Most of us try to slug through the morning and make it to work on time. A rare few people actually enjoy those early hours. But even night owls know those hours are precious. Tap into the mornings’ potential!
kick-start your morning for a brighter day!
Change your attitude
What if when your alarm goes off, instead of shooting it a death stare, you actually feel really lucky? Being ready and able to take on the day is a blessing, and this attitude is a surefire way to get moving. This is your time to be up before the rest of the world, if you so choose it to be. If trying to trick your brain into thinking you’re excited to see that blinking 6:30 a.m. seems unrealistic, then write a small morning to-do list the night before to steer you in the right direction. You’ll feel awesome about making the most of that time, and the extra productivity and focus it brings about can be addictive.
Show your body clock who’s boss
Unfortunately there’s no way around the fact that if you sleep poorly, you’ll wake up feeling crappy. You have to get a decent night’s sleep to wake up feeling pumped. Make a gradual shift toward going to bed earlier. Think you can hit the hay 5–10 minutes earlier per day? Because in about a week, you’ll be in bed an hour earlier. Try to limit the odd super-late night on weekends; it just messes with your clock. It’s all about forming routines and getting into the swing of them. Help yourself out by limiting caffeine as well as screen time in the evenings. Artificial lights might have an effect on brain chemicals that promote sleep, so switch to a book or magazine, or chill in the bath.
See these tips for to help you fall asleep >>
Get motivated
Make sure you have some small-scale motivations to lure you out of bed (tasty teas in the kitchen, an early yoga class you want to hit) and bigger, overarching goals in mind to spark that drive (a goal to be at work fully focused and full of ideas to get that next promotion or to get ahead on an exciting project). Preparing your motivation tool box — small- and big-scale — will make the process of getting up earlier and making the most of it easier. It might make it more enjoyable too. Soon you’ll be taking over the world, one morning at a time.
Spring is the perfect time for setting goals. See our pointers for goal-setting for a new season >>
Just do it
At the end of the day, no one can force you out of bed at a reasonable hour but yourself. Keep in mind that those few minutes between hitting “snooze” and actually getting out of bed are the worst. Within a few minutes of getting up and moving, you’ll feel completely fine. If you really want to break past those few dreadful moments, you have to commit to a new routine. Tell a friend to check up on you if you really want to hold yourself accountable. Make a list of reasons for wanting to make better use of your mornings (to make the most of that uncluttered morning focus, to seize time-sensitive personal goals or to simply cash in on more “me time”), and post it in your bedroom or your agenda or journal. Be diligent and driven!
More on mornings
The five-minute, full-body wake-up stretch
Lazy girl’s guide to getting ready in the morning
Rise and shine without caffeine
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