Getting out of bed on a regular day is hard enough. Getting out of bed when there’s nothing but fog outside your window and putting a single toe outside your blanket causes it to freeze? Impossible.
Winters are not made for productive days.
My friend
Classes and responsibilities disagree, however. So how do you make waking up on those cold, dreary days a little bit easier? Here’s a few things I tried to incorporate into my life to crawl out of bed a little less unwillingly.
Make your mornings exciting:
I scheduled my most fun and enjoyable tasks early in the day – I gave myself a reason to look forward to my mornings! I like to write first thing in the morning. Not because it’s easy, but because I enjoy doing it and don’t mind slogging through it.
Get out of bed and into the sun:
Sun basking in winter is the best thing to exist! I pull open the curtains of my room, cross my fingers for some sunshine, and when I find it, stretch myself and find a warm spot to bask in, all while sipping on my morning coffee or tea and reading a book. My friends call me a heathen for liking green tea, but hey, as long as it helps me wake up!
Sweating your way out of the blankets:
Working out is proven to be one of the best ways to start the day. And exercising definitely keeps the chills away. Somedays, when I manage to feel a little more motivated and disciplined, I grab my headphones and pull up favourite workout routine after rolling out of bed, and dance, punch, do pilates or pushup my way to the start of the day.
Eat a steaming hot breakfast:
Meal prepping my favourite breakfasts the previous night, and waking up to an (almost) ready to eat meal that I just need to microwave or heat up? It lets the start of my day be flavorful and filling. And if you live in a dorm like me and eat mess in a cafeteria, there are days where breakfast isn’t the best. So be sure to stock up on chocolates or berries or whatever else will help elevate the taste of those occasional bland meals. Cashews are my way to go.
I hope this list helps make your winter mornings a little less chilly and a lot more productive. Good luck getting up on the first alarm, though.