We all know waking up can be a daily struggle, and we also know that feeling refreshed after a good night’s sleep is conducive to a productive and successful day. In light of this we’ve put together five steps that help you wake up in the morning prepared to make the most out of the day ahead.
As soon as you finish work for the day, write yourself a list of jobs you need to accomplish the following day. By writing everything down at the end of the working day, you will already know what you have to achieve when you return to your desk the next morning. This can also help you clear your head and give you space to relax in the evening.
Preparation is the key to many business men and women’s success. Don’t just take our word for it, ask the most successful person you know, and we bet preparation is right up there with how they attribute their success. Before you go to bed (or as soon as you get home) prepare everything you need for the next day. Set out your clothes, pack your lunch and even make your breakfast. Not only does this mean you can spend extra precious minutes asleep, you can also start the day in a calm way knowing things are already taken care of.
Letting as much natural light into your bedroom as possible will help your body to wake up feeling naturally more refreshed in the morning. However, if you don’t have the luxury of being able to leave the curtains open for fear of flashing your neighbours why not try using daylight bulbs to give the illusion of natural light in your room. Turning on a lamp when you first wake up will help send signals to your brain that as it’s light out, it’s time to wake up.
As tempting as it may be to hit snooze in the morning, don’t! Instead, get up as soon as your alarm goes off. Hitting snooze doesn’t give you any beneficial sleep, but it does add to the groggy morning feeling we’re all accustomed to. Why not use the extra five minutes to do something productive or have some ‘me’ time?
Exercise is great at waking up the body, getting the blood flowing and leaving you ready and raring for the day ahead. Whilst finding the time for morning exercise may seem like a difficult task, the adrenaline and endorphin rush from getting up and going out will make you feel alert and refreshed for the rest of the day. If you really can’t find the time to get out and about, why not try some yoga whilst you’re still in bed instead?