Regardless of whether you’re a morning person or not, your morning routine can make or break your energy for the day. If you’ve been feeling on the sluggish side, or your motivation is dwindling, make sure you complete this morning checklist. It will only take you 15 minutes.

Drink Water With Lemon [2 minutes]

Before you eat or drink anything, have a large glass of water (around 500ml or 2 cups) with the juice of 1/4 or 1/3 of a lemon squeezed in. This will take max 2 minutes to assemble and you can drink it throughout the next 13 minutes of your morning routine.

Just a 1-2% drop in your hydration levels can lead to a significant drop in energy and cognitive function. One of the most common signs of dehydration is actually fatigue, and many people go through the day mildly dehydrated. Don’t let that be you by starting the day with a large glass of water.

Do One Minute of Jumping Jacks [1 minute]

It doesn’t have to be jumping jacks, but the goal here is to do something that gets the blood flowing. It could be mountain climbers, jump squats, pushups, or skipping. When it comes to movement and exercise, a common barrier for people is that it feels like in order to make exercise worthwhile, you have to do it for an extended period of time. I want you to see how just 1 minute of vigorous movement can get your blood flowing to your brain, wake you up and boost your mood.

Even better, set a couple of alarms in your calendar or phone throughout the day to do one minute of vigorous movement throughout your day too!

Do a 5 Minute Meditation [5 minutes]

One of the largest energy drains is stress. There is a massive amount of research showing how effective meditation is at reducing stress and anxiety. One study revealed that meditation literally reduces the density of brain tissue associated with anxiety and worrying. I like using an app like Headspace or Whil to help guide my meditations, but you can simply set a timer for 5 minutes and focus on your breath with 4 second inhales and 4 second exhales.

Make a high protein green smoothie [5 minutes]

For a list of some energy boosting ingredients to put into your morning smoothie, click here to download my free guide: 7 Natural Boosters For All Day Energy.

Starting the day with protein, greens and some healthy fats will do wonders to set your blood sugar levels for the day. Steady blood sugar equals steady energy. Here’s my go to smoothie, and if I’m in a rush, I’ll make this to go:

• 1.25 cups water
• 1 heaping handful spinach
• 1/2 cup frozen berries
• 1 TBSP ground flaxseed
• 1 TBSP almond butter
• 1 scoop vanilla plant based protein powder
• Sometimes I add some energy boosting ingredients, which you can read more about here.

Make A Green Tea To Go [2 minutes]

If you need a caffeinated morning drink, I highly recommend green tea. It still contains caffeine, though less than your typical morning coffee, but it also contains an amino acid called L theanine, which can cross the blood brain barrier and give you a sense of calm. Many people who struggle with low energy notice that while a coffee will give you an immediate energy boost, it’s short lived and often followed by needing another or sweet cravings. Those who drink green tea find it’s a much more sustained energy boost.

If you’re in a rush, make this to go too!

If you don't like green tea, try a matcha latte - many coffee drinkers find it satisfies the craving for something a bit creamier, plus it's even higher in energy-boosting antioxidants. There's a recipe for my go-to matcha latte, in my free download linked below.

If you're struggling with low energy, click here to get a copy of my FREE Energy Boosting Guide: 7 Natural Boosters For All Day Energy where I share the most effective nutrients and ingredients to incorporate into your daily routine to boost your energy.