If you’re like most, the idea of getting up and out of bed in the morning is almost painful. The thought of pulling yourself away from your cosy bed, especially if you’ve had a restless night doesn’t even bear thinking about. Unfortunately, life carries on and regardless of how you feel about the mornings, you’ve still got to get up and get on with your day. So how can you make mornings more bearable? Is it even possible? Of course it is! So, let’s take a look at how you can make your morning routine just that little bit easier. Who knows, you may end up even finding mornings more enjoyable!
Prepare yourself the night before
If you’re a night owl and mornings are just difficult for you, then you should use the time in the evenings where you feel more energetic to help you prepare for your morning routine. You should start by preparing breakfast and lunch for the following day – trust us, you’ll thank yourself for it. Not only are you ensuring that you’re going to get a decent start to your day, but you won’t be tempted to head to the garage on the way to work and pick up something that’s less than healthy.
Then, you could set out your clothes and skincare for the following day. While you might not think that part of your morning takes very long, you actually spend more time picking out clothes and running back and forth trying to find everything you need than you think. If you lay it out all in one place, you can quickly get ready in the morning and still have time for other important things.
Have a lovely cup of coffee to get yourself going
If you struggle with getting up in the morning, then there’s a good chance that coffee is one of the biggest saviours for you. Did you know that studies show that coffee and caffeine doesn’t just give you an energy boost to begin with, but it can actually help you last throughout the day as well. So, while you shouldn’t be dependent on coffee, there’s nothing wrong with having a lovely cup of coffee in the morning to get yourself going.
However, it’s important not to just settle for any kind of coffee. If you have instant coffee, it can leave you feeling shaky or jittery throughout the day rather than energised, so make sure you choose a good roast bean for your morning cup. There are many different specialty coffee beans that you could try that will help add some variety to your morning cup of coffee.
Take a cool shower
Showering in the morning isn’t for everyone, but it can be beneficial further than simply helping to wake you up. Not only can a cool shower help bring you to life in the mornings, it can also help with:
- Reducing inflammation and pain
- Getting your blood pumping. When you’ve been asleep overnight you naturally feel sluggish, and a cool shower can help revitalise you and get you moving.
- Cleaning your body to help leave you feeling fresh and smelling great ready for the day.
- Tightens your pores, improving the appearance of your skin. Cool water can help make your skin look brighter and feel softer too.
It’s not the easiest thing motivating yourself to jump in the shower in the morning, but if you give it a go for a few weeks you will notice the difference, so consider adding it to your morning routine.
Make sure you have breakfast
Night owls aren’t often breakfast people. Sometimes the idea of eating when you wake up is enough to make your stomach turn. However, if you skip breakfast, you run the risk of having higher cholesterol which increases your risk of heart disease.
Not only that, but if you struggle with your energy levels through the day, it might be because you’re skipping breakfast. While a cup of coffee is a great way to start the day, it’s definitely not something that you should depend on throughout the day. If you’re not a cereal or toast kind of person, consider preparing and freezing in batch some breakfast foods that you will eat. There are loads of different breakfast options that you can prepare the night before, so consider doing that to make your mornings smoother!
You should also make sure you have breakfast to help boost your brain power and concentration in the mornings. This is especially important if your working day starts with meetings or lots of planning. And, you’ll avoid the side effect of overeating later on in the day too.
Go for a brisk walk
Going for a walk might be the last thing on your mind first thing in the morning, but it can do wonders in helping you wake up and get going. Not only that, but if you find it difficult to find time for exercise any other time of the day, it gives you the chance to kill two birds with one stone.
So, try getting up and getting yourself out of the house straight away to see if you notice a difference in the way you feel. You could head to your local coffee shop or go and pick up the paper – we promise you’ll notice a positive difference!
Listen to music to get you going!
If you’re like most people that hate the morning, then you’ll agree that a bad mood goes hand in hand with struggling to get up. Music can do wonders in many areas of your life, so why not stick on some music that will help get you motivated in the morning? Some people find that the radio is sufficient enough, but you could always create a Spotify playlist with songs that get you moving to help lift that bad morning mood.
Pop some music on while you’re getting dressed and doing your skincare, and then carry it on right through to that first sip of coffee and your commute to work. You’ll find that by the time you get there, you’re in a much better mood and ready to tackle the day.
Don’t pick up your phone as soon as you wake up
One of the biggest mistakes people make is picking up their phone the moment they wake up. Not only are the harsh blue light from today’s technology bad for your newly opened eyes, but scrolling through social media is not a productive use of your time, especially if it takes you a while to get going in the morning.
Instead, pop on some music or have your TV on in the background and listen to the morning news. That way, you’re still hands free and can get everything done without being distracted by the latest trends on TikTok.
Be more mindful
If you’re looking for an alternative way to spend your time in the morning that doesn’t involve any technology, then try practising mindfulness. After all, it can be a great way to clear your mind and mentally prepare yourself for the day ahead. And, studies have shown that mindfulness is a useful tool when it comes to improving your self confidence, which will also help you get your day off on the right foot.
Luckily, mindfulness doesn’t always mean doing yoga. While it’s a very powerful way of doing it, you can practise mindfulness by meditating or saying positive affirmations out loud. Remind yourself who you are, what you believe in, and reinforce your beliefs as you start yet another day.
Give yourself time to wind down
Is there a chance that you’re not a morning person because you struggle to get a good night of sleep? If that’s the case, then you probably need to give yourself more of a chance to wind down before bedtime. Make sure you’re putting your phone and other devices away an hour or two before bedtime to give your eyes a rest. As mentioned before, the harsh blue light can prevent you from being able to fall asleep, even if you feel tired.
While it’s easier said than done to let go of stress at the end of a long day, it’s important to put your foot down when it comes to your personal time. So, if work is stressing you out, set a deadline for how long you can worry about it in your personal time. The best way to look at it is that there’s nothing you can do right now, so there’s no point worrying about it. Giving yourself enough time to wind down will help you get a more restful and quality night of sleep. In turn, you might just find getting up in the mornings that little bit easier.
As you can see, there are many things you can do to make getting up in the mornings easier and less of a dread. Use these tips to make your life easier and in most cases, much healthier too!
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