If you’re like most people, waking up in the morning is sometimes a lot harder than it looks. Who honestly wants to wake up and get out of their soft, warm bed that just wants to pull you back into a deep sleep? Sometimes we want that extra sleep or just a little bit more relaxation. This can be great, but it also can throw off your day, causing a delay in things you need to get done.
I, on the other hand, enjoy waking up early. Am I crazy? Yes, I’ve heard that my whole life. But I have found it quite motivating and simpler to wake up early. For me, this wasn’t always an easy habit to practice, but when you have two parents who get up in the early hours of the morning and come knocking on your door saying, “Wake up, stop sleeping, you’re wasting your day!”…you kind of have to accept it at some point. After many groans and protests, I eventually wake up, go downstairs and start my day. But to my surprise I feel more active, I have more time in the day to do the things I like, and I don’t feel guilty about lying in my bed all day. I personally can not stand staying in bed all day, unless I’m sick or possibly binging my favorite show, then that’s fine. But I think others should take this advice into consideration because it’ll help getting ready in the morning become faster and less stressful.
So, what if you’re in bed and your alarm goes off, you snooze it for some extra sleep, but you’re unable to get back up when the time comes? Well, I’ve found a neat trick that helps me when I don’t particularly want to get up in the morning. Simply just count down from the number ten or five (I use five), and once you hit one you’ll immediately get up and have the energy to get out of bed. Trust me it works, even if it sounds a little silly.
Afterward, I immediately wash my face to have a refreshed and calmer outlook. When you wash your face, it not only wakes you up but also gets you one step closer to feeling “clean” and ready to start your day. The first thing you should be doing right when you wake up is brushing your teeth. I’m not sure what it exactly is, but when I do so, it instantly makes me feel so much better and cleaner. I use this technique if I ever go out somewhere and I’ll be with people even if it’s during the middle of the day (and you won’t have to worry about having bad breath).
Appearance-wise, put on a nice outfit or at least a pair of jeans and a shirt to make yourself seem more dressed up. Putting on an outfit, even if you aren’t going out, makes you feel more productive. It’s also fun to dress up, not for others, but for yourself. Along with your outfit, feel free to add accessories or jewelry that add simple touches but mean so much to the person wearing them (that’s you)!
Now that you’re feeling refreshed and ready, make your bed! It takes not even five minutes to do and once you do, I promise you’ll have good karma. The first thing you really should be doing when you wake up in the morning is making your bed, but feel free to take this advice and do it whenever you want. I personally make my bed right away when I wake up so it becomes the first thing I have “accomplished” for the day.
My last piece of advice is to keep hydrated, so grab a glass of water, and keep your body moving throughout the morning. Don’t get lazy and just go sit on the couch, do something with your day and wake up early for a change. It won’t hurt, and you can always go to bed early the next day to catch up on your sleep. I know that if you implement at least one of these habits into your daily morning routine, you’ll see a great change in your mood and productivity. Let me know how it goes!