3 Signs You Should Change Your Morning Routine 

Being awesome in the morning takes discipline and time to master. Early waking hours are not easy, which is why it's a beautiful thing if you can feel great and make the most out of your mornings. If you're not eagerly jumping out of bed to start your day then you'll want to consider these signs that you need to tweak your morning routine:
 

1. You're rushed. You're running late every day, there never seems to be enough time, or you have your routine planned right down to the minute and the second.
Here's your fix:
• Ease yourself into waking up earlier. If you can't handle jumping right into waking up 15-minutes earlier or more, then start with 5-minutes earlier.
• Restructure your morning to run more efficiently, eliminate useless habits, or replace unimportant tasks.
• Prep as much as you can the night before. Choose what you're going to wear, prep your breakfast, plan what you need to take with you the next day, etc.
 

2. You're over-tired. You just can't get moving in the morning so your routine consists of the bare minimum necessary actions: bathroom, brush teeth, get dressed, fix hair and out the door. Maybe you're just not a 'morning person' or you get poor sleep. Or maybe you used to be fine in the mornings but find that you're dragging lately.
Here's your fix: Quality sleep of course. Check to determine if your sleep habits are a factor to being over-tired. If sleep is not the problem, try these:
• Quick energy boosters such as drinking water to rehydrate, shower, eating a nutritious breakfast and letting light into your home.
• Exercise. Five minutes or more of physical activity can boost mood and improve focus. It's great if you can get a full workout going on in the morning. When time is of the essence, do some quick activities at home: pushups, yoga poses, air squats, sit-ups, etc.
• Unusual bouts of fatigue could be a symptom of a health problem, so stay on top of your health and get checkups when needed.
 

3. You're stressed out. Mornings can be even more daunting when you're facing stressful tasks, situations and more. Anticipating challenges will bring on stress. Stress and tension certainly are not motivators for jumping out of bed and diving into the day.
Here's your fix:
• Do not check your phone, texts, email or social networks before you get out of bed. If your messages and ｕpdates waited for you while you slept, they can wait another 15-30 minutes as you take your time to ease into your morning.
• Focus on what you're looking forward to. Even challenges have their silver lining. Find the benefit and bring your attention to the positive factor. Bonus points if you create an effective mantra about it!
• Put on some music while you're getting ready. Music soothes, lowers stress, reduces muscle tension and provides a mental distraction. And the best part is that it doesn't take up any extra time! 

Article Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/diane-passage/3-signs-you-should-change-your-morning-routine_b_8872044.html?utm_hp_ref=healthy-living
Image Source: http://realweightlossrealwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Morning_Routine.jpg

VOCABULARY WORDS:
1. Tweak (v./ informal) ~ improve (a mechanism or system) by making fine adjustments to it
2. Prep (v./ informal) ~ prepare (something) make ready
3. Drag (v.) ~ pull (someone or something) along forcefully, roughly, or with difficulty
4. Essence (n.) ~ the most important part or aspect of something
5. Bout (n.) ~ a short period of intense activity of a specified kind
6. Silver lining (idiom) ~ the hopeful side of a situation that might seem gloomy on the surface
7. Mantra (n.) ~ a word or sound repeated to aid concentration in meditation
8. Soothe (v.) ~ reduce pain or discomfort in (a part of the body)

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. Describe your morning routine. How long does it usually take you to get ready for work?
2. Which of the three kinds of mornings above do you usually experience?
3. What do you think can you do or change to make your morning better?