Having a great day at work is heavily reliant on how motivated you feel in the morning. Sleeping in may feel like a great idea if you have the opportunity to do so, but it can lead to you feeling depressed and like you’ve wasted part of the day.
Similarly, failing to prepare your body and mind for the day ahead can make you feel as though something is missing from your day and can even lead to lower levels of concentration and focus, or even make you feel irritable and confrontational. We’ve put together this short guide to help you when it comes to finding ways to increase your morning motivation so that you can be sure to have the best chance at a great day.
Go To Sleep At A Good Time
Your first step when it comes to staying motivated in the morning actually takes place the night before. If you’re the type to stay awake all night and drag yourself to bed in the early hours of the next morning, you’re likely not going to be getting enough sleep to function at your best when you awaken. Adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep every day, and while we can get by on less, we often notice how much our ability to work or motivate ourselves is hampered the following day.
Not only that, but you can also oversleep, causing similar problems, if not worse ones. The chances are, you’ll wake up at some point as your cycle ends and then fall back to sleep, restarting the sleep cycle. Then you’ll likely awaken from the wrong stage of sleep, leaving you feeling groggy and disoriented. Pick a bedtime and stick to it to ensure you get the right amount of sleep.
Get Plenty Of Exercise
Falling asleep can be a challenge in itself, and one reason for this can be having too much energy once you get into bed. A lack of good quality exercise can prevent you from getting tired enough as your body will think it doesn’t need the rest.
There are a number of other things that can impact our desire to sleep, such as staring at screens, drinking caffeine, and eating food too close to bedtime, but not using up your body’s energy throughout the day is going to reduce your tiredness. Exercise, especially cardio or intense muscle training, will help you feel tired and encourage your body to rest and repair your damaged muscles.
Wake Up At The Right Time
This may be easier said than done, but actually getting yourself out of bed earlier than you perhaps need to is a great way to ensure you have plenty of time to prepare yourself for the day.
At the same time, it’s possible to wake up too early, leaving you feeling unrested and even unwell. Waking up early can be caused by several things, and identifying what is causing your unexpected wakefulness is very important so you can attempt to tackle it. Of course, if you’re getting plenty of sleep during the night, waking up early can allow you to take your time and not rush when getting ready for work. It will also present you with the opportunity to maybe try some yoga or do a bit of light reading before you start work.
Make Plans For The Next Day
When searching for actual motivation for getting out of bed, a tried and tested method is to make some actual plans, especially with friends. Knowing that you need to get out of bed for work will prompt you to avoid hitting the snooze button, but on the weekend, when you have no plans, it’s easy to turn that alarm off and drift back into a dream. Instead, agree to go for breakfast or grab a coffee with your friend for a catch-up. This doesn’t necessarily have to be at the crack of dawn, but it should be early enough to get you out of bed before the mid-morning. You’ll feel much better for it and will have more of the day to enjoy, instantly increasing that motivation.
Eat A Good Breakfast
When you wake up at a good time in the morning, you’ll have the opportunity to make yourself a quality breakfast that can help you feel sated and full. Eating your favorite healthy breakfast in the morning can help to stimulate your mind and increase your serotonin levels while also providing you with the right amount of energy to get through the morning.
If you’ve had the time to relax and make a nice, healthy, balanced breakfast without rushing too, you’ll feel much calmer and more collected than if you had to jump out of bed, grab a coffee and a slice of toast and rush out of the door. Instead, take your time, make a nice breakfast, and enjoy your morning.
