Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a morning person (the furthest from, actually) so this summer I’m challenging myself to make the most of my mornings. There’s a few ways of making this easier and I’m certain that by following these tips, I’ll be a step closer to becoming the productive, glowy being I’ve always dreamed about (don’t worry, you’re allowed to join me!).
1. Do all your prep the night BEFORE
When I say this is the most important tip, I mean it. A key part of being organised is to make sure everything is exactly where you need it, as you need it. The easiest way to do this is to draw up a list of everything you need for the next day and simply, pack what you can on the list. If there’s any food that needs to be refrigerated, make sure to have a reminder on your phone or even your door (some of us need multiple reminders!) but otherwise everything should be in your bag(s) the night before!
Prep also includes breakfast; what I like to do is set my place at the table, the night before (sounds weird, right?). Fill up the kettle, get your teabag in your favourite mug, put your cereal box out and go to bed knowing your morning just got easier.
2. Gently exercise
Exercise is so, so important for everyone and honestly, just a little heart raiser can improve your mood and mental function, amongst other benefits. Since increased activity causes more blood to pump around the body (and more blood = more oxygen), exercise helps us to be more alert and awake!
Of course, if you’re not an aspiring athlete, there’s no need to stress. Even gentle stretches or 10 minutes of skipping is enough to have a significant and positive effect on your wellbeing, so if in doubt, stretch it out!
3. Put on an awesome playlist
Music is so unique in that it’s a language of its own and is actually so universal. Listening to your favourite songs can help you feel energised and alert, so put together a playlist of songs that hype you up to get your engine going (here’s mine!)
4. Create a makeup timetable (and stick to it!)
I first started scheduling my makeup looks when I was in my last year of secondary school. I was so busy with school that I couldn’t afford to spend time deciding my look for the day, but I didn’t want to abandon the process altogether. My solution was to spend a little time on Sunday evenings writing down what my makeup would be like each day of the forthcoming week; the next morning, I only had to spend five minutes actually doing my makeup and no time deciding.
However, a word of warning: try to leave the complicated looks for the weekend. There’s no point going through the trouble of planning your looks to save time, if the look itself takes a ton of time!
5. Take a warm shower
This seems a little obvious but bear with me. Warm showers are important in helping with alertness in that they help increase your blood circulation; the better your blood circulation, the more awake you’ll feel as more blood reaches your organs (most importantly, your brain) and muscles. A warm shower can also help to soothe sore muscles from awkward sleeping positions.
If the weather is quite warm and a cold shower seems more appealing, start of with a warm shower and then go cool afterwards!
6. EAT BREAKFAST
I know everybody says this, but breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. I don’t know about you but changing the world is a little tricky on an empty stomach. Even if you prefer light breakfasts, something is better than nothing. For example, a delicious and light breakfast would be avocado and peanut butter toast with orange juice!
So that’s it, folks! My easy-peasy steps for getting the most out of your mornings. Let me know in the comments if you have any other productivity tips and tricks to share!
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