For the longest time I wanted to be a morning person. Morning people seem to have longer days, get more done, don’t have to rush to class, and actually get to eat breakfast at the dining hall before it closes at 10AM! I always felt like I was someone who sped walked everywhere, slowly stopped getting “fully ready” till mid-day in-between other classes, and, honestly, cared less and less about being late. One day I became so done with rushing what felt like everything in life because I woke up late or never gave myself time in my mornings. So instead of waking up at 10:45… I started waking up at 8:30. I used this time before class not only to get ready for the day, but to also get work done, eat, and anything else I felt would make the rest of my day (or even week) easier.
Now, what did I do and how did I do it so, so, so, SO early?
1. I got up… no matter how much it hurt.
This… was honestly the hardest part. Have you ever woken up so early for your body that it felt like it hurt? Yeah. That’s how it felt. But when I got up and moving, I felt proud of myself.
2. I drank a bottle of water
Coffee isn’t always the best “waker-upper”. Drinking a cold glass of water can actually help your body wake up faster while coffee later can kick in to keep you going through the day. Now, I’m not a coffee drinker, but the water did the trick!
3. Planned my morning in steps
As soon as I woke up, and even before getting out of bed, I planned in my head what I needed to accomplish: shower, brush teeth, clothes, gather school supplies, get any last minute homework done, etc. Sometimes I even wrote it down and checked off as I went (checking off accomplishments always feels like a relief).
4. Set everything I needed for my day on my desk
Whenever I set everything on my desk I need for my day, I would be able to go back to my room between classes and switch out supplies for certain classes. This provided extra time for me so I’m not hunting down things I need and later rushing to class.
5. Dressed for myself
I dressed up. For me. I felt my confidence go up. Plus, waking up early and getting things done made me feel accomplished.
6. Actually got to eat breakfast
I made it to breakfast! I didn’t have to rush. I didn’t have to go for the pizza. I was able to have breakfast. Being able to eat good in the morning gave me extra energy through the day. I felt less groggy, less hungry, and more ready!
7. Walked to class and arrived 10 minutes early
This was so helpful because I had time to write down what the teachers put on the board before class.
8. Naturally wanted to go to bed earlier
The earlier I woke up, the earlier I felt like sleeping. This prevented me from staying up all throughout the night.
Overall, I saw positives for me when I woke up earlier. Even after I ended my mini experiment, I noticed that I naturally just wanted to wake up before 9:30am. From then, I still had time to get ready. Waking up early allowed me to get more things done, I didn’t have to rush, I got to experience quiet mornings, and I got to have time to eat. Waking up early has become a habit I would like to keep up. Maybe you can try it and see how it works for you! But…. I’m sure we can all agree on one thing: