Whether you’re frantically getting the kids ready for school or motivating yourself to get out of bed for work, mornings can be stressful, disorganised and sometimes a downright pain.
In fact, new morning mood research from O&G Crunchy Granola has found that 54 per cent of Aussies admit they are ‘not a morning person’ at all. That’s more than half of us!
But getting up early not only means you can start the day in a productive way, but you can also boost your energy levels and feel a lot less grumpy. So how can we transform ourselves into morning people? Try out these five top tips.
1. Set yourself a bedtime
Ok it may sound obvious and it’s easier said than done, but sticking to a routine and getting a good night’s sleep does wonders.
Adults should aim to get between seven and nine hours of sleep every night and if you go to bed just an hour or two earlier, you’re more likely to wake up earlier than you normally would.
Another episode on Netflix or a quick scroll through Instagram is easy to do just before we doze off, but try to turn off all your devices at least an hour before bed. The artificial light will keep you up and delay your body’s internal clock, so try cosying up with a good book instead.
It sounds simple, but an early bedtime will solve a lot of problems.
2. Get prepped the night before
If you’re a slow mover in the mornings, try and get all the essential prep done the night before so there’s little to do once your alarm clock goes off.
Whether that means preparing your breakfast (more on that in a bit), laying out tomorrow’s outfit or packing your bag for that morning gym class, use that evening to get prepared so you can feel a lot less stressed the next day.
RELATED: The little change Jodi Anasta has made to mornings that’s making a difference in more ways than one.
3. Give yourself something to look forward to when you wake up
A lot of the time we dread the mornings because it means you have a dull day full of meetings, drop-offs and/or appointments ahead. But this doesn’t have to be the case.
Plan something for the next morning that will make you want to get out of bed rather than stay hidden under the covers. This could be a new yoga class before work or even something as simple as a coffee date with a friend, whatever works best for you.
READ MORE: Are you a morning lark or a night owl?
Schedule in a coffee date with a friend for the morning.
4. Put your alarm clock on the other side of the room
Along with nails scratching down a chalkboard, the alarm clock on a miserable morning is one of the worst sounds in the world.
Place your phone or clock on the other side of your bedroom so that you’re forced to get out of bed to turn it off. If you can turn on a light or open the curtains to brighten up your room while you’re up, you’re less likely to get back into bed and make yourself late.
5. Eat breakfast
It’s the most important meal of the day, but it turns out not many of us are eating our breakfast. The research from O&G Crunchy Granola found that Gen Xers are more likely to skip breakfast or have a coffee instead whereas millenials will eat their brekky more towards lunchtime.
Stuck for inspiration? Check out these eight easy breakfasts that you can eat in bed.
Make time for brekky.
