How often have you gone to bed frustrated because you noticed that the sun was on its way up?
Even though we’re in a global pandemic, as a nation, our sleeping schedules are not the best. On average, about 1 in 5 people are awake before 5:30 am, while only 17% wake up AFTER 8 am.
Waking up late and staying in quarantine does not take away the amount of work we have to do. As we work remotely, get new jobs, or venture into new opportunities, we must reconsider how much rest we get.
It’s no problem though, just like everything in life, it can be fixed.
What always worked for me growing up was structure. Because of my momma, I enjoy order, and I have a great understanding of time and punctuality. This respect came after years of being up bright and early every Saturday to pursue childhood hobbies and doing chores.
Being a morning person can sound scary. The idea of waking up against our will can already seem frustrating. No, you do not have to start your day at like 4:30 am like Bill Gates, but there is a certain amount of discipline that has to be developed to get up on time. Here are some of my favorite tips for getting out of bed.
TASK IT OUT
Create a task list of things you have to do on the DAY OF. A lot of time gets wasted when thinking about your tasks in the long term. While thinking ahead is a significant step, planning things out on the day of will ensure its urgency. You will begin to focus more on the present.
As soon as you get up, write down at least 3 things you want to complete. They do not necessarily have to be a big, daunting task. We all need reminders for the small things too. Remember your priorities. What’s most important?
REMEMBER WHAT YOU LOVE TO DO
Treat Yo’Self. What’s your favorite thing to do in the morning? Are you dying to try a new skincare product? Do you love a particular breakfast food? How good would it be to bite into a baconeggandcheese?! Do you usually call up a certain someone in the morning? Give yourself something to look forward to. Doing so will increase the chances of you doing it. Fantasize about your favorite morning activity the night before.
SETTLING MULTIPLE ALARMS
This is the most annoying step. Our alarms are annoying, but that’s their job lol. If you’re a heavy sleeper, this one’s for you. Setting multiple alarms will pressure you to STOP snoozing. You will have to address each of these alarms personally. Create the alerts 10 minutes apart so you can be as bothered as possible.
DO IT TOGETHER
Doing anything with someone often garners success. If this a goal of someone else in your household or a close friend, use this time to hold each other accountable. Wake each other up. Proverbs 27:17 reads, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens the face of his neighbor.” Two are always stronger than one. Waking this person up will even create a new daily task. This increased sense of responsibility for one another will introduce positive reinforcement.
EXCERCISE
Move ya body lol. Working out in the morning will bring up your alertness, mood, and focus levels. Exercise produces cortisol, better known as our awake hormone. Cortisol peaks before 8 am naturally and go down during the day. Getting a workout in will stretch the longevity of this. Now, we know it’s not the easiest thing to wake up and begin running a treadmill, but any form of exercises like yoga and stretching will produce the same results. You can take it slow. As long as you move.
Starting your day is never easy. Everyone’s body works on a particular circadian rhythm that assimilates to its environment. This rhythm is meant to be trained. Re-train it. We can do this. Following the tips above will have us up on our feet before the 12 o’clock news.
What are some of your favorite ways to get you up in the morning?
