I’ve never really been a “morning” person. I’m a night owl. Something about the darkness and quiet of the night gets my creative juices flowing. I tend to write into the wee hours, which can make getting started in the morning a bit of a challenge. So if you’re like me and need a little boost at daybreak, here are 7 small action items that can help you get your day going.

1. Drink a glass of water. You’ve been fasting all night.  Get your system going.

2. Meditate for 5-10 minutes. I typically listen to this guided meditation on gratitude.

3. Pray. Writing my prayers down works better for me.

4. Wake up to music. Instead of the typical alarm, get up to your favorite tune.

5. Do not check email, Facebook, etc.

6. Read a daily scripture. I use bible app to get a notification every morning.

7. Stretch for 5 minutes.

All seven of these actions can take under 10 minutes, but will pay off all day. What do you do first thing in the morning?