Developing a good morning routine seems to be all the rage these days. From entrepreneurs to stay-at-home moms to college professors, everyone seeks to increase their daily productivity, and having a great morning routine is a proven way to do so.

1) Make Your Bed

Retired Navy SEAL commander William H. McRaven writes in his book Make Your Bed that completing a simple task first thing in the morning increases your sense of pride and motivates you to complete other tasks. "If you can't do the little things right, you'll never be able to do the big things right."

2) Scrape Your Tongue

While you sleep, your body is hard at work detoxifying — depositing bacteria, toxins, food debris, dead cells, and fungi on your tongue. By not cleaning your tongue first thing in the morning, you are likely reabsorbing that sludge.

If the bacteria and toxins aren't removed, they can cause tooth decay, bad breath, digestive issues, and a weakened immune system. Brushing and flossing are no-brainers, but they aren't enough. Tongue scrapers have been clinically shown to be significantly more effective at removing bacteria compared to simply brushing your tongue. So do yourself (and everyone else) a favor and include tongue scraping in your morning routine.

3) Journal

Neuroscientists believe humans can have 50,000 to 70,000 thoughts per day — and between 70 to 80% of those thoughts are negative. Author Julia Cameron developed the concept of "Morning Pages" — three pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing done first thing in the morning. Many people who practice it report less anxiety, more productivity, clarity of mind, and brighter mood.

The key to developing a successful morning routine is to take things slowly. Wake up 15–30 minutes earlier than normal, and focus on completing just a few tasks so you won't get overwhelmed.

Ready to make tongue scraping part of your daily routine? The ScrapeYourTongue tongue scraper is designed for daily use — flexible, two-handed grip, covers your full tongue in one pass, and won't trigger your gag reflex. Available as a 1-pack for $8 or a 4-pack for $9.99. Shop now →