Luckily for me, I’ve grown up in a family full of those who define themselves as morning people. It is instilled in my brain to have the need to wake up early and make the most out of the time I have available in the day. However, I know this desire to wake up early and conquer the day does not come easily to everyone. I would like to share some useful tips that I incorporate into my daily routine so you, too, can start your day off on the right foot. Whether you’re looking to wake up on time for your 8 a.m. class, want to get that early morning workout in or simply wish you had more time in the day to work with, here is the best advice for turning yourself into a morning person.
1. Less screen time the night before and when you wake up
It is statistically proven that spending time on your phone right before you go to sleep at night is detrimental to your sleep quality. It can be hard to turn off that Netflix show after a long day of school but being on your phone or computer right up until bedtime will ruin your productivity the next day. The same goes for when you wake up in the morning. Don’t ruin a good morning by spending time on your phone as soon as you wake up. It will only make you feel groggier and less likely to get a good jump start on your day.
The good news is if you are an iPhone user, there is now a new tool in Settings that allows you to see how much time you are spending on your phone weekly and daily. Check how much time you are currently spending on your device and set goals for yourself to spend less time on your phone each week. If the temptation is too heavy to use your phone before bed or when you wake up, put your phone on both Do Not Disturb and Night Mode in order to make yourself less likely to be distracted by bright screens and notifications.
2. Set an alarm and actually get up
Many of us are guilty of wanting to sleep in that extra five minutes past the alarm in the morning. However, snoozing an alarm repeatedly makes you more tired than you would have been if you got up during that first alarm. Do yourself a favor and set one alarm at the time you need to wake up and not set any extra alarms. It may be tough at first to wake up on time, but if you keep at it, it will eventually become your new routine and be much easier to get up and begin the day.
3. Make breakfast or coffee– something that gets you excited to get out of bed
Having something to look forward to when you hop out of bed will make it so much easier to have the drive to wake up and get moving. Try making a fun breakfast like waffles, overnight oats, or a smoothie that will motivate you to get up as well as give you energy. Not a breakfast person? Make a cup of coffee or tea and some days you can even treat yourself to a Starbucks run on the way to class. Having a good breakfast or drink in the morning always gives you that extra jolt of excitement to get out of bed.
4. Pick out all your clothes the night before
The last thing you want to do when you drag yourself out of bed is picking out an outfit. In order to prevent yourself from throwing on those comfy sweatpants and running out the door, look through your clothes the night before and have it laid out and ready to wear in the morning. That way, all you have to do is put on the clothes and not have to think about what you’re going to wear. Those sweatpants might be comfy at first, but you’ll find that as the day goes on, you will feel much more productive wearing a well thought out outfit that you can feel confident in.
5. Make a to-do list the night before so you know what you have to accomplish
Each night before going to bed, go into the Notes section on your phone or take out a pad of paper and jot down everything that you need to accomplish the following day. This ensures that you won’t be up all night stressing out about what you have to do. This simple task also allows you to wake up the next morning with a plan of action and know what you need to conquer as soon as you get up.
6. Exercise shortly after waking up
This may sound like the last thing you want to do when you’re tired but working out first thing in the morning is excellent for your health. Exercising increases your endorphin levels and allows you to be more focused and productive throughout the day. You’ll find that over time, you really will feel happier and more motivated to make the most out of your day.
Don’t be discouraged if you can’t accomplish all of these tips at once, but I encourage you to keep working on it and push yourself to wake up and be productive. You’ll be calling yourself a morning person in no time!