Rise & Shine: How to Make Yourself a Morning Person

There just aren’t enough hours in the day!

We all have this thought before we go to sleep at night with the to-do list for the next day running through our minds.  Then, in the morning, as we press snooze one … two…three times on the 7 A.M alarm clock we are often awakened with the thoughts of that same list of empty boxes that need check marks before the end of the day.

But what if we started our day earlier? That would give us millennial women more time to do what needs to be done, and do what we want to do.

‘Oh no! 7 is already pushing it.’ That’s what you’re thinking. But studies show that earlier risers not only feel more accomplished at the end of their day, but are also happier during the course of their day. You’ll have time to get that workout in, send those emails, even read a few chapters of a leisure novel if you start your day earlier.

You have to be motivated to start your day early in the morning. Resist the urge to wait until the last possible second to get up! Being a morning person is as simple as making it a habit- start once, continue on for a few days, and before you know it’ll be second nature. You’ll begin to value the extra and time and energy that comes from starting your day the second dawn breaks.

Here are a few tips to help you wean yourself into getting used to an earlier alarm.

Schedule Appointments Earlier: Make your meetings or appointments for earlier in the morning. Having a commitment will make getting up much easier than simply wanting to get up earlier. So the next time you have to schedule a doctors visit, office meeting, or brunch with a friend, opt for the earlier hour.

Plan Your Day the Night Before: Not just your “To-Do” list, but even planning your outfit beforehand will make it easier to get up when you have a plan in your head. Write out what you want for breakfast, what you’re going to wear, and pack your briefcase the night before so getting up and out the door will be easier!

Set Your Alarm Earlier: If you’re prone to hitting the snooze button often, set your alarm hours in advance. The constant ringing and hitting snooze will eventually knock you out of drifting to sleep. Example: If you usually get set your alarm for 7 AM and hit snooze a few times until its 7:20 AM, set it for 5 AM. The time difference will trick you into thinking you’re getting more sleep when you hit snooze until 5:20, and you’ve still started your day two hours earlier!

Find a Workout Buddy: We all have that friend who gets up at the crack of dawn to workout. Set workout dates with them and start your day in the gym! Not only will they hold you accountable for getting up, but you’ll start your day with exercise! Getting in some fitness is not only good for your health, but starting your day with a workout will get the good juices flowing for the rest of the day.

Turn on The Lights: Since most associate lights with being active, moving, and awake, as soon you open your eyes, turn on the lights, or even open the curtains. They light shining will bring you out of the dark REM sleep cycle you’re in, and also give you a boost of energy for the day. Lights helps your biological clock tick! So when you wake up, turn on the lights; this will get you started for the day and soon you’ll learn to wake up as soon as you flip the switch, or wake up with the rising of the sun.