Personally, mornings are my favorite part of the day. It’s the time where I’m most productive, I feel rejuvenated after a good night’s sleep and I love knowing that there is a full day of possibilities ahead. I know those of you who are night owl’s might be cringing at the thought of being a morning person, but you can take control of your mornings and choose certain methods that don’t involve waking up at 5am or working out before your 8am class. If you’re wanting to transition into becoming a morning person or want to take advantage during this time of the day, I’ve compiled several different ways that can boost your morning routine and leave you feeling rejuvenated for the day ahead.
Wake up at the same time every day
One of the best ways to transition into becoming a morning person is to wake up at the same time every day. I know there are those days when you would much rather press your snooze on your alarm and try to squeeze in as much extra sleep as you can, but establishing a certain time to wake up every day whether it’s 6am or 7:30am, having persistence is key when it comes to being able to wake up and feel more lively in the morning. No matter what time of the day you go to bed the night before, your body will start to naturally wake up at the same time and become conditioned to a regular sleep pattern.
Morning Workout
There are definitely times where I would much rather stay cozy in bed then go workout in the morning. But whenever I push myself to do a morning workout, the experience is always rewarding. Although you don’t have to have an outrageous workout plan or run three miles before you go to school, simply being able to dismiss the excuses of being too tired and allowing yourself to get your body moving can be a natural remedy to wake up and leave you feeling productive immediately. Going for a run in the morning has always made me feel energized and I love getting my workout done for the day, so I can take on the rest of the day with a strong and healthy mindset. A 30-minute workout in the morning allows me to relieve stress, clear my mind and feel satisfaction in knowing I’m incorporating a healthy start to my day.
Listen to a Podcast
Instead of jamming out to my favorite playlist or watching another episode of Friends, I decide to indulge in a podcast as a motivational way to start my mornings. Whether you want to stay informed, feel inspired and or have a change of pace to your morning routine, there are several different genres and hundreds of podcast episodes to choose from. If I’m walking to school or driving to work, I love to start my mornings by listening to a podcast — every time an episode is over, I feel moved by the story, engaged in a new level of thinking and stimulated to create work that reflected on positive energy.
Read a book
Rather than scrolling endlessly on social media or spending the first hour of your day checking/responding to emails — pick up a good book and start reading. Reading is a great alternative to avoid screen time and stimulate your brain in a beneficial way. I love spending a slow and quiet morning by engaging in one of my favorite books to relax in bed a little longer and gather my thoughts for the day in a peaceful way.
Yoga or Meditation
Yoga is a common and popular choice for morning routines. A lot of people, including me, recommend starting your day with yoga or meditation because it ultimately clears your mind and relaxes your body. Most of us wake up with an overwhelming amount of thoughts running through our head and stressing over the countless list of responsibilities we have to do, but incorporating yoga or meditation into a daily morning routine can ease anxiety and recharge our minds in the midst of potential stress. Yoga and medication has left me in a brighter mood and provided a soothing environment for me to start my day.