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Are you a morning person? I wouldn’t say I’m especially not a morning person – I’m generally not grumpy until I’ve had coffee, and I usually don’t have too hard of a time waking up – but I’m definitely not at the top of my game in the morning. In fact, most people I know don’t have particularly nice things to stay about waking up before work.
It’s pretty common to hear things like “I had to drag myself out of bed” or “I’m not human until I’ve had caffeine”. And yet, the mornings set the tone for the rest of our day. If we made a few small changes to brighten up our wake up, we can start the day on the right foot (and the right side of the bed), increasing our chances of having a good day all day long. The question is, how can we do this?
Mornings are usually stressful because they can be hectic. We’ve woken up when perhaps we don’t really want to (especially when it’s cold and dark out) and may have a limited amount of time to do a great number of tasks. Sometimes, waking up a little earlier (and in turn, going to bed a little earlier) is all it takes to solve the problem, but this solution is certainly not always feasible! What are some easy ways to start the day off right?
Turn Up The Tunes – Or Not
Playing your favorite music and singing along while you get ready for the day is a great way to motivate yourself and cheer up. Many people do this when getting ready for a party; why not do it to face the day ahead? I changed my alarm to a Sam Cooke song; it’s nearly impossible to be mad when I wake up “Ain’t that Good News.”
Or you may be a person who discovers they need tranquility before setting out into the world. Do you watch a morning news show, and then find yourself running over the fear-laden news reports long after they are over? Turn off the TV, and listen to the birds, the sound of water boiling, the fall of rain. Enjoy the silence.
Fuel Your Day
I need to eat breakfast nearly as soon as I wake up. Many other people don’t eat until lunch (how???) All bodies, appetites and metabolisms are different, but, when faced with a whole day that requires energy output the whole time, we should fuel our bodies with something healthy and delicious.
To me, this might be nut butter on toast, yogurt with cinnamon or the clean-foods pancakes my kids and I have been loving recently. For others who don’t require a banquet as soon as they get out of bed (again, how?), fresh fruit or something equally light and nourishing might suffice. A big glass of water is a healthy start for everyone.
You might decide to wake up early once a week to cook omelets for your family, starting the day off like a Saturday instead of a Monday. Or you might prepare something the night before so that you ensure you have something good that’s ready to eat the next morning. What you put in your body will fuel you throughout the day. Start off with something healthy and delicious.
Make One Small Change At A Time
If your mornings are too hectic, or perhaps not too hectic but not too great, think of one small change you can make and work on just that. One little thing – filling the kettle the night before, for instance, or laying out an outfit – can make a big difference in how smooth your morning runs. Once that one small change becomes a habit, you can work on another, and pretty soon you really will be able to rise and shine, or at least, rise and feel pretty good about the day ahead.
[Photo Credit: Epicantus]
Rachel contribute to the site because, with all the negativity and fear being broadcast these days, everyone could use a reminder of the wonder and joy that is always around us, if we only take the time and make the effort to see it.
I was never a morning person, but I wanted to be. So I set out to become one and now I wake up at 5 AM every morning and I’m in the gym at 6. For me, I just decided to do it and started cold turkey. However, it seems to work better for most people to start slow and work their way up. Similar to how you said to focus on just 1 thing. Someone looking to wake up earlier can start by just waking up 15 minutes earlier for a week. Then 15 minutes earlier than that the next week and so on until they reach their goal time. Just my 2 cents. Nice post!
For some people, going all in like you works well, for others not so much. But the idea of waking up 15 minutes earlier for a few weeks and then 15 minutes earlier is a great example of how to succeed in this task. Just break things down into small goals and once that becomes habit, take the next step.
Thanks for sharing!!
I love my mornings. I always have a lot to do, but I never rush. I try not to stress with my to do list. I just do what I can, when I can 🙂
That’s a great approach Nikky!
I’m a morning person, I love waking up at around 4 or 5 A.M. But during 9 A.M., I go to the bed and sleep again, I really don’t know why, but, I always do that every day.
That is interesting Kate. Once I am up and awake, I stay awake until bed time again later that night. But, if it works for you, keep it up!