November 16, 2023
Juggling classes, extracurriculars, jobs, self-care and a social life can make it harder to get out of bed in the morning. We’ve compiled a few tips that’ll help you set your day up for success — starting with a great morning.
Pick your outfit the night before.
We’ve all probably heard this at one point or another but picking your outfit the night before can save you the stress of wasting your precious morning time swapping out all of the options in your closet. Save the pondering for the evening, set your outfit out and enjoy the extra time in the morning for more productive things.
Put your phone down.
Avoid scrolling on your phone for hours before bed or first thing in the morning. While your brain is trying to shut down or restart for a new day, you’re prone to overstimulation and losing sleep or time to get ready — ultimately leading to different forms of negative self-thinking and heightened anxiety. Instead of making screen time your first or last activity of the day, consider reading a book, stretching or meditating.
Do something for your mind or body.
Whether you’re waking up and going to the gym at 7am, walking around your block or stretching for ten minutes, you’ll get some endorphins flowing before heading to your first class of the day. Not into physical activity in the morning? Do something else for yourself like establishing a skincare routine, journaling or taking a cold shower to give yourself an energy boost.
Eat!
Say it with us: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! 👏 You’ve heard it a million times before, but starting your day by eating a nutritious breakfast will give you the fuel to start your day strong. You’ll notice you don’t feel as many snack cravings or deal with lagging energy before lunch. If you feel like there’s not enough time to eat a meal, try picking up some small breakfast snacks like granola bars and fruit to grab and eat on the go.
Don’t hit snooze.
If you’re cutting down on screen time, you’ll hopefully be increasing your sleep by at least a few minutes. This should make the next piece of advice easier to take, but for some, it may be the toughest thing to do in the morning. When you first hear your alarm, count to five and get out of bed instead of hitting snooze. Waking up right away helps your productivity throughout day because you’ve succeeded at your first task — getting out of bed!
Make small changes over time.
All that said, it’s most important to realize that struggling to create a morning routine is a challenge most deal with. Instead of trying to make all of the changes in one day, make small changes with your mornings. Set your alarm ten minutes earlier instead of an hour; count small wins like waking up without hitting snooze and don’t beat yourself up if it takes time for the routine to get easier. You’ve got this, Huskers!