The most life-changing thing I have ever done for myself is create a morning routine. For most of my life I was an extreme night owl. Despite the daily morning stress that came with never getting enough sleep and never being able to get out of bed on time, I refused to change. I told myself that I was not a morning person, nor would I ever be. People are born to stay up late or wake up early, and they don’t change. Or at least that’s what I vehemently believed.

But once I got into the workforce, I found that my time was no longer my own. I wanted to have more time in my day for hobbies and to just start the day off on the right foot. So I created a morning routine, and although it has gone through a few iterations, it has somehow stuck. I can’t say whole-heartedly that I am a “morning person.” I don’t wake up before my alarm and I still feel too tired to function when I first get out of bed. But now about ten to fifteen minutes after my alarm goes off, I feel relatively human. More so than I ever thought would be possible before 8 a.m.

Understand the benefits to you

• Waking up early gives you the time to prioritize YOU. Why would you get up hours earlier in the day to do more work for everyone else? You spend all day doing that! Make the morning time a gift to yourself. Set intentions, engage in an act of self care, and you’ll feel way more prepared to meet the rest of the world when they finally wake up.

No more snooze!

• Waking up when your alarm first goes off and avoiding the ever-alluring snooze button will actually make you feel more rested. When you snooze, your body starts to go through a full new sleep cycle. Waking up in the middle of that new cycle when your alarm goes off again will make you far groggier.

Leave Your Phone Behind

• Put your phone in another room (ideally the room where your morning routine begins).

  • The key to my morning routine success has been putting my phone in my bathroom. It’s close enough that I can hear the alarm, but it’s far enough that I have to get out of bed to turn it off. I used to keep my phone on a nightstand that still required me to get out of bed. But the problem was that I would pass by my bed again after turning it off, and that pillowy fortress would always lure me back as I walked by. Putting my phone in the room where I start my morning routine encourages me to move on to the first steps of my routine (washing my face and brushing my teeth) rather than snoozing or returning to bed.

Set up Automations

• If the smell of coffee first thing in the morning entices you to get up… well, same. You can set up automations with technology like Amazon Alexa that will get your coffee brewing at a pre-programmed time each day.

• Have your lights turn on automatically at a set time each morning. Some smart bulbs can even increase the brightness as it gets closer to your alarm time so you wake up more naturally.

• Set your smart device to give you information at a scheduled time each morning. It can read you the news, tell you the weather, play a song, etc.

Plan out Your Morning Routine

• Knowing what you’re going to do in the morning eliminates decision fatigue and gives you a list of reasons to get out of bed. No one wants to wake up early in the morning to sit around and do nothing.

Additional Tips & Habits

• Open the curtains or blinds to let natural light into the room.

• Have a glass of lemon water or cup of coffee ready to go so you have something to look forward to. I prepare lemon ice cubes so I can easily add them to my water each morning.

• Plan out your morning routine in advance so you have a clear idea of what you need to do.

• Try to go to bed at a consistent time each night to make sure you get enough sleep.

• Use a gentle alarm tone that gradually increases in volume. This can help you wake up more peacefully and avoid feeling startled.

• Place a motivating quote or picture near your alarm clock to give you a positive start to your day.

• Make your bed immediately after getting up. This small accomplishment can give you a sense of productivity and help set the tone for the rest of your day.

• Keep a consistent morning and evening routine, even on weekends. This can help regulate your body's circadian rhythm and make it easier to wake up at the same time each day.

Remember, getting up early is a habit and it takes time to build. Be patient with yourself and keep at it. Soon enough, you'll be a morning person! (Or at least more of one than you could have possibly imagined!)