The morning is a sacred time cherished by many cultures and honoured by countless successful individuals. According to a Greek proverb, “he who laughs not in the morning, laughs not at noon.” Starting your morning on the right foot ensures that you achieve success throughout the day and allows you to place your head on the pillow at the end of the night filled with confidence that you have not wasted this gift of a day. Here are 10 simple morning hacks to follow before the sun reaches its highest point, in order to become a successful individual.

10 Life-Changing Morning Hacks: A Cheat Sheet for a Successful Day

1. Indulge in something that boosts your confidence

Personal self- care is a vital step that must not be skipped by even the most non-vain people. Taking the extra time in the morning to maintain your vision will ensure that you feel confident enough to walk out of the door into the real world and attack the problems head-on. For girls, taking the time to do your makeup and hair is an option, while guys can concentrate on trimming their beards or taking the time to put on aftershave. A healthy , maintained look will result in your ability to project yourself seriously and to earn the much needed respect for a positive lifestyle.

See also: 15 Easy Tricks To Boost Your Confidence

2. Clean out your surroundings

A messy environment will result in a messy mind. Get out bed and clean your room. Organize your clothes , clean the dust off your nightstand and ensure that your laundry is clean. An energy shift will surely happen and your mind will become more alert and ready to work. You are what you eat and you are what you surround yourself with. Thus, lifestyle tricks such as decluttering are vital for a power-filled day.

3. Plan your meals

In order to ensure that your day continues on a healthy track you have to plan your meals ahead of time. If you are stuck at work and your stomach is growling for food, chances are you will reach over for those Doritos Cool Ranch. Instead, take the time to make a fresh green salad, or a quick bowl of pasta and take it with you on the go. Clean eating is a lifestyle rule that must be initiated in the morning and prolonged throughout the day.

4. Overtake the day by waking up early

The trick to managing things is having time to so. If you get an early start you will not need to stress yourself out about what the do first and how to manage a million different tasks in a matter of hours. The trick to waking up early has to do with your favorite morning past-time- hitting the snooze button. Set your alarm for 20 twenty minutes earlier every day for a week and allow yourself time to wake up. Essentially you will trick your “morning brain” into thinking that you are snoozing in when you are in fact getting an early start. The success is in the trickery.

5. Hydrate your body

Considering your body is over 50 per cent water, it is only logical to drink up. Before you do anything else , before you even think about making the cup of coffee or pouring your cereal into the bowl, have a glass of water. Drinking a glass of water kickstarts your metabolism and rehydrates what has been lost throughout the night.

6. Stretch those muscles

The ideal start is one that get you up and moving, but if can’t be bothered , or if you simply don’t have the time to do so everyday, at least stretch your body. This simple technique is as old as time itself. Ancient myths have been suggested that this is the key to a longevity. At the very least stretching helps your muscles flex and increases the blood flow to all of the vital organs. Concentration and increase in the energy levels are also linked to this simple act. So, sit up in your bed and get going. This is the easiest go-to morning hack to follow and obey.

See also: 10 Things To Start Doing For Yourself

7. Get close to nature

Find a few spare minutes to go outside and simply breathe in the air. If you are lucky enough to live near a park or greenery , take full advantage of it. Take notice of the flowers and birds, and remind yourself that this experience is not only free, but endless. Notice a careless squirrel munching away on a nut and think about how simple existence truly is. We make everything complicated, and we must learn how to simplify it through the help of nature. Find your happy place and visit it religiously every morning.

It is is at this time, more than ever, that you must be present in the moment. Don’t walk by a beautiful scenery thinking about the emails you have to send out later today and the frustrations associated with your personal life. Instead, pace yourself and relieve your tensions in the presence of the most powerful thing in the world-nature. If it can manage to create life, natural phenomenons and seasons, don’t you think it can help you ease up and extinguish your troubles?

8. Keep things anti-social.. at least for a bit

Avoid focusing on others, before you obtain your “me-time”. The issue with chaotic days starts with the inability to simplify your life. Sit down, take a deep breath and think about yourself first. Avoid jumping on Twitter, Instagram , Snapchat and whatever other platform you use to keep track of the people you associate yourself with. Burdening yourself with others automatically puts your concerns and goals in second. Take a few deep breaths and think about what it is you desire to achieve that day.

Picture every detail as if you were reliving a memory, rather than imagining it, and you will be pleasantly surprised to find that most of your desired ideas will come true in some shape or form throughout the day. Make a list of your goals on a piece of paper and remember that if a few of those aren’t completed today , the world will continue to spin on its axis, the su will surely rise again and you will continue to exist.

9. When the going gets tough.. go green

Start the day properly with a healthy green juice or a fruit smoothie. A glass of this magical elixir is one of your needed “five-a-day” greens. So, instead of struggling through your dinner with a bland salad , rather than a mouth-watering pizza, simply increase your intake of greens in your breakfast.Try a combination of a few green vegetables and add a simple fruit, such as an apple, in order to bring a hint of sweetness to your taste buds. Adding in chia or flex seeds will ensure that your breakfast is not only fulfilling, but will also cleanse your pallet out.

10. See positive- Hear positive

Don’t make the mistake of grabbing your phone from the nightstand and opening the CNN app before you even open your eyes. Negative news will result in a negative mind-frame- no doubt about it. Famine, wars and ethnic tensions will always exist, but there is no law forcing you to come to grips with them at the crack of dawn. Instead, try reading positive thoughts that will make you believe that the day ahead will be one of success and happiness.

If religion is your game, enjoy a few scriptures. If not, the internet is filled with endless podcasts, audio programs, books and articles about self improvement and achieving a happy mind-set. It is vital to keep things simple, though. Don’t get carried away with long pieces that take hours to comprehend and achieve. Stick to manageable ideas and writing that will allow you to be productive. Blogs such as MotivationGrid are your best tool. Lastly, try laughing for a change; as laughter increases your endorphin levels and is essentially the footpath to happiness. Find a few humour blogs or read a few jokes to ensure this happens.

Photo credit: manda tipton

So what do you do to make your morning filled will with positive thoughts? Do you think there is anything special about that time of day and the way it influences your thoughts? Let us know your thoughts and concerns in the comments below and share the article with your friends.