Do y’all have snow today?! We do. I live in Atlanta, we are NOT made for snow.Ā I don’t hate it today though, because it came overnight and not in the middle of the day where we all get stuck in traffic. So I am cozy in my blanket working from home.
One of my goals this year was to start exercising regularly. However, my schedule is insane. I leave my houseĀ around 7 to go to work, and I’m home around 7. Then I actually want to spend time with my husband, do blog things, and be in bed on time to do it all over again.
So really the only option for me is to get up early and squeeze in a workout before I leave for work. This plan has a few flaws. A. I get up 15 minutes before I have to walk out the door, and B. I shower at night. So in order for me to get up early enough to leave, I need to wake up no later than 5. YIKES.
So I’m tricking my body into thinking it’s a morning person. Here’s how I’m doing it.
- Go to bed early. I cannot get sucked into Friend’s episodes I’ve seen, quite literally, millions of times.
- Lay out everything the night before. I think I am a goddess of organization when I get up and my workout clothes are in a pile on my counter and my outfit for work is hung up in my “cloffice.” It saves me so much time in the morning.
- Drink a huge glass of water right when you wake up. I have no science behind this, but it gives you a jolt to get you moving.
- Think of how great you are going to feel post-workout.Ā You know the saying,Ā “You never regret a workout.” This is true. The endorphins, adrenaline, and metabolism boost are going to make you feel great and energized all day.
- Think of how much time you gain! I go from having 15 minutes in the morning to 2 extra hours! I do my workout, make breakfast, have a cup of tea, take a shower, get ready while IĀ watch Good Morning America, and THEN leave my house. It’s so nice having all this extra time to get things done.
- Have a group motivation text. There are several of my friends in the office who are also trying the morning workout routine. We text each other at 5:30 to make sure we are up and moving. It worked GREAT today because I totally slept through my alarm, but heard their text!
- Avoid napping. This is hard when you get up so early, but avoiding naps will help you go to bed earlier, keep your sleep cycle regular and stick to a routine.
- Turn on the lights.Ā I have a little harder time with this because my husband doesn’t get up until 8:30. So even on days when I don’t wake up at 5, I’m tip-toeing around using my phone flashlight. But as soon as I can get to a light that isn’t going to wake him up, I turn them all on. It helps my brain think it’s time to get up.
- Wear cute clothes.Ā Whether that is workout or work clothes, if I like what I’m wearing, I’m more excited to get up and put it on.
- JUST DO IT. Make it a crucial part of your day…like brushing your teeth.
Are you a morning person or a night owl? What are your tips for getting up and moving?
Omg I love this! I just moved to Atlanta and got a huge snow surprise on my balcony! It was awesome! I also used to struggle with the morning blue and now I’ve gotten the hang of things, wish you the best in your morning routine and I think these are great tips!
Welcome to Atlanta!! It’s a great city. š
I am so not a morning person, so these are great!
Me either…one day at a time!
I’m not a morning person at all, either so i’m trying to get better about my morning routine. I have an issue with napping though. I work at home so it’s easy for me to catch a nap here and there. I love the idea of a motivating morning text though. That’s an awesome way to wake up and get the day started!
I love a good nap. It’s something I really need to cut down on in 2018!
I’m a night owl 100% – not a morning person at all haha. I’m with you on the cute clothes – athleisure is my favorite!
Right?? I feel like I need a shopping trip ASAP to keep up my morning routine!
I struggle with being a morning person. I can be up and even quite functional but not a happy camper. Going to be early enough makes a huge difference. Summer helps to as its light when I get up. right now its all “groan” dark for the morning dog walk.
Yes! It’s the worst. I go to work when it’s dark and I get home when it’s dark. I miss the sun so much!
I’m much more of a morning person than an evening person. On Sundays, I meal prep and plan out my outfits for the week (with 2 extras) just so in case things change, I’m not too thrown off. I also think that slowly making the alarm clock earlier will assist in efforts towards getting up earlier. You just get so much more done!
I need to channel you! Seriously that’s amazing.
Yes to all of these. I’m not a morning person either but I need to get better about it, that’s for sure.
It’s been hard! I’m hoping it becomes a permanent way of life ASAP!
I’ve been working on this for a while – my biggest downfall is napping. I LOVE TO NAP SO MUCH! But it throws a huge wrench in me getting to bed on time and then getting up on time in the morning. I love it when I do get up early enough, though, because that extra time allows me to really start my day calmly!
#10 is the hardest but most important!!
I managed to trick myself to wake up early, but during winter, when the sun comes out quite late in the morning, I find it impossible to wake up before 7:30. Do you have any tricks for that?
Cristina | *janded
Iām struggling with this! I love mornings once Iām up, but getting out of bed is so hard!
Getting to bed earlier is DEF something I need to work on! I’m such a night owl but I do appreciate mornings when I’m awake earlier + have time to get things done!