We all start the day at some point, whether you prefer to rise with the sun or sleep until the last possible second — but the way in which we begin our day differs greatly from person to person. While waking up early to get a five mile run in before work might seem unrealistic, there are several other routines proven to make your entire day better… and they only take a few minutes!

Don’t hit snooze

Many of us are guilty of it: your alarm goes off, and you habitually hit snooze because another 10 minutes can’t hurt, right?

As a matter of fact, hitting snooze does more harm than good. Aside from causing increased levels of stress in the AM, snoozing completely throws off your internal clock. By hitting snooze, you are causing your body to begin a new sleep cycle. Therefore, when your alarm goes off 10 minutes later, it is likely that you are in a deeper part of your sleep cycle than you were at the time of the first alarm.

The best way to avoid morning “grogginess” is to establish a consistent sleep schedule. By going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day, you are training your body to naturally wake up at that time, allowing you to feel awake and ready to take on the day.

Drink water

More than half of the human body is made up of water, which is why it is recommended that we drink eight glasses a day. What they don’t tell you is that drinking two glasses first thing in the morning provides optimal results. Drinking 16 oz of water in the morning boosts your metabolism by 24%, removes toxins from your body, and even helps your skin. Starting your day with two glasses of water is one of the easiest ways you can improve your health.

Inspire yourself

The quiet morning hours may be the only time you have to yourself throughout the course of the day. Utilize this time to reflect on what you are grateful for and set personal goals for yourself. Taking this precious time to yourself to reflect on your life in a positive light makes you more optimistic throughout the day.

Make your bed

This three-minute task provides far greater benefits than simply improving the cleanliness of your bedroom. Science proves that making your bed is directly correlated to stronger self-discipline skills, increased productivity, and a boost in overall happiness. This is one of the most impactful habits we can implement into our routines. Increased productivity and happiness — who doesn’t want that?

Get ‘it’ over with 

Don’t leave that daunting task hanging over your head all day – get it out of the way first thing in the morning, before you have the time to reflect on how badly you don’t want to do it. Willpower is strongest in the morning, so that grueling chore will seem a lot less painful if you conquer it in the early hours of the day. Once the task is complete, the rest of the day will look pretty great!

Whether you’re a seasoned morning person, or not, use these five tips to make the most out of your mornings in 2016.