The start of the school year brings new friends, a totally different schedule and most notably, actually having to wake up in the morning to get your day started. Sure, some of us are morning people, but the majority of us would rather stay in bed for hours than get up and go to a lecture. Your morning doesn’t have to be totally terrible, you can actually transform into a morning person (maybe not forever, but at least for the next nine months) by changing some of the most basic things in your morning routine.
- Eat breakfast
The most basic and essential building block to having a good day should come first. We’ve heard over and over that breakfast is the most important meal of all, and it’s true! It gives you energy to kickstart your morning and continue on with the rest of your day. It’s something we all need if we have a 7:45, or even a 3:45 class. Stick with foods you know and recognize as healthy, like fruit, yogurt, eggs, or even a smoothie, if you have time. These will keep you energized longer and more naturally than foods loaded with sugar and quick energy.
- Don’t hit the snooze button
We all love an extra 15 minutes of sleep, but according to research, hitting the snooze button actually restarts your sleep cycle. This may explain why, even after those extra minutes, you still don’t want to roll out of bed. The chimes of your alarm might put a damper on your mood, but it’s sure to pay off if you listen to them the first time around when you need to get work done.
- Don’t stay in bed and look at your phone
This advice goes right along with trying to avoid hitting the snooze button when you first awake. If you lay in bed to check social media or reply to text messages, you’ll be less motivated to finish your morning routine in the time you designate for yourself. If you leave your phone wherever you placed it the night before until you leave the house, it’ll help relieve some stress and clear your head for the day to come. It’s a great way to motivate yourself in the morning and let your mind focus on positive and simple thoughts, something that is sometimes greatly needed early on.
- Spotify, not Netflix
Everyone loves to binge a show on Netflix, but watching it when you haven’t completed your morning routine will surely distract you from what absolutely needs to be done. Music is a better alternative, it helps pass the time, but still keeps your brain focused on moving from one task to the next efficiently. If you want to keep a relaxed and peaceful atmosphere, try listening to some classical or instrumental music instead of what you might normally choose.
- Plan your day the night before
This is probably the most important step you can incorporate in your routine to truly become a morning person. If you visualize your routine pointedly, you’ll be much more likely to complete it in a timely and stress-free manner. Whether it’s through using a physical planner or creating mental notes right before you fall asleep, set up a schedule for yourself. It’s recommended not to use your phone, for the bright screen can keep you from gaining a restful sleep. It can be as detailed or as basic as you would like, as long as there’s an outline to follow the next day. When you wake up, you’ll be motivated and know what you need to get accomplished that morning and throughout the rest of the day.
