There are people that wake up in the morning and then there are morning people. Both are completely different animals. For some it doesn’t matter what side of the bed they wake up on, it’s just never the right side. And for the others, they bounce out of bed ready to brace the day.
Well if you’re a night owl that wants to find some productivity or enjoyment out of starting off the day, then here are some tips on how to do it and make your day better than the last.
PLAN OUT THE NIGHT BEFORE
Alright so this may seem a bit cliché, but seriously, it’s helped me out so much. I haven’t been very good at keeping on task historically, so being ADD (and a procrastinator), scheduling out my day the night before has helped me so much.
Make sure to get enough sleep and think about what time is best for you to wake up. Then think of the productive and fun things you can get done in the morning to give yourself the afternoon off. Right everything down that you want to accomplish, it doesn’t all have to be completed if you’re busy in the morning, but it gives you perspective on what the morning might look like.
Find something challenging but rewarding to do. Once completed, you’ll feel like you’re ready to take on anything after that! Also… you’ll have the hard part out of the way.
Facebook and other social media websites are the enemy of any productive day. Now I’m not saying you have to cut it out completely, but you can’t make it a part of your morning routine if you want to accomplish anything productive or any of these steps below. At one point I had scheduled out my day the night before, feeling very good about it indeed. And when I woke up I decided I was just going to check on my Facebook for a half hour. Harmless right? Well before I knew it, I was three hours in and not a thing was done on my list.
Don’t let the online world suck you in with its cat videos and forgettable trending newlines.
WAKE UP EARLY
This is not necessary to start your day off right, but it will help. You’ll have more time to accomplish the things you wanted to do… and did I mention having more time for yourself? I think we all deserve a bit of us time when winding up for the day.
I started my productivity around 7:30 (again, this early is not necessary for you), and I’ve been able to accomplish so much more in my day. It really is rewarding to give yourself more time in the day for goals and you time.
PRAYER OR MEDITATION
Before you start or tackle any project that needs to get done, start your day off with a morning prayer or meditation. It calms you and is a great way to start the day off. You’ll feel a peace before you begin any task. They also say that people who pray live longer, so perhaps you’re doing your health a favor.
Meditation does not have to be religious, you just simply have to find a nice quiet place for yourself and let your mind relax before you fill it up with stimulation and productivity. Let yourself rest, it’s the key factor in keeping your calm and helping you to process stress throughout the day.
DRINK A HOT CUP OF SOMETHING
If coffee or tea is your thing (or hot chocolate), grab yourself a hot mug of something and relax. This may seem silly, but the heat of a warm drink mimics the warmth of a person’s body heat. So when you wrap your cold hands around the warm mug, it gives you the same feelings you’d get when being close with someone. This will sooth you and keep your mind and heart feeling balanced as you start the day off.
Also if it has caffeine in it, then it’s a great way to pep yourself up, but I suppose that goes without saying.
EXERCISE
Alright so this doesn’t sound as appealing, but it doesn’t have to be a jog around the block or fifty sit ups. Just do a simple five minute workout routine that will wake you up and give you energy for the day. Exercise releases endorphins which is the feel-good hormone in your brain. What better way to start off your day then making yourself “feel good?”
Working out also helps you to process stress better, so if there are things that cause stress in your life, whether it’s work, someone you have to see every day, or the crazy rush hour traffic, starting out with a small amount of exercise can help you with this.
MUSIC
So being productive in the morning is probably a new muscle for you. Don’t worry, I was in the same boat as you. All I thought mornings were good for was to sleep in, have breakfast, and laze around.
But a great way to motivate yourself to get your day, schedule, and goals accomplished is to put on your favorite music. Go to Pandora, Youtube, or even your iPhone and listen to your favorite music while you work. Make sure it’s upbeat as to keep the pace up. It seriously helped me when I was really trying to get stuff done and adulting (adulting can be a verb can’t it?).
DO SOMETHING THAT BRINGS YOU LIFE
This is probably the most important thing you can do for yourself when starting the day off right.
Do you have a book that you’re writing? A sketchbook that you’re filling up at the moment? An instrument you love to play? Or perhaps you’re reading an amazing novel that keeps you hooked with every plot twist. Well you can either do one of two things.
You can do this before you start anything productive on your list. It will make you happy and help you feel good about the rest of the day and how it will play out.
You can do this after you do a few productive things. See it as a reward, something to look forward to. So if you’re someone that finds it hard to keep to a schedule or stay motivated, this will help you to work towards something that brings you life.
Remember not to make it something on social media. That is the biggest trap for many people and it will eat away hours of the day you could have been using to do something that brought you life.
Now you can pick and choose what you want to do, any combinations of these will help you start your day off right. But remember to do something that brings you life, it’s a great way to ensure your happiness level throughout the day.
So give yourself the opportunity to make mornings more productive and relaxing. And if the rest of the day doesn’t follow along in the same pattern that you wished it had, there’s always tomorrow.
Chasing Foxes was started in 2016 as a way for Grace and her husband, Silas, to start traveling. However, they started to realize that they had a passion for improving themselves, and wanted to help others level up their lives as well. So whether it's with cooking, travel, or staying healthy, they want to help you better your life bit by bit, as they do the same.
