5 Things You Should Do First Thing In The Morning

This first tip is pretty broad, and that’s on purpose. So you might take some time to cultivate awareness through meditation. (One simple strategy: Close your eyes and focus on the act of taking 10 breaths.) Or you might be intrigued by the research that shows incorporating exercise into your daily routine can help boost happiness.

So maybe every morning you get up, go to the bathroom, then make your bed. Link a moment in that routine (say, the bed-making) to the habit you want to cultivate (maybe it’s reading 10 pages in a book)

When you reach for your phone (or tablet, or computer, or click on the TV) first thing in the morning, you’re really inviting the outside world to dictate your mood first thing, she said.

And there really is a lot of evidence supporting the idea that screens hamper happiness. Studies have linked frequent social media use to decreased mood over time; other research has shown that a high volume of emails is connected with overall feelings of unhappiness.

Furthermore, screens can get in the way of sleep, which is deeply connected to people’s overall sense of well-being.