During high school, I gave my snooze button a run for its money (sorry, mom). I’m not sure exactly when the switch happened, but sometime between my teenage years and post-college I became a morning person. I think it somewhat shocked E once we were married. Saturday morning would roll around and I’m up at 6:30am styling photos, working on the blog, or cleaning house. He’d surface around 10am and I’d be halfway through my day already. I will say it does have its pros to be a morning person and a mom. But trust me, it’s not magic. I still have my don’t-want-to-leave-the-covers moments. And although some of it comes naturally to me, there are a few ways I’ve learned to cultivate morning energy.
one: get up early
Yes, I know it sounds counterintuitive to wake up early in order to have more energy but this works. I truly believe we’re internally aware of and linked to the day’s natural progression: sunrise to sunset. Sleeping in once in a while is a luxury, no doubt about that. And indulge yourself every so often. But on a more routine basis set your alarm clock and the body clock will follow. The flip side of this strategy is also to go to bed earlier. Magic, right?
two: have breakfast planned
This one is still a weekly struggle for me. Essentially it comes down to meal prep. Whether you make stuff ahead of time or just map out your weekly breakfast, keep on top of that first meal in your day. Make it something packed with nutrients that you can also get excited about eating. Most often we whip up an egg frittata that lasts us a few days. If you look forward to breakfast it makes getting out of bed just that much easier.
three: put on TIE shoes
My mom taught me this one and I have to say it’s pretty remarkable. The act of putting on tie shoes (as opposed to slip-ons or none at all) is purposeful. It seems to bring about this mental ‘game face.’ You’re not ready to climb back into bed if you’ve got sneakers on. Your body is signaled that the day is started; you could go all out from errands to exercise class.
four: stretch
A while back I shared this video where my trainer walked us through the greatest stretch ever. It’s how we begin each workout and my days aren’t complete without it. I love the full body engagement it requires. So take a few minutes to try it out and make it your morning goal. I promise this wakes up your mind as well as your body!
five: drink water with lemon
This habit is one I picked up more recently and need to get better about practicing. Drinking water with lemon each morning boosts metabolism. It acts as a jumpstart to your system. I’m not a huge fan of hot drinks but these benefits outweigh my desire for something iced. Pro tip: after the lemon is squeezed out, put it down four garbage disposal. It makes the entire house smell so fresh and so clean, clean.
six: make plans for the first half of your day
If I have meetings, conference calls, or coffee dates I schedule them in the morning. This helps me in two ways: I have something to look forward to and a reason to get ‘up and at ’em.’ When I only have afternoon appointments, often I find the first half of my day just disappears–I putter around the house or only get halfway done with tasks. But coming home after a scheduled morning gives me that needed boost of energy.
Are there any other ways you’ve found to cultivate morning energy?
