Do Mornings HAVE To Be So Hard??? 3 Things YOU Can Do to NOT Hate The Morning Time
Don’t you just love mornings?
Nope, not you?
Well, let’s just say I am a morning person. I love getting things done, getting a fresh start and feeling like I have a full blank slate of a day ahead of me. Now this may be due in part to my natural alarm clock that wakes me most days by 5:30 am, but even if you’re a hit the snooze button kind of person, there are some things you can do to not dread the mornings quite so much.
But you may be wondering why you should care. I mean, what’s wrong with grumbling through the first couple of hours of the day? Maybe nothing, but maybe everything. The way we start our days has a lot to do with what we will ultimately be able to accomplish. If we awaken tired, frustrated, feeling rushed or scattered, we’re less likely to be productive in the morning which usually has a trickle down effect. Have you ever noticed how a bad mood can spread like a wildfire?
Don’t get me wrong though, this is not a simple suggestion to have a better attitude about the morning, this is about actually creating the morning of your dreams so that you can enjoy your day and not dread it.
Now, I already told you that I’m naturally an early riser and I do like my mornings nice and peaceful. But because I have come across lots of clients who do not love the early hours like myself and even more that are desperate to be more productive or have better time management, I’ve done a fair amount of research on the subject and what I can tell you is, mornings do NOT have to be hard. Check out 3 simple steps you can take to make the most of those morning hours.
First, the best mornings actually begin with a little planning at least the night before. When I’m having a hard time turning my brain off or just want to get a jump on the day, I’ll start your morning the night before with a evening brain dump. It’s simple to do, just taking out a piece of paper and letting loose about anything that comes to mind. Then you can identify your most important tasks for the next day. I go the extra step and schedule those in my phone or paper planner so I don’t have to wonder how I’ll get to them.
Second, make sure you are well rested. Again, this is a night before tip, but it also might include how you wake up. As many as 2/3 of us struggle with getting to or staying asleep at least occasionally, so if you periodically get up at night or have trouble shutting your brain down, that may not be the end of the world, but if you find yourself getting less than 7 hours consistently, or waking up tired, you may need a little help. The first couple tips I give for people not getting good sleep are:
Keep the bedroom cool; 70 degrees or less
Eliminate extra lights (including the cable box or cell phone notifications)
Cut back on caffeine at least a few hours before you head to sleep
And lastly, when you do wake up in the morning, hopefully well rested and knowing exactly what you want to accomplish, spend 10-15 minutes meditating quietly or visualizing a successful day. I know it seems counter productive to do nothing to have a better morning, but it really makes a difference. Being in front of 20-30 children means you’re about to be pulled on emotionally and maybe physically for multiple hours. You’ll be responsible for other people, giving to other people and reflecting feelings all day, filling your own cup is not optional. My perfect morning includes going through my vision book, meditating, praying and if I’m really doing good, getting in a workout. There are multiple benefits, including having a quiet start, feeling good about accomplishing something before breakfast and even a brief meditation can bring clarity.
So, can you make the most of your mornings? If you want to get some additional tools to improve your morning flow, check out my ebook, Upgrade Your Morning which walks you through a 7 day challenge with super simple daily tasks to help you create the morning routine of your dreams. You can also check out a great book by Laura Vanderkam called, What The Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast, it’s a quick read but if you haven’t downloaded Audible or Scribd, it’s also fun to listen to in less than an hour.