Making The Most Out Of Mornings

Raise your hand if you hate mornings!

My pre-lockdown morning routine was rather hectic and unnecessarily stressful. I'd jump out of bed at half five every morning, so I could slap my makeup on, down my coffee and do the 20-minute commute to work on an overcrowded train.

I don't miss the early mornings or getting off the train soaked with the sweat of everyone around me, I don't miss crawling to my local Starbucks in a bid to wake myself up.

Even before I entered the working world, I was a little night owl. I remember sleeping in until 6pm once because I'd stayed in the library until 3am finishing a photoshop project.

My point is, I definitely was not a morning person.

But as I've mentioned a few times. I've been viewing lockdown as a chance to change my mentality for the better. So far I've done pretty well with it, I've managed to quit smoking (As of writing this I'm 3 weeks cigs free and three days nicotine free), I've taken up jogging, and I'm working on completing as many online courses as humanly possible!

However, I've been slowing down a bit this month. I'm still doing everything I can during the day (to try and maintain the 9-5 mentality) but I'm also listening to what my mind and body need for a little while.

You've probably witnessed this change in mindset by looking at my recent blog, uploads. Sorry if you're not a fan of productivity tips!

Instead of frantically working on everything and anything I can get my hands on, I want to streamline my workload and find a way to produce high-quality work without feeling like I'm going to have a panic attack by the end of it.

One of the critical things that I realised was an issue was my mornings! Of course, its mornings! The idea of sleeping in until 10am on a weekday sounded almost idyllic before lockdown, so of course, I'm making the most of my extra three hours in bed. But without a busy train to catch or an office to travel too, I feel like there's little pressure to wake up. So I sit in bed, watch TikTok for a solid hour before I even fathom moving from my spot.

Don't me wrong, I love a good lie-in. But if I want to keep doing everything I'm doing (and be proud of it), then I need to make the most of my mornings and avoid burning out.

Over the past two weeks, I've been slowly looking out for ways to make the most of my mornings and still have a decent rest. Some tasks feel almost insignificant to say, but they really do make the difference when it comes to starting your day right.

As always, I'd love to know if you have any more ideas on this topic. If you do, drop me a DM!

Start Early

Ever heard the phrase "the early bird catches the worm"? I used to think it was one of those overly positive phrases used to drag kids out of bed; it 100% is a phrase used by the too positive, but it's a true nonetheless! If you take a little longer to wake up in the mornings, try setting your alarms a little earlier so you can ease yourself into the working day.

Try to get to bed a little earlier each night too. That way, you wake up more relaxed and ready for the day!

Learn What Triggers Your Productive and Creative States

I think this is an essential one. Do you know when you work your best? Take the time to sit and analyse your day and your work ethic. Do you find you're more creative in the mornings? Or are you more observational?

The key to productivity is understanding how your mind and bodywork together. So take a moment to think about what you need to prepare the night before to start your day in perfect mode.

Do you need to get your work stuff out and ready the night before? Do you need to layout your running clothes?

How Would Your Dream Morning Play Out?

It's a small mindset change, but oh so necessary! Think about how your dream morning would work out? Thinking about the ideal situation tends to motivate people to reach their goals.

In other words, if you dream it, you can achieve it!

Exercise

Exercise does absolute wonders for your mental and physical wellbeing. In a lockdown, it's a lot more challenging to find ways to work out. But luckily YouTube has an extensive catalogue of workout videos you can watch whenever! However, it's worth noting that exercising in the mornings is proven to increase your productivity and clarity throughout the working day.

Make A Plan and Stick To It

Routines are fundamental to any working day. I've learnt that it's one of the best ways to stay sane during the lockdown.

Making a plan can help you effectively plan out your morning and start your day on the right foot.

Sticking to a plan or morning routine gives you the chance to prioritise your workload effectively. You can tick the important stuff off asap and devote the right amount of time on your creative tasks. Some people call this method "eating the frog".

Eat Right

Eating a balanced breakfast gives you enough energy to see you through the start of the day. If you opt for a more fatty breakfast, the energy breaks down quickly and set you up for a day of fatigue!

Dress For The Day You Want To Have

I quite like this one. Similar to the "dress for the job you want, not the job you have mentality" I think its really important for you to dress for the day you want to have. If you spend all day in your pyjamas, then the likelihood is that you're gonna have a lazy day. It's probably why a lot of working from home articles encourage people to still wear office shoes when working. It's a mentality shift!

Make Habits Not Chores

If you follow all of the above recommendations for long enough, they'll no longer feel like chores to get you out of bed in the morning. They'll feel like core parts of a successful morning. If you try to keep to these recommendations, you'll figure out what works best for you on a trial and error basis. The effort is worth it!