A few years ago, my day started at 5 a.m. Yep, I was the quintessential morning person. Sorting mail and listing the tasks for the day, making breakfast, packing lunches, watching the sunrise with a cup of tea, sending the boys off to school and settling down to work. It was all a routine. A very good one too!

Honestly, I have no clue when my days started going haywire. Waking up became a pain. All I did was hit the snooze button and wake up when I had no other choice. A few weeks ago, I decided that it was enough and I had to get my act together. These are the simple steps that helped me turn things around:

• Wake up at least an hour earlier, even if I was dead sleepy!
• Stick to a routine.
• Go for a morning walk or exercise.
• Eat an early dinner and sleep early.

I ensured that these new habits made me feel good about myself. Not just feeling good, I realise that I am more energetic and focused. Here is what I did to be the morning person all over again!

Seize the moment!

Very often, I would wake up dreading what I would have to tackle for the day. Needless to say, waking up with a groan and thinking about all the things that I had to do ensured that I had a not-so-great day. Thinking of things that I didn’t want to do was really a terrible way of motivating myself to get out of bed! Fuelling my mind with thoughts of the best things I’d do instead made my day better.

Follow a routine

Making a routine and following it was the most difficult thing to do! But I realised that establishing a schedule actually helped my body and mind to anticipate what was to come. Sleeping on time and waking up on time is one of the most difficult tasks for me. I haven’t perfected it, but I am getting there!

Make preparations the night before

It makes my life easier. From jotting the five most important tasks I had to tackle the next day for my biz, to planning the menu for the next day, setting the clothes the kids had to wear for school or prepping food the night before all helped my days go more smoothly. Planning and making preparations helped me reduce my workload the next day and I didn’t have worry about what to do next. I had everything listed and planned.

Power Out!

Switching off the electronic gadgets is a very good way to calm down and relax. I began going completely wi-fi free after 7 p.m. and not taking calls from my clients. It meant I wasn’t tempted to see that unread mail notification and worry about some unfinished task.

Get cozy

A warm shower and a cool quiet room can do wonders to cozy up the environment. Dim the lights and spend some quiet moments with yourself before you get ready to sleep. Ensure that you have a comfortable mattress that promotes good sleep and doesn’t wake you up with an aching body. Drinking a cup of my favourite green tea helped me relax before I slept.

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These five tips to become a morning person helped me get my act together and I just love waking up to see the sunrise! What is your best tip for learning to be a morning person?

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Author: Pratibha Pal

Editor: Travis May

Photos : Author’s own, Featured Image: Flickr/Julija R.