We all have to live through mornings, why not make it a pleasant experience? Other than the obvious caffeine, here are some tips to make getting out of bed a little easier in the morning.

1. Put your alarm across the room.
Good morning! The easiest way to physically get out of bed is to make it impossible to roll over and continuously press the snooze button. You would be surprised how much more awake you will feel once you get up and stretch your legs. Now that you are already up why go through the effort to crawl back into bed? Time to attack the day.

2. Hydrate your body with water, not coffee.
Before you do anything else, throw back an entire glass of water. Water is going to wake you up faster than coffee will because it hits your system quicker than caffeine. Water immediately hydrates your cells, waking you up fast.

3. Skip social media.
Checking social media is one of the most distracting, time-consuming activities that secretly steals a lot of your “me” time in the early hours of the day. Scrolling through your Instagram or Twitter feed gets your mind in the wrong place; comparing yourself to people online and so on.

4. Write to-do lists for the day.
Writing lists helps to organize a scattered jumble of thoughts onto one nice, neat sheet of paper. It is surprising how relaxing it is to jot down all of the tasks and errands you have to complete. This way, you can entirely eject the stressful dispersion of thoughts from your brain onto a blank page.

5. In addition to water, hydrate with tea.
Drinking tea can help to kick-start digestion. Do not fret, most teas have that caffeine you crave. If you choose to go the all-herbal route, green teas have amazing natural cleansing properties for your stomach, plus it has been known to help boost the metabolism.

6. Take the time to make a nourishing breakfast.
Fact. breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Rather than getting caught up in a dieting fad, think about what will truly satisfy your body and what will give you fuel for the rest of your day. It most likely will not be a doughnut, sorry. I love having a bowl of whole grain cereal in the morning, but I dress it up with some fresh fruit on top, and I swap out dairy for almond milk. The good thing about fruit is that you can pile it on to your heart’s content. I opt for some banana, strawberries and raspberries hand-picked from the backyard. Investing time into what you eat will make you feel better throughout the entire day.

7. Add some essential oils to your morning shower.
Peppermint essential oils aid in alertness! During or after your shower dab some oil onto your pulse points like your wrists and neck/décolletage area. If you usually save showers for the nighttime, add a few drops of a citrus-based essential oil to your cleanser to wake you up. Lemon properties help to restore the skin’s complexion and boost skin brightness.

8. Journaling.
Ease your mind and calm your thoughts. This is another way to skip out on social media. Journaling allows the time to reflect and become in touch with where you are mentally and spiritually. This simple act is balancing for the mind and the soul; it helps you to focus on yourself rather than focusing on what other people are doing in their lives.

9. Light a candle.
Your favorite scent only adds to the tranquility of a morning to yourself. Change the scent selection depending on the season. In the spring and summer time lean towards something fruity, floral and light. Fall and winter is best for musky, warm scents such as pumpkin, vanilla and ginger.

10. Focus on YOU.
Detach from the outside world, put your phone in a drawer, unplug completely. Time slows down once you remove all distractions and stress depletes. Use this time for total relaxation. You deserve it. Enjoy!