At one point in my life, I was a “morning person.” I’m not sure where that morning person is today, but she’s mostly gone. I struggle most mornings. In fact, one of the only reasons I manage to get out of bed most days is because I think it’s important to fix my son a hot breakfast and see him off to school.
I’ve been tweaking my day to be more productive throughout, but I still drag in the mornings. I’m not sure I’ll ever be a “morning person” again, no matter how early I go to bed or what temperature my room is. Even with this reluctance to get out of bed each morning, there are some things I can do to power through and start my day. Here are 5 tips for getting your morning started:
1. Find a Reason You HAVE to Get Out of Bed
There are a number of reasons you might want to get out of bed, but they might not actually translate into getting up. In my case, I know I have to be out of bed at a specific time if breakfast is going to be a possibility and it I’m going to see my son off to school.
Different strategies can be used to force you out of bed. From practicing getting up first thing to putting your alarm across the room so you have to get out of bed to turn it off to connecting the alarm with light, find a reason that forces you out of bed so that you can start your day.
2. Stretch and Breathe Deep
Stretching and breathing deep can help you get the blood and oxygen flowing to your brain, and help you get up. I’m still tired when I do this, and not super happy about getting up, but I feel more like getting up. Kick off the covers as you stretch so that it’s more effort to get back under them. Sometimes getting your morning started is about doing what you can to wake your body and mind, and making it difficult to snuggle back down.
3. Do Something Simple to Start the Day
I keep my water bottle near my bed. It’s less about having something to sip at night and more about a long drink of cold water to get me going. Start with something simple to get going. Brush your teeth. Put on your socks. Drink your water. Put the coffee pot on. Whatever it is, create a simple task that you can do that gets you moving forward with the day. Once you’ve completed one task, it will be easier to move on to the next.
4. Create Rote Tasks
There are a few rote tasks that I do each morning. Start breakfast. Run through the sun salutation. Put on my slippers. Make my son’s lunch. Sometimes I even set my clothes out the night before. Look for ways you can make mornings easier by creating rote tasks that are easy to accomplish. We don’t like to face a day that starts hard. Do what you can to make it easier. Once you’re up and moving, you’ll feel better and eventually be awake enough to tackle the hard stuff.
5. Set Goals for the Day
We all like to have a sense of purpose. One of the best things you can do is consider your goals for the day. Think about what you want to accomplish. You don’t need a long list; sometimes a single important goal can make a big difference. When you know you have a purpose, it’s easier to stay motivated when it comes to getting your morning started. Set your goals at night if you have a hard time setting your intention in the morning.
