What we do with the first few hours after waking up sets the tone for the remainder of day. With busy schedules and a long to-do list, some days can seem a little overwhelming. To ensure we're firing on all cylinders and ready to tackle the day, it’s important that we warm our mind and brain up!

With less opportunity for distraction and chaos, morning can be the most productive time of our day. This is a time to complete important tasks, chip away at a new project or invest crucial time and love into ourselves, before we give our love and time to others.

Below is a number of ways you can warm your brain up for the day.

Hand write the game plan for the day and make a list with your daily tasks and priorities. Include their value and meaning to you. This maps out what needs to be done, while reiterating the value of the tasks, which increases the likelihood of us completing them. Marking tasks off also provides a sense of accomplishment and achievement, motivating us to complete more.

Go technology free and stay off your phone and laptop to avoid being distracted by text messages and work emails. We tend to be a lot more sensitive in the morning and may misinterpret the content of the message being delivered. Set yourself a technology start time, and stick to it.

Reflect, set your intent and explore within through mindfulness. Whether it be journal writing, meditation, breathing exercises or sitting quietly in reflection, bringing awareness to our current thoughts and feelings helps us to start the day with a greater sense of clarity, calm and control.

Get the blood flowing with gentle stretching, ROMWOD, DownDog, TaiChi or Mobility. Even taking a stroll in the fresh air with your dog can be the perfect start to the morning.

Rock out to your favorite tunes. Be it an upbeat playlist, your favorite album from high school or soothing relaxation songs, music dramatically improves our mood, confidence and motivation, and is certain to get your day off to a great start.

Read a chapter of a quality book. We’re more alert and likely to store information and content in the morning. Motivate and inspire yourself through inspirational tales of others, or increase your knowledge in a particular study area.

Work your side project or side hustle. Small steps lead to big changes over time. Whether it be a new language that you’re learning, studying for school, or striving to make your passion your daily work, investing even five minutes a day to these areas can catapult your progress exponentially, while leaving you with a daily dose of accomplishment.

There are countless ways you can get your mind and body working for you. Ultimately, whatever you do, make sure you it involves choosing YOU!