So you’re not a morning person. That’s fine. But what if you want to be? What are the simple things you can do to make mornings less bleak and more cheerful?
Believe it or not, it doesn’t take much to take your mornings from a five out of ten to at least a seven; it just requires a little thought.
1. Do not underestimate comfort
Ever had one of those mornings where you mentally fight yourself on getting out of bed for a good long while because it’s so freezing outside of your bed that the prospect of leaving it seems impossible? We’ve all been there. Here’s a recommendation; set your heat on a timer, if possible, put a warm rug by your bed, and invest in some good slippers and a fluffy robe. If you’re going to get out of bed early, it better be worth it.
2. Give yourself something immediate to look forward to
One of the best smells to wake up to is a freshly brewed pot of coffee. That’s my kind of morning bribe. If coffee isn’t your thing but your big on breakfast, prep your breakfast the night before so that you can just pull it out and eat it without having too fuss. The closer you are to something you feel is worth waking up for, the better.
3. Prepare ahead
This includes coffee and breakfast, and packed lunches, but it also includes what you wear to work, and packing your bag the night before. If you can do it the night before in 5-7 minutes, and it will remove rush and stress out of your morning, it’s worth doing. If you’re not sure where to start on prepping each day, think about the last five things that made you stressed, rushed or simply downright late in the morning; that’s where prep could help save you
4. Do not snooze
Snoozing hurts your partner and snoozing hurts you! Instead of snoozing, try giving yourself a little window to wake up. It can be difficult at first, but if you train yourself, you might be able to get to a point where once your alarm has gone off you are able to sit in your half-awake state, periodically checking the clock until 10 or so minutes have passed and you’ve mustered up the strength to get out of bed. The fear of sleeping on, or FOSO, as we call it, is actually incredibly powerful in helping to keep you awake.
5. Skip the screen
Do something you love in the morning! Grab your favorite magazine, take a walk, cuddle with the dog and a cup of coffee. Put your phone and the demands and realities of the day on hold for as long as you reasonably can. Make mornings the way you want them to be, don’t let them be shaped by what you wake up to on Instagram.
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