The sounds of your alarm clock goes off. It’s Monday morning. You were up late Sunday night and you have to be at work in two hours. You don’t feel like getting out of bed, let alone completing your morning tasks. How can you get out of bed more quickly and get more energy in the morning? Try some of these techniques:
1. Set your alarm clock to play your favorite music
The sounds of most alarm clocks is miserable and can elicit feelings of anxiety in many people. Thus by using a standard alarm clock, the first thought in your head each day is a negative one. That’s a terrible way to start the day! Instead, I recommend setting your alarm clock to play music that makes you happy. The first thought in your head each day be a bright one. Unlike with an annoying alarm clock sound, you won’t even want to push the snooze button! You will just want to dance, and you can’t sleep when you’re dancing… and when you’re dancing, you want to stand up. So before you know it, you’re up and ready to take on the day!
2. Drink caffeine shortly after waking
Often people feel groggy and slow for the first hour or two after waking up. Feeling groggy leads to lower productivity, and means more time spent on certain tasks than is necessary. To eliminate the morning groggy feeling, drink coffee or tea within about fifteen minutes of waking up. It prevents you from wanting to go back to sleep, and will give you the energy you need to get your morning tasks done quicker and get to work on time.
3. Place your alarm clock far from your bed
By placing your alarm clock far from your bed, you will be required to get out of bed to turn it off. Getting out of bed is often the hardest part about waking up in the morning. By getting out of bed faster, you increase the likelihood of starting your day instead of pressing the snooze button. Having your alarm clock next your bed makes it easier to press the snooze button and sleep longer.
4. Exercise in the morning
Some light exercise in the morning will get your endorphins flowing and give you more energy. The optimal duration and intensity of exercise varies from person to person. After a brief workout at the gym, I feel energized and ready to take on the day. In addition, it leaves the rest of may day open for other activities.
5. Drink water right before going to sleep
By drinking water first thing in the morning, when you wake up you’ll have to go to the bathroom which will make you want to get up and prevent you from falling back to sleep. However, try to avoid excess amounts of water within the few hours prior to going to sleep as at may cause you to wake up in the middle of the night. I recommend experimenting to find the optimal timing and quantity of water to drink prior to sleeping.
6. Leave your blinds open
Leaving your blinds open at night will allow the sun to enter your room and wake you up. The sun is also a source of vitamin D, which is a natural source of energy.
7. Eat before sleeping
One of the reasons why you feel groggy and slow in the morning is because you haven’t had any sustenance during the eight hours you were asleep. A small snack before bed can help prevent this feeling. I usually eat a low-carbohydrate, easy to digest, snack, such as cottage cheese, yogurt, milk, and/or peanut butter. Too much food or those that are difficult to digest may prevent you from sleeping, so it’s best to experiment to find the best quantity and types of food to eat before you sleep.
8. Eat when you wake up
A small and easy-to-digest meal in the morning will give you a boost of energy. As discussed above, while sleeping for eight hours you haven’t provided your body with any sustenance. I recommend piece of fruit, a glass of milk, or yogurt.
9. Go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day
Keeping a regular and consistent sleep schedule helps your body get in to a natural rhythm. By doing so you will begin to naturally fall asleep and wake up at the same time each day. Waking up will feel more natural and you will therefore have more energy in the morning. In addition you will help you fall asleep earlier. Getting the right amount of sleep will help you feel more energized. Staying up too late when you have to be up early the next morning can be detrimental to energy levels.
10. Do something you enjoy doing in the morning
Stimulating your mind by doing an inspiring or enjoyable activity will give you energy. Knowing that you will be doing something fun will make you more eager to get out of bed in the morning.
11. Schedule something with somebody in the morning
Having “peer accountability” is one of the most effective motivators. If someone is dependent on your for something or monitoring your progress, you will feel motivated to do it. Scheduling a breakfast or workout with a peer will give you a clear deadline to attain to in the morning, thus giving you a kick-start in the morning.
Post a Comment