Eight ways to get out of bed, master productivity in the mornings and make your days more productive.
- Plan ahead
Don’t kick yourself in the morning when you realise you’ve left planning your day to the last minute. Instead, prep a to-do list and decide what you’ll be wearing the night before to save time and minimise stress.
- Get your beauty sleep
You should aim for at least 7 hours of sleep a night. Not only will your body thank you, but you will wake up refreshed with better concentration, memory and decision making ability, which can all help you on the road to success.
Tip: Try reading a book before you sleep instead of heading straight onto social media – research has shown that the latter actually keeps you up longer and disrupts your sleep patterns.
- Skip the snooze button
For once, disable the snooze button and get out of bed! Sure, spending an extra 5 minutes under the covers is great, but repeatedly hitting snooze actually disrupts your body’s sleep rhythms and makes getting out of bed a harder feat.
Tip: Place your alarm out of hand’s reach so you have to get out of bed to shut it off. You could also open your curtains/blinds so the natural light sends a signal to your brain to get up and be productive.
- Exercise
Brave the cold and kick start your day with some exercise, whether it be a light jog or Pilates session, so you can boost your energy levels and get focused.
- Don’t skip breakfast
Skipping out on breakfast can lead to fatigue, irritability and low concentration. So make sure you treat yourself to a healthy breakfast each morning, with plenty of fibre and protein to give you the fuel you need to get things done.
Tip: Your body becomes dehydrated when you sleep so it’s a good idea to drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up to kick start your system.
- Get creative
Morning pages can clear your mind, boost creativity, help you solve problems and prioritise, and promote good mental health. Before you set out on the tasks you’ve set yourself, sit down and write 3 pages in stream of consciousness. That’s it. There’s no right or wrong way to do this – just write down whatever comes to mind.
- Be strategic
Use your energy strategically and prioritise so you can tick off the most challenging or important task first thing in the morning. After all, your willpower should be strongest at the start of your day. Once you’ve vanquished the hardest task, the rest will seem easy.
- Don’t be your own enemy
Resist the urge to procrastinate because that usually goes nowhere. With the right mindset, you can do all the things you’ve left for tomorrow – today. The only person keeping you from reaching your goals is yourself.