Getting up in the morning is always hard. We always feel tired, crappy, and unable to cheer up.

If this sounds like you—even if your mornings look nothing like mine—good news!Here are six incredibly simple, expert-backed habits that can help you feel like your life is running smoothly. Or at least, together.

1. Use an alarm clock.

But if you rely on an alarm clock to wake up, choose an old-fashioned clock instead of your phone.

It takes a very strong person to use their phone as an alarm clock instead of at least peeking at their emails, snoozed notifications, or news. This means you start your day by letting others dictate your thoughts first.Your day is out of your control.

If we wake up and check our phones, we’ll find an email from our boss saying, “We need to talk,” or an email from a customer saying, “Hey, can I call you later?” We can go straight from sleep into panic mode, where your heart races.

Once you get into this mode, it’s hard to get back to a more relaxed state or back to a more “contemplative, intentional state.”

2. Do a 30-second gratitude practice.

Gratitude as a holistic health practice has a lot of scientific support, but I myself was daunted by the prospect of keeping a gratitude journal—or anything that felt like a distant burden. (Though, if you’re already doing this, then good job, keep going!)

Fortunately, gratitude practices can be very short and sweet.

As you lie in bed, tell yourself, “I am here. I have the blessing of a bed. I have the blessing of sleep. I am in shelter. I wish I could have breakfast,” and you can wake up and realize that you have something to own – and live in the moment.

It won’t change the fact that you may be facing a stressful day, but it will help ground you in the bigger picture.

3. Set a daily intention.

Your intentions don’t have to be big, you can really focus on what’s in front of you. It is recommended to think about one to three things that you want to accomplish today, and most importantly, that you can actually accomplish. Write them down so you don’t keep them in your head.

Of course, sometimes your to-do list will be much longer than one to three manageable tasks, but prioritizing your intentions in this way can help you cope with stress. When you check your top priority goals off your list, you’ll at least feel some sense of accomplishment and peace.

Another way to think about intentions is to set a goal for how you will feel or behave throughout the day. Try them out and see what works best for you.

4. Drink a glass of water.

Drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning is a very simple habit that pays immediate results. Obviously, it hydrates you and helps keep your body balanced. But it can also give you a small sense of accomplishment, so that it can be a gateway to other healthy habits.

If you don’t have a routine yet, start small and simple and you’ll set yourself up for success. For example, start by developing the habit of drinking a glass of water. Do this for a few weeks and then try adding some stretches etc.

5. Listen to something that makes you feel the way you want to feel.

If you want to feel more relaxed, listen to a quick guided meditation or choose a calming song while you brush your teeth. If you want to feel energized, play your favorite upbeat dance music. Figure out how you want to feel more in the morning, then wear something that will help you get there.

Taking advantage of the time you spend getting ready or feeding everyone or what you have to do in the morning and giving it some background vibe will really make you feel good.

6. Move your body.

Exercise releases endorphins, which are a great way to relieve stress. You can really make it super short and sweet.

This varies from person to person, some may start their day with a 5k run, a weight class at the gym, a 30-minute yoga video, a brisk dog walk, or a few minutes of gentle stretching.

Find something that works for you in the morning, rather than something you can never do and then feel bad about.