Confessions of a Morning Person

For many people, mornings can be a struggle. There’s a lot one has to do to make it to their 9am class on time while also being caffeinated and looking at least somewhat presentable. I, myself am a self-proclaimed morning person. Rather than hitting snooze or setting ten alarms so that I can sleep through the first 9, I prefer to hop out of bed by 7am each morning (weekends included). There is something about the mornings that makes me feel extra productive, so I am always excited to get my day started. Although it has always been something natural for me, I realize that being a morning person is not something that comes natural to everyone. Even I know that it would be a long shot to assume that every person could be transformed into a morning person, but here are some tips that basically anyone can use to make their mornings more productive (and somewhat less dreadful).

1. Pick out your outfit the night before

One of the biggest time consumers when getting ready in the morning is choosing what to wear. This can be especially tough when you are already drowsy and are not able to focus on decision-making. Before you go to bed, check your weather app to see what you should set out for the next morning. Tip: This would also be a good time to set out an umbrella, coat, and/or any accessories you may want to carry with you the next day.

2. Prepare your caffeine ahead of time

Whether you like your coffee (or tea) hot or cold, you can always make it the afternoon or evening before and store it in the fridge overnight. This way, you can simply add ice or pop it in the microwave and not have to worry about brewing, cleaning out coffee grinds, or washing dishes when you are on the run to class or work. Tip: Another technique to save time is to brew enough coffee or tea for 2-3 days, so that you do not have to remember to do this each night. The drink will still be fresh over a few days!

3. Eat breakfast

This may sound intuitive, but so many people skip the most important meal of the day! Whatever you eat in the morning will serve as brain food until the afternoon and help you function better. Your “meal” can be as simple as a granola bar if you are on the go. My favorite breakfast for a full day is a fruit, a protein, and some type of grain.

4. Wake up 15 minutes earlier and read

Although you may struggle to even get out of bed in time to make it to class, I challenge you to set your alarm back fifteen minutes and spend those few minutes reading or watching something encouraging. Whether this be a daily devotional, or an inspirational spoken word video to get you pumped to start the day, starting your day off with a positive word will help direct your mood for the rest of the day. 

5. Stretch

This does not have to be some type of elaborate, sixty-minute yoga routine that you perform each morning, but doing a couple head rolls and cat-cows can help to energize your body, increase brain function, and warm-up your muscles to reduce aches throughout the day. Tip: This article by Kimmi Dao gives a few ~easy~ examples of some quick morning stretches you can incorporate into your daily routine.

By no means should you feel like you have to incorporate all of these activities into your daily routine all at once. Some take practice before you get the hang of it, and some may not work for you at all. That’s OK! Simply try out one or two the next time you are getting ready for bed or waking up in the morning to see how you can improve your tomorrow.