Being a morning person means that you wake up earlier than usual and get your day going sooner. This time of day is your time to get all the important stuff accomplished so that the day goes by smoother. But I know that sometimes it is so hard to wake up in the mornings that it physically hurts. It seems like when your alarm clock goes off that you’re more tired than you were when you went to bed. I know school is right around the corner, and I am already dreading trying to wake up earlier. The best way to start getting ready for these days is to start now! I have seven tips for the ones who find it exhausting to wake up early.

1. Make a to-do list.

Nothing makes me get up faster than knowing that I have deadlines and stuff to get done. When I write down on a sticky note or on my calendar my to-do list, I know what tomorrow will consist of. This helps me set my goals and motivates me to get up and get going.

2. Find something you like to do.

Let’s take for instance running. If exercising isn’t really fun for you, then do not try to exercise in the mornings because it will only make you want to stay in bed longer. In this case, do it the evenings to avoid making the mornings seem worse than they already are. Maybe you like to watch a little TV, read, shower, write or eat something yummy for breakfast. Just try to find something to motivate you a little more.

3. Brighten up your room.

The brighter color the room, the more light that can come in. Try to avoid dark curtains or dark wall paint. Not only will more light be able to come through to help naturally wake up, the brighter colors can make you more cheerful.

4. Plan out your outfits the night before.

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I stress about what I will wear the next day. So I try to plan a little bit of my outfit the day before to help reduce the amount of work to be done in the mornings.

5. Do not try to get yourself up at an unreasonable time.

This only leads to turning off your alarm clock and oversleeping. Get up in just enough time to do all the things you need to do at a leisurely pace, nothing more. This misconception is motivating you to sleep longer because “you have time.”

6. Set one alarm.

I’ve noticed when I set multiple alarms, I am only setting myself up for disaster. Wake up at the time you need to get all your things done instead of lagging around waiting for the next alarm to go off. You’re only going to get up when the last one goes off anyway.

7. Think of something positive.

Think “Hmmm what am I doing tomorrow that is going to fun?” or “How am I going to make this a good day?” Sometimes for me, it could be wearing a new outfit, a fun event I am going to or just being able see my friends. Motivation is key, you just have to find yours.

I hope this list can help you a little more during the early mornings!