10 Things You Should Do Every Morning Before 10 AM

You don't have to be a morning person to benefit from morning rituals

Most people hit snooze, roll out of bed and into some clothes while plunging into their

day without a plan. You however can choose to approach your day mindfully

Being mindful will increase the odds that you will feel good, be more productive and

end up happier when it's all over. Here are 10 things you should do every morning before 10am to stack the deck in your favor. 1

Meditate Meditating or even some simple breathing can help you begin your day with a sense of calm

Instead of reaching for your phone or checking email first thing in the morning, take just

a few minutes to sit and experience the quiet. There is plenty of activity during our day, so make a commitment to start on a quieter note

This will set the tone for your day and will help increase your focus, energy and optimism. 2

Reflect in Gratitude Start your day by reflecting on what you are grateful for

A consistent practice of gratitude in the mornings will increase your awareness of gratitude

throughout your day. It will also make you more resilient when challenges occur and help you put drama in perspective. 3

Set Your Daily Intention In the quiet of the day, before the fires

need putting out, plan your day by focusing on three goals you want to accomplish

Make those goals a priority for the day. When you set about planning your day with intention, you are more likely to feel productive

by the end of it. 4. Pad Your Schedule As you go about setting your daily intentions

set your schedule to allow yourself to tend to fires as they arise

Padding your schedule with free time will give you a better chance of achieving your

goals and may even add some downtime throughout the day. 5. Hydrate Your body awakens dehydrated, so it is very

important to drink up first thing in the morning. In her book, The Body Ecology Diet, Donna Gates suggests you drink half of your entire

daily water intake by mid-morning. It will flush your system of toxins, leave you feeling less hungry, and reduce headaches

throughout the day. 6. Stretch You will be hard-pressed to find anyone who

doesn't wake up feeling a bit stiff. It isn't always easy to incorporate exercise into a morning routine

If you are going to choose one thing, the American Journal of Sports Medicine suggests

adding a short muscle-stretching sequence of exercises to your morning schedule. Studies show that consistent stretching in the morning can increase flexibility, improve

circulation, reduce stress throughout your day, and improve posture. 7. Listen to Music Starting your day with upbeat and fun music

will not only wake you up but fill you with positive energy for your day

A 2013 study found that music makes you feel good. According to study participants, the two most important benefits of listening to music are

mood regulation and self-awareness. Not only has it been shown to improve your mood, but it can end up increasing motivation

performance, and lead to a better night's sleep, too. 8. Smile Start your day off by smiling at yourself

in the bathroom mirror. Smiling will have a positive effect on your overall attitude and well-being, even when

it starts out a little forced. Smiling makes you more approachable and appear more trustworthy

In fact, the University of Montpellier discovered that smiling will also make you a more effective leader. 9

Clean Up After Yourself Life is busy, and morning routines can be

a bit rushed. It can be very tempting when you are running behind to leave your clothes on the floor

dishes in the sink, or leave the trash until later. Procrastination around cleaning up after yourself can prevent you from realizing your highest

potential and best work. It also allows you to relax fully upon returning home

It is better to proactively clean up after yourself than wait to be called out on it. 10

Do Your Hardest Task First It might seem enticing to get a bunch of easy

things checked off your to-do list, but it has been shown time and time again that doing

your hardest task first leads to a more productive and happier day

You are more likely to remember the day as being a good one when your day gets better

and easier over time. The bonus? It helps stop procrastination over the things we like to do the least

10.