Not a morning person? Don’t worry you’re not the only one. The first few minutes from when your alarm goes in the morning can set the tone for the rest of your day. These tips on how to get your day off to a great start are easy to follow and can help you make the most of your mornings or even sleep in longer for those who aren’t early risers.
Have a bed time schedule
What you do the night before can have a big impact on your morning. Knocking over quick tasks the night before can help you save time in the morning. These include tasks that you might leave until the morning such as laying out your clothes for tomorrow, preparing and packing meals for the next day and anything other task that doesn’t have to wait till the morning. This will save you extra time in the morning that you can use to exercise, sleep in or however you choose to spend it.
Make yourself get out of bed
This sounds simple enough but we all know how tempting it is to hit the snooze button and stay in bed just a little longer. We also may like to check our Facebook and reply to messages whilst we are still in bed, especially for those who use their phone as an alarm.
Put your alarm or phone alarm close enough so that it wakes you up, but far enough away so that you can’t reach it from bed, therefore forcing you to get up to turn it off and reducing the temptation to hit the snooze button and sleep for a little longer. It will also force you to get out of bed if you want to check your phone.
Sleep in your exercise gear
A lot of people recommend exercising in the morning because of the increased energy levels throughout the day. It is also recommended because you may choose to skip your exercise session later if you’ve had a big day and can’t be bothered.
If you want to work out in the morning then make the decision the night before or well in advance, you should also lay out your exercise clothes for when you get up or even sleep in them.
To improve motivation you can commit to a class that you’ve paid for in advance forcing you to go. Another idea would be to exercise with a friend and that way you can hold each other accountable.
Saving time on getting ready for work
Find a podcast or news app that you can listen to or read while you are getting ready and on your way to work, that way you are on time and already briefed when you get to work.
You should also invest in a couple of fail-safe pieces of apparel such as a large bold necklace, great pair of boots or perfect blazer for days when you just have to throw clothes in quickly.
Another idea would be to set an alarm for the time you want to leave the house to keep you on track when you are getting ready.
Portable breakfast
Don’t skip breakfast, however to save time you can make a breakfast that you can eat on your way to work, while you are getting ready or when you are at work such as a smoothie.
For those working from home
Get up and follow the same routine you would if you were traveling to work. You may have the option to email and do some work in bed but it will still feel like relax time. As a result you won’t be as productive.
There is no correct way to start the day right , but combining these tips will help to start the day on a good note and maximise your time in the morning from when you wake up to when you get to work.
Article Source: Kathryn Dill, Forbes
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This article is of a general nature and does not take into consideration anyone’s individual circumstances or objectives. Integrity One Planning Services Pty Ltd is a Corporate Authorised Representative No. 315000 of Integrity Financial Planners Pty Ltd ABN 71 069 537 855 (which is the holder of AFSL 225051). Integrity One Planning Services Pty Ltd and Integrity One Accounting and Business Advisory Services Pty Ltd are not liable for any financial loss resulting from decisions made based on this information. These articles are not owned by Integrity One Planning Services. We recommend that you seek personal advice from an advisor prior to implementing any of the information contained in this publication.