Do you feel groggy and grouchy when you wake up in the morning? Would you rather be one of those super productive early birds who seem to have their lives together? If so, here are some things you can do to get into some better habits – in order to become more of a morning person.
Make your to-do list the night before
Starting your day off with the daunting task of writing your to-do list before even starting it is pretty stressful. After all, it requires you to think about all the things that you need to accomplish when you have barely woken up! If you write your list the night before it will be a big weight off of your shoulders and you can start ticking things off straight away. As a bonus, it might help you sleep better as you won’t be worrying about remembering everything you have to do the next day.
Wake up early
It sounds grim, but honestly, exceptionally successful people tend to wake up really early! For example, CEO of Twitter, Jack Dorsey wakes up at 5:30 am to fit in a morning jog and the CEO of Pepsico, Indra Nooyi is up at 4 am and already in the office before 7 am! You might not necessarily have to get up quite so early, but a productive morning tends to have an early start so stop pressing that snooze button.
Kick off the day with some exercise
If you’re up early, get yourself fully woke up with some sort of workout. It is such a great way to kick off your day having already done something substantial, get the endorphins pumping through your body and feeling good about yourself. You will feel pumped for the day, and your body will thank you for it. Whether you go for a run, hit the gym or do some yoga, find a workout that works for you and get cracking!
Tick off the big items
If you start work before others, you have less chance of being interrupted. Use this time to tick off a big item, or work on an important project to feel a great sense of accomplishment before some people have even clocked in! Choose a top priority to tackle before even opening your inbox and before the flood of calls distracts you – it’s the perfect time of day to get these things done.
Work on your side hustle
If you have a side project that you want to spend more time on, instead of waiting until the end of the day when you are exhausted and worked-out, why not use those precious early moments to work on your own stuff. You will be making it a habit to dedicate some time to your own projects which means you will be more likely to stick to them, than if you made this a few hours after work – after all, who wants to do more work after a long day at work?!
Enjoy stillness and silence
If you don’t fancy cramming more work into an already busy day (and we certainly don’t blame you!), then take the time to practice mindfulness. Sitting still and enjoying some silent contemplation might not seem very productive, but it really is an excellent use of your time in the morning and can set you up for a fantastic day. Use the time in the way that suits you best, whether that is with prayer, meditation, reflection or manifestations.
So don’t dread the mornings, think of them as a great way to start the day! Use these top tips and you’ll be super productive in no time.
