While most us are completely content tucked between the sheets for several hours to come, a rare breed of people, more commonly referred to as “morning people,” wake up with the sun. While you are still in the middle of your dream, (probably starring Leonardo DiCaprio), they are in the middle of their daily sunrise yoga class.
We all know this person. At one point, we may have even made resolutions to become this person (that probably lasted until the first late-night Netflix marathon occurred). Either way, it is easy to find yourself pondering what life would be like if you had the time to drink your coffee in your kitchen, as opposed to spilling it all over yourself as you sprint to lab (overslept, again).
Here are some tips to help us “non-morning” types get a good start to our crazy, over-scheduled college days.
1. Use your alarm clock. Or cell phone app, or whatever device you have come to dread around the morning hours. But let’s be honest, without this obnoxious invention, most of us would never have even seen a morning. The first step to becoming a morning-ish person is using this device. Have a goal in mind for when you want to be up each morning, and then set your alarm to go off 10 minutes earlier each day until you reach your goal.
2. Have a reason to wake up. Whether it is your favorite flavor of k-cup, getting breakfast with your friends or taking your dog to the park, find your reason to get out of bed in the morning. Doing something you enjoy in the morning has the potential to decrease stress and give you a more positive outlook of the rest of your day as well (maybe it can even get you through that 2-hour physics lecture).
3. Prepare the night before. Checking some of your morning “to-dos” off your list the night before can make your morning go much smoother. This could be as simple as laying out your outfit for the next day and packing your backpack. Having fewer small tasks in the morning can leave you time to plan for the larger events of the day and help you feel less frazzled. Preparing the night before also entails getting to bed at a decent time (so maybe only one episode of Scandal before hitting the hay).
4. Exercise before your brain figures out what you’re doing. Never having to wait for a treadmill is one of the many benefits of going to a college gym before noon. Even though waking up early AND exercising before class even starts seems impossible for the average student, it frees up time to study (or not) later in the day and wakes you up naturally.
5. Schedule your appointments in the morning. If having a productive day isn’t enough to pull you away from your bed in the a.m., then maybe an obligation will. Schedule meetings with professors or doctor’s appointments so you have no choice but to get your day started.
6. Create a routine. Even if it is creating a list of “goals” for the day while eating breakfast or watching the news with a cup of coffee. This is a way to cut down on the chaos of everyday life and creative a sense of order and calmness.
Most of us will not be waking up tomorrow at 6:00 a.m. to hit the mat at sunrise yoga. But, the rest of us can strive toward becoming “morning-ish” people to get a fresh start on the day and help us deal with the insanity of everyday life.
Photos courtesy of:
http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z315/pqsy4ka/e6113c7e.jpg
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t315/massstudy/040419%20ontour/DSC_90…
http://i1315.photobucket.com/albums/t597/the_gman1/health/waking_up_grad…