These eight pointers can make even the grumpiest, sleepiest and laziest student a morning champion! Not only do they promote a healthy lifestyle, but they also improve productivity and mental well-being. They have the ability to remove your stress, so you feel refreshed going into a new week. I always try my best to do follow this routine, especially since my weekday schedule can get a bit messy and crowded.

1. Stretch

Stretching in the morning is a great way to exercise your muscles and improve your flexibility, which is important as you grow older. Since students often sit around in desks and at a table doing homework for a large part of their week, this activity is crucial to make sure their body stays healthy and the blood flows to their muscles and brain is good.

Some possible stretches are calf stretches, quadriceps stretch, butterfly stretches and standing side stretches. You don't have to stretch for hours at a time, but two scheduled 15 minute-stretch sessions every weekend goes a long way.

2. Go for a run

Students often don’t have time to properly exercise because they’re too busy with school and other things during the weekdays. However, it is still important to find time to exercise as it improves one's stamina.I recommend going for a 20 to 30-minute morning jog around your neighborhood or at a park. It’s a great way to get some fresh air and stay fit.

3. Meditate

Meditation increases your ability to focus, and as students, this quality is very helpful. We can pay attention in class longer, study harder and retain more information, not to mention that meditating also helps relieve stress and calms the mind. You'll get less anxious and stressed and feel more in control of your life.

4. Make your bed/clean your room

This one is a personal preference, but I always make my bed on weekend mornings and clean my room because it gives me a sense of assurance and control. I often don’t have time to do it on school mornings because I’m too busy trying to catch the bus, so weekend mornings are the optimal time for me to do this. It’s nice to look at a laundry-free floor and a paper-free bed. Plus, a clean room is easier to work in.

5. Take a shower

Yes, that's right: a shower. Many people already shower in the mornings anyway, but some people wait until the afternoon or take one at night. However, showering in the morning wakes up the body. Often, students wake up completely tired and still too sleepy to be productive on weekend mornings because well, duh: it’s the WEEKEND! However, after showering, you will feel awake and fresh, ready to start the day!

6. Drink water

Okay, I can’t be the only one that’s horrible at drinking the right amount of water every day. It’s very important to drink at least eight cups of water a day as it filters toxins out of the body, helps increase your energy and improves skin. Not only will it make you feel good, but it’ll make you look great as well! In order to start off those eight cups of water a day, you should drink a nice, cool refreshing glass as soon as you wake up.

7. Have breakfast

If you're anything like me, you live on food and coffee. Having a healthy breakfast in the morning eat provides me with energy and protein to start my day...and it suppresses the hungry, sleep-deprived monster I can be.

8. Plan your day

Planning my day out makes me feel super organized and prepared to tackle the rest of the day. Plus, it limits my procrastination to a minimum, so I'm not up at 2 a.m. on Sunday night trying to finish my chemistry homework. I recommend that when you plan your day, leave room to study and have fun.

This may help you relax a little if you were stressed out from facing a weekend of grinding. It also helps you see everything you have to accomplish, and this way you're less likely to leave a task out. I don't know about you, but I love to cross things out after I finish them!