Article By Tabitha Whitlock // Helpful Advice & Tips // EEW Magazine Online

Every morning presents a new opportunity to start fresh, and you should use it to your advantage.

How you begin your day determines how the rest of your day will go. Give yourself the best possible chance of reducing stress, increasing joy and productivity by developing these 5 good morning habits recommended by EEW Magazine Online.

Habit #1: Get up early. Early risers accomplish more and feel less stressed throughout the day. That’s because being an early bird eliminates the need to rush in the morning and allows you some space to start your day feeling relaxed, unhurried and more positive. To experience these benefits, however, you need to go to bed early to give your body and mind ample time to replenish and renew itself overnight.

Habit #2: Fast for a few hours. If you’re completely healthy and don’t take medications that require you to eat early in the day, try holding off on breakfast for a few hours or skipping it altogether. Experts say intermittent fasting is good for your brain and body. It gives your digestive system a break, helps you lose weight, lowers your risk of Type 2 diabetes, renews your cells, and clears brain fog among other things.

Habit #3: Pray and read Scripture. Begin every morning with prayer before you get out of bed. Talking to God when you first open your eyes, even if it’s just to say, thank You for waking me up, is a healthy practice. After you talk to God, fuel your spirit with Scripture. This routine will always put you in the right headspace to approach your day peacefully, joyfully and with clear direction from Heaven.

Habit #4: Drink water. Hydrating your body in the morning flushes toxins out of your system, jumpstarts your digestion, transports all-important nutrients to your cells, and helps fight off the nasty effects of dehydration like headaches, sluggishness and constipation. Rehydrating when you get up is also good for your brain! It helps you focus more, be more alert and can even improve short-term memory. So hold the food, but chug the water.

Habit #5: Stay off social media. If the first thing you do in the morning is grab your phone and scroll through social media, your priorities are out of alignment. Before you immerse yourself in what is happening in the world and the lives of others, use that energy to set the tone for your own day and get things off on the right foot. Those that mind others’ business instead of their own achieve far less and diminish their own happiness. Don’t be that person.

Habits are crucial. Good ones lead to good outcomes. Bad ones turn potential into failure and unproductivity. These 5 simple morning habits, when applied consistently day after day, will improve the quality of every day and enrich your life overall.