EARLY MORNINGS

Its been a motto I’ve lived by for a long time.. I’m not going to lie, sometimes I have times when I sleep in, sometimes my body needs it. But I’m sure you can relate. I use to wake up 10 minutes before I have to leave for work, I wouldn’t even shower. I’d be rushing trying to find my work clothes while stuffing my face with some breakfast, while the kettles boiling my coffee, stressed out of my mind that I’m going to be late. Get in my car with some 2 minute noodles and a muesli bar that I quickly grabbed for lunch, drive to work and have the audacity to blame others for driving slow for me being late. Usually that attitude would continue into the day.

 

But I know now when I’m my best self I am up long before I even have to start getting ready for whatever I have on that day. Life is busy and I can often find myself not having a spare minute in the day, which means no actual time for myself. So I take the time in the mornings to have that time to myself, be present with myself, ask myself questions, give myself credit when its due for what’s going on in my life  and to have a good think about how I’m going to smash the rest of the day out of the park.

 

1. Start slowly. Don’t go too hard too fast and set your alarm for 5am. Set a realistic time to begin with, maybe 30 mins earlier than your usual time. 

2. Put yourself to bed earlier at night. This is another key to the puzzle. If you are trying to get into a new early morning routine, you’ll need to also create new bedtime habits. If you find it difficult to get to sleep, try reading or listen to a podcast in bed. I swear I fall asleep after one page!

 

3. Open the blinds, and get out of your bedroom as soon as you turn your alarm off. Your internal clock (circadian rhythm) is controlled by sunlight, so natural light will help to wake you up. By doing this, you are also far less likely to get back into (or stay in) bed. 

 

4. Plan something to do when you wake up. This will become part of your new routine. For example, go for a walk, a quick training session, stretching or even listen to a podcast while you prep your meals for the day. Follow this up with a nice shower and get ready for the day ahead.