Summary: This is the fifth article in the six-part <a title="Mornings 101" href="https://www.jeffsanders.com/tag/mornings-101/" target="_blank">Mornings 101 series</a> that focuses on how to implement the most effective strategies for dominating your day before breakfast.<br> When given the choice, I prefer to begin my day focusing on self-care. That means I'm eating healthy foods, exercising, and filling my brain with brilliant information and inspiration. Healthy habits make for ideal choices first thing in the morning.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <a href="https://www.jeffsanders.com/forty-thousand-words-later-my-complete-book-writing-process-podcast-108/">← Previous Episode</a><br> <a href="https://www.jeffsanders.com/start-now-and-do-what-you-can-going-on-air-with-ella-podcast-109/">Next Episode →</a><br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <a href="https://www.jeffsanders.com/mornings-101-5-healthy-habits-to-begin-your-day/"></a>Photo Credit: <a style="color: #808080;" href="http://gratisography.com/" target="_blank">Gratisography</a><br> I know from experience that if I begin my day focused on a few key healthy habits I can set myself up for enormous success. When I don't make the time or prioritize these habits, I pay the consequences in lost time, missed opportunities, failed health, and an overall negative attitude.<br> Beginning your day well always begins with a healthy perspective.<br> 5 Healthy Habits to Begin Your Day<br> Here are five healthy and practical habits you can work on, beginning as early as tomorrow morning. This list is far from comprehensive, but if you focus on implementing even just one of these habits consistently for the next week, you will certainly see a major difference.<br> 1. Eat a Handful of Bananas<br> If I was stranded on a desert island and could only eat one food for the rest of my days, bananas would top the list. During various points of my life I have eaten as many as <a href="https://www.jeffsanders.com/how-to-eat-30-bananas-a-day/" target="_blank">30 bananas a day</a> to stay healthy, energized, and strong.<br> Bananas are to your diet what dogs are to your psyche — a perfect match. You can't help but smile when you see them and they will love you no matter what. Bananas are tasty, healthy, affordable, filling, energizing, available year round, easy to transport, easy to blend, and fantastic for your mind, body, and soul.<br> My most common breakfast includes water, coffee, and a banana smoothie. Just blend and go. It's that's simple.<br> 2. Get Your Body in Motion<br> When I picture an ideal morning the first healthy habit that comes to mind is running. As an avid marathoner, I lean towards running to solve most of my life's problems. In the morning, making time to workout (or especially to run) is a magical strategy to wake you up, pump your blood, and improve your mood.<br> If you are having trouble waking up early and want to solidify that habit, make exercise a central focus of your morning routine. If you tend to wake up feeling sluggish, workout for 21 days in a row early in the morning and watch how your attitude changes in just a few short weeks.<br> Making time to move your body before breakfast is not a chore or a requirement from your doctor, it's a grand opportunity to make your best day come to life.<br> 3. Dump Your Brain on Paper<br> One of the greatest productivity strategies that I use every day is what <a href="https://www.jeffsanders.com/072-the-master-of-getting-things-done-an-interview-with-david-allen-podcast/" target="_blank">David Allen</a> describes as a brain dump. I spill out all of my thoughts on paper and then organize them into logical lists and projects.<br> Even if you don't believe you have an ounce of creativity in your body, you can use Julia Cameron's Morning Pages strategy that she describes in her book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1585421464/ref=as_li_tl?"></a>
