Self

4 Ways To Turn Yourself Into A Morning Person

Photo: AlexMaster / shutterstock
woman with coffee

By Taylor Yenko

If you’re anything like me, then you also think that mornings are the absolute worst.

I have always struggled with getting up in the morning, let alone getting things done so early in the day.

In high school, I would wait until the last possible minute to get up for school, and college wasn’t much different. In graduate school, I was sick of dreading mornings and struggling to get up.

RELATED: People Who Wake Up Early Are Smarter, Healthier & More Productive

I decided to make a change, so I started reading books and learning about how to be a better morning person — the kind of person who didn’t dread mornings and felt energized and happy to be awake.

I have learned a lot about how to make mornings better, so I’m sharing my top tips to help you learn to love your mornings, too. 

1. Get an alarm that works for you.

This has been a huge game-changer for me.

One of my biggest struggles was being able to wake up — there were several times when I didn’t wake up to my alarm at all. Finding an alarm that works for you is the first step.

I found one that makes me take at least 20 steps before it will shut off, which is perfect for me because I have less of a tendency to fall back to sleep.

This alarm offers multiple other challenges for it to be turned off like solving math problems, spelling, etc. (It’s called Alarmy.)

2. Establish a set morning routine.

Having an established morning routine is the key to having a good morning. That can look different for everyone, so it’s important to find what works for you.

For example, my ideal morning routine includes working out, reading some personal development books, and taking time to reflect and plan my day.

What I’ve noticed is that I feel much more energized and ready to take on the day when I take time for my morning routine.

I’ve heard a lot of people say that you have to fill up your own cup before you pour into others, and the best way to do that is in the morning to start your day on the right foot. 

RELATED: The Best Time To Wake Up When You Have Depression, According To Science

3. Prepare to have a good morning, and make it something to look forward to.

Make your routine something positive and meaningful to you. In addition to that, having a plan for your morning sets you up to succeed.

It could be anything from setting out clothes or books for the morning, making a plan of what to read, or setting up space specifically for your morning routine.

If you make the routine fun and something you look forward to, you’ll find yourself dreading mornings a lot less.

4. Find people to keep you accountable.

One thing that has really helped me have better mornings was getting people to keep me accountable. It’s much harder to talk yourself out of a habit/routine when you have someone else there with you!

Some ways to do this are having a friend text you to make sure you’re up, partner up with your significant other for a morning routine, or video chat with a friend as you work through your morning routines together.

Overall, mornings don’t have to be hard.

The best way to make your mornings worthwhile is finding what works for you, being intentional about your morning routine, making your mornings something to look forward to, and having people in your corner to keep you accountable.

You’ll be a morning bird in no time!

RELATED: The Best Time To Wake Up When You Have Depression, According To Science

Taylor Yenko is a writer whose work has been published on The Mighty, Unwritten, and more. For more of her content, visit her author profile.

This article was originally published at Unwritten. Reprinted with permission from the author.