I am going to become a morning person and you can too.
Mornings have always been an issues for me. When I was a kid, my dad was burdened with the task of attempting to wake me up for an hour every day to get to school. In college, I took courses after 1 pm and still somehow found myself running late, through campus, in my pajamas. As an adult, my biggest foe is getting into work on time. When I miraculously make it on time to work it’s because sacrifices were made — I put my make-up on in the car, skipped breakfast, sped, and fucking flipped out the entire morning. My boyfriend will tell you this is a problem that can not be changed and has no hope. He is the lucky poor man who has to deal with my hour snooze daily.
Because I am a librarian and must research the hell out everything and make lists, it is time to embark on the theoretic life style of a morning person. You always hear morning people are more productive — and successful — than regular human beings. Just to name a few famous morning people:
- Ernest Hemingway: “When I am working on a book or story I write every morning as soon after first light as possible.”
- Benjamin Franklin: “[From 5am-8am] Rise, wash, and address Powerful Goodness! Contrive day’s business, and take the resolution of the day; prosecute the present study and breakfast.”
- Anna Wintour: By 6 am everyday, Wintour has already played a game of tennis.
The book What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast: A Short Guide to Making Over Your Mornings–and Life goes into more detail about these fascinating creatures called “morning people.” Additionally, the fantastic blog (and new book) called Daily Routines: How Writers, Artists, and Other Interesting People Organize Their Days is a research nuts dream come true.
Now, it is time to display my compiled list, researched through blood and sweat, to change you and I into morning people. This will be hard, grueling work and will test our willpower. I am choosing to embark on this strange little adventure and I hope you too will join me.
HOW TO BECOME A MORNING PERSON IN 10 EASY STEPS
- Go to bed earlier. Yeah. Obvious. If you want to wake up earlier, go to be earlier. Yet, sometimes I find that when I get more sleep I feel as though could sleep for centuries. If you are ready to dedicate the next few weeks/months to becoming a morning person, this has to be the first step.
- Move your alarm so you have to get out of bed to turn it off. This might be the most annoying thing EVER, but it does work. If you make yourself get out of bed to turn of the alarm, you have already done the hardest part! Pick a spot on the other side of the room and make it happen.
- Leave your curtains open and let sunlight in. Considering it is summer, the sun rises crazy early. Leave your curtains open and greet the morning with some sunshine. You may be cursing the sun in the morning, but our bodies crave sunlight. Did you know computer screens keep us awake because to our brains the screen light mimics the sun?
- Move your wake-up time 20 minutes earlier each day (or each week). The pros recommend you move your alarm 20 minutes earlier from one day to the next, but I think that is a little ambitious. Why not try Week 1 for 7:00 am, Week 2 for 6:40 am, etc? Either option works, but this allows for a manageable progression from “Night Owl” to “Morning Person.”
- No more snoozing. Once your alarm goes off, you gotta get your ass out of bed! This is my biggest enemy… but with willpower and dedication I think it can be done.
- Drink warm water and lemon for a zesty wake-up drink. This can be prepped the night before, but drinking this little concoction will awaken your senses.
- Walk outside and let your body acclimate to the sun. Go for a little walk, take your pooch outside, sit on your porch and drink your lemon+warm water.
- Reward yourself with personal time. Think of all you can do before work! Work out. Read. Catch up on TV shows. Yoga. Clean. Do all kinds of hair and make-up tutorials. If you give yourself personal time you will start work feeling fresh and happy!
- Do this every day … even on weekends. I am so sorry for this, but you have to keep to a wake-up time until your body naturally adjusts. This means if you go and get buck wild on a Friday night, you have to wake up Saturday at the correct time for the week. Don’t hate me, it will really fuck you up if you stray on the weekends.
- Be patient with yourself and treat yourself! If you are here, you are not a natural morning person. You can overcome this genetic mutation — yes, genetics are partly to blame for you being a “Night Owl.” It will take some time, you may give into the many temptations — i.e. your sleepy mind convinces you it only takes 15 minutes to get ready for work. It’s alright. However, over time you will notice your body waking up earlier, your mornings becoming more productive, and a little skip in your step as get to the office.
Check out this printable Morning Person Checklist… sometimes you need a little list motivation?
Good luck on this difficult venture! I will share my progress with y’all!
Love, Sarah
The DIY Librarian 