Super Easy Ways to Make Yourself a Morning Person
As a night owl, I know what it feels like to think morning people are aliens.
They wake up early and actually like it? Who are these people?
I never understood how they could actually like waking up. I always thought laying in bed all morning was a dream come true.
When I wrote my productivity article, I was already consistent with my sleep and morning routine. Before that, I would try to be consistent but I’d go out late during the weekends and play catch up all week. It was a vicious cycle.
That changed when I started my master’s program. I finally started being serious about it. I needed all the hours I could get in a day so I finally stuck to a routine.
Without even realizing it, I was growing into a morning person. I would get up and look forward to my coffee. I liked that everyone was still sleeping or waking up and wouldn’t bother me at least for that hour.
It felt powerful. Like I was finally a part of this club I didn’t understand before.
Have a “you-centered” task planned
When you have something to do right when you wake up, you have a reason to get out of bed. Whether it’s for your business, a side project or personal improvement, make sure it’s something that means something to you.
I used to start my morning doing work for a client and hated waking up. It’s not fun waking up because you have to do it for someone else. I made the switch into doing something I love and it’s a game-changer.
I always say “fill your cup before you fill others”, meaning I focus on stuff that fills me with a sense of accomplishment and happiness first. Then, I’ll do work for others.
Having that time in the morning isn’t selfish. It sets you up for the day so you can do things for others without feeling resentful.
Have your breakfast ready
Knowing that your breakfast is already taken care of takes the burden away from figuring out what to make.
When you have nothing planned, you’ll be thinking about what to make when you should be focusing on your “you-centered” task.
Make it easy for yourself to grab something from the fridge. Something you can eat from the container or heat up and enjoy.
I’ve been eating overnight oats for almost a year now and haven’t gotten sick of them. If you like eggs, you can try these Trader Joe’s egg frittatas. If you like sweet flavors in the morning, try having a smoothie or pre-made açaí bowl.
As long as it’s already done for you, you won’t have to worry about what to make.
Let yourself wake up slow
Waking up slow is a game-changer.
When I was working full-time, I’d wake up within 30 minutes of when I needed to leave. I’d get myself ready in 15 minutes, eat breakfast and drink coffee in the other 15 minutes and run out the door.
In hindsight, those mornings sucked. I was setting myself up for failure.
Now, I can’t live without having at least an hour of my own time before I even change from my pajamas. If it’s too cold in my room, I turn off the air and let myself wait it out until it gets warm. If I’m sick that day, I give myself some extra time to lay in bed.
Having those moments to yourself without force sets yourself up for success.
Being kind to yourself is key.
Every day is going to be different, so if you have an hour to yourself, you should spend it how you like.
Have a set routine
I read this book called the Miracle Morning and the author talked about the importance of a set routine.
He has lots of suggestions on how to best spend this time. He suggests starting with meditation, exercising, reading, writing and other tasks. Of course, this isn’t for everyone.
What I took from it was the way I should plan my mornings. For instance, I start with my skincare routine, I brush my teeth, set up my coffee and make my bed. Then, I sit on my couch and do my “me-centered” task, which is always writing.
I rarely stray from this. Having a routine lets you go on autopilot so you don’t have to think too much and just do.
Make sleep your #1 priority
When you’re young, you can get away with sleeping at midnight and waking up at 7 a.m. to go to school. All you had to do was sit through class and pay attention. You’re not making any life-altering decisions there.
What I noticed was I was always dragging. Whether I wasn’t getting enough sleep or I was sleeping too much on the weekends. There was no structure to it.
Now, sleep is the most important part of my routine.
I always try to sleep at the same time and get up at the same time. By doing that, you let your body know it’s going to rest a certain amount every night.
The sleep is more restful which makes waking up easier.
Change your mindset
Tell yourself you love the morning.
Appreciate the way the sun glows into the room. Think about how happy you are to have this time to yourself.
It’s time to start calling it your “you time”. Just like you should have a “you-centered” task, you should call it your “you time”. This gives it a special place in the day.
If you’re married and have kids, this time can be before everyone gets up. If that’s too early, then set aside a time that the whole house knows is your time and no one can bother you. Make it work for you.
When you make this your “you time”, you cherish it and use it as best you can because it’s yours and only yours.
Ease into early rising
If you wake up at 9 a.m. every day, you won’t be able to just switch to waking up at 7 a.m.
Your body and internal clock need time to get used to changes.
Give yourself a new goal every week to wake up between 10 and 15 minutes earlier. A gradual change makes it much easier. You’ll also need to scale back a bit and go to bed earlier.
There’s no sense in trying to wake up earlier if you don’t go to bed earlier. You need a full seven or eight hours of sleep every night to wake up feeling refreshed.
The best part about this is you can listen to your body along the way. There’s no need to rush the process. You’ll start feeling tired earlier in the day and naturally start sleeping earlier.
It’s all in the process.
To recap, becoming a morning person is a process. It takes time and consistency to get there. A few things you should remember are:
- Give yourself “you-time” right when you wake up
- Make sleep a priority by being consistent with your times
- Wake up slowly
- Change your mindset about what morning means to you
- Ease into waking up early if you don’t already
