I am writing this article as not a morning person. So, trust me I know how it feels. However, I have several 8 a.m. classes that have sort of forced me to become a morning person. The morning is an amazing time and as a college student, it is great to look forward to that time and manage your time well, before you run out the door for your first class.
1. Go to bed earlier
You have probably heard this a million times, but it is very important to get enough hours of sleep at night. It will have a huge impact on your morning and the next day as well.
2. Workout in the morning
One of the best things to do when I don't have class in the mornings is going to the gym. It makes you feel great when you work out and afterward you can reward yourself with a smoothie or coffee from whatever coffee shop is nearby. Also, when you go to the gym you are way more likely to eat healthier for the rest of your day.
Major plus! Also, your sleep is always better and easier, at night, on days that you exercise.
3. Make some coffee and breakfast
Make the time for breakfast and coffee/tea! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and the most delicious. Whatever you eat after you first wake up is going to influence the rest of your day. Make sure you eat something before heading out to class, you will feel hungry and unfocused during class times.
I recommend oatmeal because it keeps you full for a longer time.
4. Get out of bed when the alarm goes off
is by far the hardest thing to do. However, if you lay in bed longer, you are less likely to get up at all. If you lay around in bed scrolling through your phone, you are wasting precious morning time to get ready. This means that it, also likely that you will be late as a result of this extra time spent in bed.
5. Plan out your morning the night before
Lay out what you are going to wear the next day, to limit your time in the morning. Getting Dressed is something that always takes a long time and can be a huge time waster, when you need to get out the door at a certain time. This goes for packing your schoolwork and materials in your backpack, earlier than the morning of. You can also lay out what you will eat in the morning if you do eat in your dorm.
6. Make your bed after getting up
The best way to make sure that you don't cozy up in your covers again, is to make your bed so that you are not tempted.
7. Open the curtains
After you get up, open the curtains! Most likely, you will see people outside and this will keep you motivated to get on with your day as well. Also, the natural light it great to wake you up and let you know it's time to get moving. Natural light also helps to improve your mood, which can help if you are grumpy in the morning.
8. Airplane Mode
Put your phone on airplane mode at night and going into the morning. I cannot reinforce this point enough! The reason why I started doing this was that when I set my alarm, my sound was turned all the way up, so I wouldn't sleep through it. So anytime that I got a text or snapchat in the middle of the night it was super loud.
I started putting my phone on airplane mode during the nighttime and I loved it! You no longer need to feel distracted by your phone and it's great to unplug during a time when you really should be getting sleep. You should try to keep your phone on airplane mode into the morning as well.
How many morning routines have you seen where the girl has reached over to her nightstand and said, "The first thing I do in the morning is check my phone, I know it's bad". So, let's stop doing it! The only reason why you check your phone is to see the notifications and what messages you have.
However, what If there was nothing on your lock screen, you wouldn't feel the need to check it. Now, I try not to turn airplane mode off until I am out the door. When I start walking to class, I will turn it off to listen to music. The best thing is not having to stress your mind with social media and creating a peaceful mindset for you to start your day.
I challenge you to keep your phone on the airplane for as long as you can because I guarantee it will improve your morning. You waste so much time on your phone and it is great when you get a break from that distraction.
9. Drink water as soon as you wake up
Keep a cup or water bottle next to your bed. Drink water as soon as you wake up, in order to rehydrate yourself first thing in the morning after so many hours of sleep.
10. Make the time
Make the Time: Don't rush the morning time, this can lead to unnecessary stress and worrying about potentially being late. The morning sets the tone for the rest of the day, so don't waste it.