Coffee, coffee, coffee, coffee! Yeah…not a good habit to get into. Too much coffee isn’t good for the organs or teeth. Maybe it’s time to have 1 cup of coffee and learn another way to start our days.

1. Exercise

It’s a healthy way to start your day. Roll out of bed, put on a sports-bra and yoga pants and go. Pushups, crunches, maybe a run or something. Getting your heart pumping bright and early makes you feel like it increases your brain activity and wakes you up in a positive way.

2. A Shower

If you did exercise you should definitely shower before school or work. But if you have an exercise plan already or don’t have time, just get in the shower. The basic motions of a shower are familiar and comforting to most people. It’s literally a refreshing way to start your day.

3. A Light Breakfast

A banana, pear, and glass of ice water is how I start my day (after a light workout and a quick shower.) A heavy breakfast can weigh you down and slow your entire day, but a light breakfast should get your stomach to wait until lunch. Skipping meals actually causes your body to store fat and doesn’t promote healthy weight-loss so a light breakfast is a good way to prevent that from happening.

4. Going Through Your Planner

Going through your planner or calendar gets your brain moving and thinking. You can plan your day, move things around, check the rest of your week. Doing this will help you become a better planner and more organized.

5. The News

Some health websites say to avoid “blue lights” within the first half hour of your day. A blue light is emitted by anything electronic (aka our smartphones, laptops, and TVs). But who actually uses a real alarm clock anymore? Everyone’s first instinct is to check their phone first thing in the morning to see what you’ve missed while you were sleeping. So turn on the news and sit on your bed or couch scrolling through your phone. This doesn’t sound hard or demanding but it’s crazy how many people don’t actually watch reliable news programs. Hearing local and global news will help get your brain turned on, you’ll learn about important events and you’ll definitely have a weather update that’s reliable!

A healthier lifestyle is what we all aim for, so maybe it’s time to start fiddling with our morning routine…or just keep enjoying your pot of coffee a day. Good luck!