How to (Try to) Be a Morning Person

I have been a night owl all my life. Staying up until 4am was no problem. On the other hand, getting up any time before noon, no matter how much sleep I had the night before, was always difficult. Getting up for school was always a pain, and early races killed me. Since being at college, more freedom has come with more responsibility. Sure, some days I didn’t have to be up until 1pm, so that is when I got up. But I have been noticing recently how this has been negatively affecting my body and its health. Getting up and going to bed at tremendously different times can cause serious confusion for your body’s systems. Now that I have morning classes everyday, I decided to regulate myself a bit more. And not only that, I am changing my lifestyle.  

I have decided to become a morning person. I know this sounds awful for a lot of you–it sounded awful to me for years–but I have to say I have noticed many positive changes so far! I intend to keep this up and to help regulate my body while being more productive, mentally stable, organized, and simply ready to take on the day. Each day I have a 9 a.m. class or an 8 a.m. shuttle to catch. So I have decided an appropriate time to get up is 6 a.m.  Here are some tips that have been working for me:

 

This is how you get those extra hours in a day you have been begging for. This is where you get time to do things you won’t have time for during the day.

 

Getting in some cardio and a nice lift at the start of the day really wakes me up and helps me get motivated to take on other tasks. It is also something I have struggled with fitting into my schedule otherwise, so it is great to have allotted time for it now, three days a week.

 

I’m sure you get a ton of them, and it is a task that that takes a substantial amount of your time during the day. Checking your email and having that aspect of housekeeping done is refreshing. You also will have a heads up for something that might be coming up that day.

 

This one sounds unnecessary, but there is something about it that really makes me feel like I’ve got my s#!t together. Plus a nice, clean, made bed is so much more inviting at the end of a long day.  

 

Use this spare time to balance out your body and mind. It doesn’t have to be long–I do five to 15 minutes. It gives you time to clear your head, prepare for the day mentally, or to reflect on the past without harsh distractions. I have felt much more centered since picking up this practice.

 

Obviously, only if you have them. If you don’t have plants in your room, I feel sorry for you. Watering and tending to my green little friends in the morning (or any time of day, really) makes me feel good that I know they are taken care of. There is something to be said for giving life to something that is both beautiful and beneficial, while being so opposite human or animals. But that is for another time…

 

Yes, we all know, breakfast is important. No excuses now! 

 

This is a good time of day to work on one of your hobbies, or to get better at something.  I intend on using some of my mornings to practice the piano for my upcoming recital.  Maybe you need to work on your free throws, or you’ve really wanted to write poetry?  Quite possibly you’ve wanted to keep better track of your finances (I sure need to). This is a great time for that!

 

The moral of the story is that sometimes it is best to not see the morning as the enemy. It can be good! I promise. Doing this will also help you get to bed sooner, in turn regulating your sleep schedule, which is something I needed for a long time. So give it a try. It IS possible. If I can do it, anyone can (just ask my mom)!