How To Be A Morning Person
10 tips to wake up earlier
Do you long to be one of those glorious people that watches the sunrise each morning with their cup of coffee in hand having already ticked off half of their to-do list? Me too.
Getting up early is said to increase productivity, improve sleep and boost energy and happiness levels. Whether you’re a night owl trying to change your ways or you just love a lie in, changing your habits is never easy.
Read our top habits for the perfect morning routine to increase happiness and productivity…
Set your alarm a little earlier each day - you can’t expect to master a new routine overnight, you need to give your body and mind time to adjust. So each day, set your alarm a little earlier, even if it’s only by a couple of minutes. But this will only work if you’re well rested, so make sure to get into bed a little earlier too.
Create a relaxing bedtime routine - you guessed it, less screen time! The blue light rays emitted by your cellphones, laptops and TV can all affect your sleep pattern. Plus, your brain will more than likely be super awake, still absorbing all that content. Instead, try reading or meditating to calm your mind before bed. On a podcast with nutritionist and author Rhiannon Lambert, Dave and Steve Flynn from The Happy Pear explain how as adults we tend to spend only five minutes winding down before bed, whereas kids, the parents tend to create a consistent bedtime routine that involves winding down for an hour, so similarly, we should spend more time relaxing to improve our quality of sleep.
Breathe before bed - if you find that you often feel overwhelmed before bed which causes you to stay awake much later than planned, simply try breathing. Practicing being mindful of your breath is a grounding technique that helps your brain to return to the present moment, rather than running off with anxiety.
Nourish - I don’t know about you but as soon as I wake up, I’m ready to eat. Planning a delicious breakfast that you can take pleasure in will give you the motivation to not only wake up, but keep you fuelled all morning.
Get your heart rate going - many people enjoy exercising first thing because it releases endorphins straight away, sets the tone of the day and means you don’t have to worry about finding time later. This way, you’ve been productive before you’ve even started your working day. The great thing is, it doesn’t have to be super intense or long, a quick 20 minute HIIT workout or yoga session will do the trick. But keep it fun! It doesn’t have to be the same form of exercise every morning, see what you feel like on the day.
Watch the sunrise -
go for a walk or just sit in your garden (or just watch from the window) for a few moments and watch the sunrise to remind you that today is a new day and it has endless possibilities. Plus, it’s one of the best ways to boost our mood because the colors are so beautiful and spending time in nature is said to release endorphins and ground us.
Do your skincare straight away - when you wake up, head straight to the bathroom to do your skincare routine or jump in the shower. That way, you’re already up so you might as well get on with the rest of it.
Write down your to-do list - you can either write your to-do list the night before to clear your mind and reduce overthinking and anxiety before you sleep. Or, you may prefer spending some time in the morning before you get out of bed, writing down your thoughts / feelings and expressing gratitude. Journalling will engage your mind and it can benefit your overall well-being.
Identify what makes you feel good - the important thing is that your routine brings you happiness. You don’t want to wake up feeling like it’s a chore before you’ve even started your day. Rather, ensure that you start your day or at least, allocate time in your day for doing something that you enjoy, whether that’s meditating, reading, FaceTiming a friend, practicing a hobby or breathing in fresh air.
Get enough zzz - the predictable one but perhaps the most important, you can’t pour from an empty cup so make sure you recharge your batteries with a good night’s sleep so that you feel energised and refreshed when you wake up.
It’s really important to remember that you don’t have to master the perfect morning routine! You have to be realistic and not put too much pressure on yourself. All of these habits can be super beneficial but simply being mindful can do wonders. You don’t need to have ticked off every single thing on your to-do list or try and do everything in one day, perhaps we need to redefine what success and productivity means, by being mindful of how we feel in the present moment.
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