.
• Maintaining a healthy skincare routine.
• Planning your day.
• Meditating.

Always tune in to your mind and body’s needs for each day. Some days you’ll be eager to do some serious lifting; other days, a cup of coffee and morning affirmations may seem more appealing. There is no right or wrong way to do it, as long as you feel good at the end of it.

So, good morning Baltimore; open that door, and off you go!