There's a difference between getting up early and being a "morning person." The difference is productivity. Anyone can wake up at 7 am every day but lay around until 10 before a 10:30 class and STILL be late. I used to do something similar but I was tired of feeling like I had such long days and still not getting enough done.
By starting my day earlier and more productive, I feel great throughout my day and it has had a significant impact on my life. Here are some tips I picked up along the way.
1. Make a to-do list the night before.Â
Before I go to bed every night, I make a to-do list for the next day. This is not intended to stress you out, however, to give you more of a reason to not hit the snooze button the next morning. Then, when I wake up, I feel a sense of urgency to get ready and get everything on my list checked off.
I usually organize my list into 3 categories; in the morning, during classes, and evening. I try to accomplish my morning to-do list before my first class so I'm not worrying about those things all day. My list for during classes normally has things that I need to get done on campus while I'm there like pick up forms, see my advisor, etc.
My evening to-do list happens after classes and dinner and before I wind down for bed.
2. Stop pressing snooze.Â
We all want to sleep in a little when we can but I promise you that pressing snooze does much more harm than good. Going in and out of your sleep cycle only confuses your Brian and ends up making you more tired. Once you have initially interrupted your sleep cycle with your first alarm, press stop and focus on waking your body up instead of letting it sink back into another stage of sleep.
4. Drink water
Water wakes your body up and gets it physically ready for the day. I drink 1 bottle of water before my workout, 1 during, 1 after, then take it to class with me. For some extra health, squeeze a lemon into your first bottle of water.
3. Go to the gym in the morning.Â
Painful, I know. Changing up my gym routine was one of the best things that happened to me. I used to put off the gym until after my classes which resulted in not having enough energy to push through my workout. If I'm being honest, there were many times I didn't even make it because I had such a rough day on campus.
To ensure your workout is the best it can be, try getting your workout in before you first class. It also makes me feel more energized and ready for the day. Not to mention, it helps me eat healthier throughout the day knowing I got some cardio in.
4. COFFEE
Look, I'm not going to lie. Waking up earlier than you absolutely have to can be extremely difficult. I am the first one to admit that I NEED caffeine in the morning. Don't deprive yourself of a cup of coffee. I usually drink one cup before my workout and one after, before my first class.
Pro Tip: Skip that 4:00 pm coffee, it can have negative effects on the following night's sleep and cause you to be tired and less productive the next day. I try and get all my caffeine in before 1:00 pm.
5. Set aside 1 hour for your morning to-do list.Â
After the gym, sit down with your second cup of coffee and get your morning to-do list out of the way. I always try and keep 1 hour for this. If you have time left over, I like to clean my apartment and just get straightened up for the day.
6. Do something uplifting.Â
You need inspiration for your long day ahead. I try to listen to a short podcast either while I'm in the shower, doing hair and makeup, cleaning, etc. Get in the right mindset for the day. It is scientifically proven that starting your day with some type of motivations thoughts spark your brain to have a better and more productive day.
I'm not saying I perfect this routine every single morning, because, let's face it, college is hard and tiring. When I start the majority of my days like this, I see a difference in my mood and productivity; I then have no shame in sleeping until noon on weekends!
