Granny method
3 habits from my grandma that give me a good start to every day
© pressmaster / Adobe Stock
My grandma not only knew the tastiest recipes and practical household tips, she also knew how to start the day fit – I still practice some habits every morning. Energy and a good mood are guaranteed afterwards!
When the alarm clock goes off in the morning, in most cases I would prefer to turn it off. Once I’m awake, I would describe myself as a morning person. I like the silence in the morning. That the whole day still lies ahead of me. I have enough time to work through all my plans one after the other. Unfortunately, when I’m still half asleep in bed, I don’t have these thoughts yet. Instead: “Just five more minutes!”, “Oh no…”, “I don’t want to yet.”
What helps me to become a morning person again are small ones My grandma’s habits. A positive side effect: I think of her every morning and that alone makes me smile.
3 habits from my grandma that give me a good start to every day
1. “Cycle” in bed
As a child, I was always confused when my grandparents told me they “ride bikes in bed.” The mystery became clear as I got a little older and stayed with them every now and then. They meant a light exercise that they could do while lying in bed to activate their circulation. Worth its weight in gold – I do it every morning these days!
That’s how it’s done: Lie flat on your back, bend your legs at 90 degrees, and smoothly extend one leg after the other, like when pedaling on a bike. Hold out for 30 to 60 seconds; you can also “drive” several laps.
If you are fit and want to develop your lateral abdominal muscles at the same time in the morning, you can also lift your head and bring the opposite elbow to your pulled leg, as in the exercise “Bicycle Crunches”. Otherwise “just” do the leg movements.
© wilaiphon / Adobe Stock
2. Listen to the radio
My grandma had the radio on in the kitchen every morning. Not only was she informed about current events in the news, she also turned up the feel-good songs and let the energy get to her. The second habit that I picked up and that makes it easier for me to start the day in the morning.
3. Get ready even if I stay at home
Especially in the early days of working from home or on weekends, I often found myself not combing my hair until midday and sitting in my sleeping T-shirt until then. Things were completely different for my grandma: Even if she had nothing to do during the day or didn’t leave the house until after lunch, she got up “real” in the morning. She washed, brushed her teeth, combed her hair, got dressed, and ate breakfast (while listening to the radio). It’s not rocket science at all, but it’s easy to forget.
Since I’ve been following this granny method with three simple habits from my grandma, I’ve been more alert, fitter and in a better mood in the morning – the best conditions for every day.