If you would have told me two years ago that I’d write on a post on how to become a morning person, I’d have called you crazy. Growing up I severely struggled with getting out of bed everyday. I can’t tell you how many memories I have of my mom yelling up the stairs at me to get ready for school. On days I’d spend at my grandparents, my grandma would literally bang on the ceiling with the handle of a mop to wake me up (I still cringe anytime I hear a similar sound). Then college happened and the beginning of every semester came with the anxiety of potentially having a class at the dreaded 8AM time slot. I’ll admit that there were more than a few I switched out of solely for not wanting to wake up early.
My lazy morning ways slightly improved when I moved to New York and started my first adult job. I have to say, it is easier to wake up when you have a paycheck (though small it was) as motivation. That said, waking up on weekdays was still agonizing and more often than not I made it out the door just in time to catch the subway. But there was still no hope on weekends– I swear Nick and I rarely ever got up before noon during the two and half years we lived in the West Village.
So what changed? Well, for one thing we moved to a much larger and brighter apartment. I feel like whenever you make a big life change, like switching a job or moving to a new home, it’s a good time to adjust your habits. I honestly never set out to become a morning person. It just happened as I began experimenting with modifications to my routine and noticing how drastically my quality of life was improving.
Fast forward to today and I absolutely LOVE mornings. It’s the time when I get my best work done. I pretty much wake up naturally with the sun and try to have a good bulk of my to-do list completed by noon. Sound crazy? Well, take it from someone who never thought they’d be a morning person: It is POSSIBLE! You can absolutely change your ways later in life– keep on reading for the 5 easy tips that helped me tremendously when breaking my morning habits.
Sleep With Your Curtains Open. This was a game changer. We kept our bedroom as dark as a dungeon when lived in the West Village. Total mistake. We didn’t have curtains during the first few weeks in our new apartment so the light would just pour in every morning. It was very shocking at first, but it became a natural alarm clock for me. Now even on weekends I wake up with the sun.
Always Make Your Bed First Thing. Confession: I never made my bed growing up. My poor mom tried so hard to instill the habit in me, but it took 25 years for it to finally stick. Once I quit my job and began working from home, I started adding making the bed to my morning to-do list and I’ve noticed it’s made a big difference in my mood and productivity. It’s always one of the first things I do and vastly reduces the temptation to climb back in under the sheets.
Move Meetings & Fitness Classes To Mornings. One thing that helps me get up early is knowing I have a meeting or exercise class. Every week I always try to schedule a few morning obligations to hold myself accountable and keep to an early routine. You are way less likely to hit snooze if there’s a specific time you need to be somewhere or you’re paying for a fitness membership.
Tidy Up & Get Organized For The Next Day Every Night. Before bed I always like to tidy our apartment and prepare for the next day. Now I’m not talking a deep clean– just folding throw blankets, fluffing our couch pillows, taking out the trash, making sure dishes aren’t in the sink, etc. I also like to begin writing my to-do list, so when I wake up it’s there sitting on the table next to my laptop. If I have a pilates class or a meeting, I’ll organize my tote bag and make sure I have everything I need to walk out the door ready. It’s much easier to wake up when you know you’re prepped to conquer the day.
Implement A Bedtime Routine. Begin devoting 30 minutes to a hour before bed to do what makes you feel the most relaxed. Getting out of bed isn’t so awful when you’re well-rested and have had a good night’s sleep. So whether it’s reading a book, having a cup of tea or taking a bath– try your best to detach from technology and the stress of the day for a few moments right before bed. For me, I personally love to take my time with my skincare routine and put on a face mask when I’m winding down.
So what do you think? Would love to hear if any of you have morning habits that help you get out of bed!
Megan at Lush to Blush says
I need to follow some of these tips!! I would LOVE to become more of a morning person but it’s so tough for me!
Xo,
Megan at Lush to Blush
Katie says
Hope they help! I was never a morning person either so if I can do it, you can too! xo
Gloria says
You did it Katie! UNBELIEVABLE!
Katie says
I’m still in disbelief myself!
Kathleen Harper says
Love your tips – I’m definitely not a morning person!
<3
katsfashionfix.com
Katie says
Aww you can do it!!!
Brittany says
I had to come back to this post to thank you because I did NOT think it was possible for me to become a morning person, but after trying some of your tips I can see now how it might happen sooner rather than never!! My only thing was – have you heard that you apparently get better quality sleep when your room is dark (and the curtains are shut)? Wanted to see what you thought about this or if you feel your sleep quality has been affected at all!
Thank you for sharing!
xx, Brittany
http://sincerelystyled.com