I have never been what people would consider a “morning person.” I take great pride in having an incredibly cozy bed. However, this becomes a double-edged sword when it comes time to get up in the morning.
For the past four years, I have been able to cater my schedule around my inability to function before 9:00 AM. Then, this past summer, I had my first internship. This came with the harsh realization that when I enter the workforce after college, I won’t be able to schedule my entire life the way I schedule my classes. I will likely have to be awake and alert by 8:00 AM. If I end up with a long commute, it’ll be even earlier than that.
So, I decided it was time to take action and learn how to make the most of my mornings. After scouring the Internet for the best tips and tricks to start the day off right, I found the top 5 methods that have allowed me to (somewhat) turn into a “morning person.”
5 Tips for Becoming a Morning Person:
1. Alarms are your friend.
We’re all guilty of hitting the snooze button when we don’t want to get out of bed. In my case, I somehow picked up the habit of turning off my alarm while still half-asleep. Then, when I wake up two hours later, I curse “sleeping Julia” for making me late once again. The only solution I’ve found for this problem has been setting multiple alarms. When I say multiple, I mean at least 5. That way, if I turn off one, there are backups to ensure that I get out of bed.
2. Lights out (including technology) before bed.
It can be tempting to scroll through Instagram before bed. However, I’ve found that it is much easier to fall asleep if I put my phone far away from me and turn my lights off. If my mind is still racing when I get into bed, I turn on a relaxing podcast or listen to standup comedians.
3. If you have blinds, open them.
I am fortunate enough to have giant windows in my apartment that illuminate my room each morning. I used to keep the blinds shut, but now, I keep them wide open to send a signal to my brain each morning that it’s time to get out of bed.
4. Stop promising yourself that you’ll “do it in the morning.”
This one is self-explanatory. Why add more stress to your mornings if it’s already a tough time? If you normally shower at night, then don’t throw your entire routine off by pushing your shower to the morning out of laziness. If you need to print an assignment before class, print it the night before so you won’t be stressing about it in the morning.
5. Eat breakfast & Remember to hydrate (especially if you drink coffee)
If you live off campus like I do, buy breakfast foods that get you excited. For me, this is avocado toast and a cup of coffee with hazelnut creamer.
Also, remember to drink water in the morning! This is especially important for coffee drinkers. Being dehydrated can lead to drowsiness, confusion, and all the funky feelings many of us associate with early mornings. Drinking a big glass of water in the morning will hydrate you and help you feel refreshed so you can take on the day ahead.
Hopefully, these tips can help anyone else out there who struggles in the morning. If you implement these strategies and still find yourself dreading each morning, don’t give up! It took me months to get to the point where I can wake up before 8:00 AM every single day, and it was a tough journey that required lots of patience. However, if you stick with it, you will thank yourself in the long run…trust me.