I don’t think I’m alone is saying that we’re all curious about how other people manage their days. Whether it’s what time you get up in the morning or what you ate for dinner, I always enjoy comparing and contrasting my life with others.

When Rachel’s Organic got in touch and asked me to share how I get my morning off to a good start, I couldn’t resist; since I enjoy reading this kind of post from others, I thought it was high time I took part in my own.

I’m what you would classify as a ‘morning person’ and I always tend to wake bright and early to make the most of the day. I’m up just after 6am and in the gym for 6.30 so I can workout before getting to my desk for half past eight.

The key to making this routine work for me – and my first morning tip – is organisation. The night before I pack my gym bag, make my lunch and sort my breakfast. Most mornings, I have a smoothie of blackberries, blueberries, Rachel’s Organic vanilla yoghurt and a scoop of vanilla protein. I whizz it all together in a Nutribullet and it’s ready for me to grab and go in the morning.

I go to the gym four days out of five, but when I don’t go to the gym, I take the time to plan my day. My second tip – if you take five minutes in the morning to write out your to-do list and the things you need to achieve during the day, you’ll be much more likely to get things done, and end the day on a high.

Whether I’ve been to the gym or not, I always eat breakfast and have my coffee at my desk, normally around 10.30am. I’m never particularly hungry first thing in the morning and like to enjoy my food, so I wait until the hunger pans strike. If I’m not having my smoothie, I often grab one of Rachel’s Breakfast Pots, which come with seriously yummy granola, or some yoghurt sprinkled with nuts and dates (try this topping on Rachel’s new caramel latte flavoured yoghurt – it’s to die for).

So, my overall tip for a stress free and productive day? Be organised. Do whatever you can the night before – it’ll make all the difference the following morning.

How do you start your day? Do you have any tips that help you make the most of your morning?

Scotland is known for its cold weather at this time of year. The chilly, dark days and nights can make it hard to eat healthy, when all I really want to do is indulge in comfort food. But one area where I haven’t fallen off the wagon is breakfast. I’ve been eating a steaming hot bowl of porridge or oatbran every morning, which isn’t only a healthy way to start the day, but it really warms me up. Here are 10 different toppings I regularly add to my porridge:

1.Peaches baked with vanilla and cinnamon (pictured above)
2. Blueberries and chia seeds
3. Almond milk and walnuts
4. Hazelnut milk and cacao nibs
5. Almond butter and dates
6. Raisins, honey and flaked almonds
7. Cinnamon-stewed apples
8. Flax seed and dried figs
9. Soya milk and walnuts
10. Frozen berries

Do you eat porridge? What are your favourite toppings?

This is a breakfast favourite in our house. One for the weekend – it’s too tasty to rush this one before work – the herby eggs and bresaola work really well together, and what are scrambled eggs without a huge slice of toast to sit them on? You can find the recipe over at AO at Home.

By design, this smoothie is very thick – it keeps me full until lunch time. If you like your smoothie a little thinner, you can add some soya milk to loosen it off a bit. What are your favourite smoothies? Are there any other recipes out there I should put on my must try list?