There’s a lot of things throughout my life that have improved my happiness, but waking up early will always take first place. In college, it’s rare that you hear of people waking up before the sun does and unless you were forced to take a 7:45 class, there’s a good chance you’re staying in bed until you truly have to. If I could stress one thing to help improve the lives of college students, it would be to GET UP. Since practicing this healthy habit, I have gained hours in my day to be productive and get things accomplished, worked out before my day even technically started, and been an all around more positive person. By doing this, I have awarded myself with longer days and the best part of it all? It’s free! Below I will tell you how you can successfully become a morning person too.
1.) Plan the night before
It’s a given that things run smoother when they’re planned out. I wholeheartedly believe in setting things out the night before—breakfast, clothes, gym bag, whatever. This will help eliminate the unnecessary “filler” time in the morning and prevent you from being rushed/stressed from not knowing what to eat or wear.
2.) Set your alarm clock across the room
The biggest mistake I hear/see people making is sleeping with their phone and/or using it as their alarm clock. If you have to use your phone to get you up, that’s fine but make sure you’re placing it on a dresser or table as far away from the bed as possible. By doing this, you’re forcing yourself to get up and help you stay out of bed once you’ve gotten up. Sleeping with your alarm means it’s much, much easier to simply snooze or shut it off, letting you off the hook.
3.) Make your bed
I used to be super against making beds. I mean you’re going to just ruin it again, am I right? No. Never underestimate the powers of a made bed. First off, there’s a less likely chance that you will climb into your nice cozy bed once it’s nicely made. Secondly, having a nice, organized room (bed in this case) will declutter your mind and help make you more relaxed.
4.) Drink warm (lemon) water
I’ve read tons of articles on healthy morning habits, and one that repeatedly shows up is drinking water immediately after you wake up. It’s not uncommon that your stomach is upset when you wake up (maybe you gave in to a few too many pieces of pizza or a glass of wine with your roommates), and the best way to help settle it is with some yummy lemon water—-it’s truly healing. It’s the perfect way to not only hydrate your body and let the lemon work its magic, but it’s an awesome means of warming up and taking a moment for youself.
5.) Make a to-do and gratitude list
When you plan out your goals for the day right off the bat, there’s a better chance that they’re going to get done. You can tell yourself you want to be productive as much as you want, but writing is a form of further validation. A list is harder to ignore. As for the gratitude list, it’s an encouraging way to stay humble and grateful for all you have. It can be as little as the clean sheets on your bed or as significant as your awesomely support family. There’s always something to be thankful for.
6.) Get moving
Morning workouts can be a pain in the butt if you’re tired or not into the early morning slug you’re likely to be in. However, it doesn’t have to be an hour and a half long cardio session or anything to that extent. Try looking up short morning yoga stretches or go for a quick walk around the block. Your mind might not be awake but energizing your body and/or getting fresh air is a great way to ease into the process.
7.) Eat a big meal
If you’re not hungry when you wake up, that’s okay—just grab a piece of fruit or granola bar. Although make sure at some point you’re having a substantial breakfast. Some of my favorites are avocado toast, oatmeal (with a little PB and banana), and protein shakes. What they say about eating a good breakfast is true. Don’t neglect it!