One day it’ll get easier
I am not, never have been, nor ever will be a morning person. In fact, when I was a child, I used to refer to sunlight as my enemy. However, it never occurred to me to move my bed from my east-facing window where the sunrise would attack my poor, unsuspecting self every morning. Even after I switched my furniture around, getting up in the morning remained and still remains the hardest task of my day. What can I say? I’m a night owl. But, sadly, the rest of the world doesn’t operate on that schedule. So, here’s a short list of six tips, tricks, and practices that help make getting up for those 8ams a little more bearable.
1. set an alarm for the same time every day
Now I know, I know. Even I groan when I think about it. But truly, making yourself get up to start the day at the same time is beyond beneficial. Everything just seems to fall into place when you have a set sleep schedule. Sadly, this applies to weekends, too. But, between you and me, I won’t tell if you sneak in an extra hour on a lazy Sunday.
2. get a good night’s rest
This one seems pretty straightforward, but I would argue that it’s often the most overlooked. Besides making sure that your head hits the pillow at a decent hour, make sure your sleeping conditions are ideal. Not too hot, not too cold. Try to spray a calming scent in the room before you go to sleep; that way your brain will be trained to shut down when you smell it. Another big thing is to make sure that you don’t bring work or school responsibilities to the bed with you. Let your bed be your rest and relaxation space only.
3. start your morning mindfully
This can look different for everybody. I like to get up and drink lemon water or green juice in the morning, followed by a quick yoga session (who said fitness has to be crazy exerting?), a shower, and coffee. For others, maybe it’s prayer, journaling, cooking a good breakfast, or listening to a podcast. It doesn’t matter what you do, but be sure to include something that feels good emotionally and/or physically to set the tone for the rest of your morning and day.
4. look your best
I’m a big fan of getting ready no matter the occasion. When you feel like you look good, you end up keeping that same energy throughout the day. So, allow yourself time in the morning to go the extra mile and pick out a cute, flattering outfit. Try to save the sweats and hoodies for when you’re lounging. The only things on your agenda are getting coffee and going to the grocery store? I promise, if you throw on a cute sweater, chunky hoops, and even just a swipe of mascara and gloss on in the morning, it’ll greatly change the entire trajectory of your shopping expedition.
5. don’t be overly ambitious
I know I just threw a bunch of to-dos at you for the morning. Realistically, though, you can’t do it all. Find a routine that actually works for you and your schedule. If you jam pack your morning with too many things, then everything becomes a chore, and you’re back to dreading mornings. Strike a balance.
6. accept that some mornings might kick you down
Unfortunately, the tips above don’t come with a 100% guarantee that every morning of your entire life will change if you start regularly incorporating certain practice into your morning plans. You’ll have days when you would rather lick a public restroom floor (my personal germophobic nightmare) than get out from under your covers. That’s okay. Try to get ahead of the day 80%-90% of the time. If you eat cheese balls in bed and watch Netflix until 4pm the remaining 10%-20%, the world won’t end.
So, there you have it: a non-morning person’s guide to pretending to be one. Even doing just a couple of these things will help that nasty 6:30am alarm be a bit more palatable. Remember, it takes some getting used to, and it won’t be perfect all the time, but you’ll definitely feel so much better for trying.