When you scroll down to the heading of the article written by Danielle Braff you may think I committed a typo.

No. While Braff came up with seven morning habits that can affect your entire day, I saw two glaring omissions that are actually the most important — besides being blessed with rising alive and well to embrace a new day as provided by the Lord.

The 2 Most Important Morning Habits To Impact Your Entire Day…and Life:

#1. Once cognisant, awake, and mentally gathered and in a calm frame of heart and mind…

PRAY. Humbly, fervently, faithfully, thankfully, praiseworthy, spiritually to the Lord [not singing me, me, me, me, me to the Lord]. Steadfastly.

#2. Once settled, after finishing the above, and after perhaps completing a couple or few of those found below, find a quiet place. And make the time. Even if needing to get up earlier than usual, as you take a Bible in your hands pray faithfully, believing, to the Holy Spirit to provide you with discernment, and spiritual understanding above and beyond our finite ways and spend dedicated focused time as the day begins in the Word of God.

STUDY & MEDITATE UPON GOD’S WORD.

Putting this off tends to be put off further and further into the day, into the evening, into the night. And before you know it…it’s time for bed and there has been no time spent receiving, hearing in your heart, being taught by the Lord in His Word. I know this from personal experience. Seek the Word, love the Word, eat and drink of the Word, and do not ever fast from its life-giving nourishment for the spirit, soul, heart, mind, and yes, even the body — for it is all about health, spiritual health.

Those two habits are the greatest, and most important any person can forge, harvest, and discipline themselves to eagerly complete each morning they are blessed with another day of life.

Ken Pullen, A CROOKED PATH, Tuesday, August 8th, 2023

7 Morning Habits That Can Affect Your Entire Day

By Danielle Braff

Reprinted from a 2016 article in Mental Floss

Your morning routine is like setting up a string of dominoes: You line everything up for success, but one false move can cause it all to come tumbling down. In order to set the right tone for the rest of your day, experts say you should adjust the following seven habits.

1. HITTING THE SNOOZE BUTTON

It’s tempting to steal a few more minutes of sleep, but hitting snooze has a negative impact on your physical and emotional well-being, says Joanna Kleinman, owner of The Center for Extraordinary Relationships. “Physically, hitting the snooze button actually sets you up to be groggy and less productive because you are repeatedly waking yourself out of a deep sleep,” Kleinman says. “Emotionally, you set yourself up to be late, rushed, and stressed in the morning.”

The obvious solution, Kleinman says, is getting out of bed right away (even if it seems impossible). “If we listen to our minds telling us what we feel like doing, we will never be able to make the positive changes we need to,” Kleinman says.

2. CHECKING YOUR PHONE

Doing this first thing in the morning stimulates self-criticism and judgments in your mind, Kleinman says. “Your emails and texts are all about things to do, things to buy, things to add to your to-do list,” she says. “This amounts to either the stuff that other people want you to be paying attention to, or what your mind says you should be paying attention to.”

Even if you leave your inbox alone and stick to Instagram, you can do harm to your psyche because social media causes you to compare yourself to other people. Bottom line: Checking your phone first thing can awaken your inner critic.

3. PLANNING YOUR DAY

If you wake up and have no idea what’s on your schedule, where you have to be, or what you’re going to wear, then your day is already off to a frantic start. Psychologist and Certified Master Coach Joel Ingersoll recommends organizing your day the night before. This way, you’ll feel refreshed and ready to go in the morning.

4. DRINKING WATER…

You may be craving a cup of coffee as soon as your feet hit the floor, but what your body really needs is a glass of water, Ingersoll says. Since you haven’t had any liquids in your system for at least six (or hopefully eight) hours, your body is dehydrated. You can have the coffee (see below), but your body will function better—you’ll have fewer headaches, less fatigue, and smaller bags under your eyes—if you down a glass of water first, Ingersoll says.

5. …AND COFFEE

Don’t feel guilty about reaching for the coffee pot after you’ve had your water—it is actually good for your body, too, says Ilyse Schapiro, a Registered Dietitian and Certified Dietitian/Nutritionist. “Coffee is a great source of antioxidants, and it can increase energy as well as help to stabilize our moods,” Schapiro says. “It can also help keep our brains healthier and our minds sharper.”

Too much coffee isn’t going to do you any favors, though. Stick with one or two cups a day, and be consistent with how much you drink, or else you’ll start getting headaches and withdrawal symptoms.

6. SKIPPING BREAKFAST

Have you been told to eat a good breakfast before? That’s because it’s important, says Bruno LoGreco, life coach and author of Stop Sabotaging Your Life. “Eating a healthy breakfast consisting of nuts, fruits, and oats will satisfy your brain to get you through a tough day at the office,” LoGreco says. It’s best to skip the doughnuts and croissants, though, as these will give you a sugar high and set you up for a crash just as you reach your desk.

7. RISING EARLY

A study published by the American Psychological Association found that early risers are happier and more successful than those who go to bed late. They tend to be more proactive, get better grades, and better anticipate and minimize problems.