Are you the sort of person who hits the snooze button on their alarm as many times as possible before finally rolling out of bed and rushing around to get out of the house on time? Chances are you will start the day feeling grumpy and tired, which is certainly not the best way to set yourself up for the day. In fact, research has shown that people who get up early are more agreeable and conscientious that those who stay up late, while also being happier than those who sleep in late. Of course, if you are waking up tired each day, the first thing you need to do is get a bit more sleep (so go to bed earlier), but once you have that settled you can start to use that morning time to really set yourself up for a successful day.
It is all about maximising your time throughout the day, whether that is using your free periods at college correctly, or squeezing a little extra out of the mornings.
As anyone who has ever done a morning paper-round will be able to tell you, there is a strange quality about the world first thing in the morning. The streets are emptier and there is a freshness in the air that city-dwellers will know disappears once the morning traffic picks up. So, get out there and do some exercise. Many top executives wake up early and head out to get some exercise before starting their day. It is good for your body and your mental wellbeing, with studies showing that people who exercise every day have more energy and a better outlook on life. Just ten minutes of exercise is enough to get you going for the day.
Another bonus of getting up early is that you have time for yourself before you are bombarded with the college, or work. You can take time to yourself before having to look at emails, check text messages, or meet up with friends or colleagues. You might want to avoid checking your phone to give yourself some real down-time from technology first thing in the morning. Relaxing your way into the day allows you to approach your work in a better state of mind. Of course, you might want to use this extra time to find some career inspiration!
If you want to take having time for yourself to the next level you might want to try meditating. A lot of successful and famous people use meditation in their everyday lives. Just sitting quietly for 10 minutes each morning can help you focus on the day ahead, reduce your stress, increase your creativity, and even improve your emotional intelligence. Try to let your thoughts drift through your mind as if they were a stream running below you. It may sound odd and can take some practice but plenty of people believe mindful meditation can offer real benefits.
If all this meditation sounds a bit wishy-washy, you might prefer to focus on setting some solid goals to achieve that day. Planning what you want to do each day can be done as you clean your teeth or go about your other morning routine. If you plan your goals, your chances of having a successful day can only increase. Keep your goals realistic but plan to do the most difficult ones first so that you can get them out of the way and get a sense of achievement early on.
Eating a healthy breakfast sets you up for the day ahead. It gives you the energy you need to tackle the day ahead, while even reducing your chances of being overweight. The healthier the breakfast the better, as it will improve your energy levels, concentration, and can even boost your short-term memory! There is more on having a healthy diet right here on NotGoingToUni.
It is all too easy to let your early morning routine slide after a late night, but don’t let the odd mishap take you off course. Commit to your morning routine and make it something that you do for yourself each day. This might mean that you have to say no to others now and again, but saying no is not necessarily a bad thing either! Research conducted by the University of California in San Francisco showed that the more difficulty that people have in saying no, the more likely they are to experience stress, burnout, and even depression.
Why waste the mornings when you can use them to get ahead, start brighter, and have a more successful day?
