11 Ways to Make Getting Up in the Morning a Little Easier

I have never been a morning person.  Shocking, I know, since I have the word "morning" in my title.  (My title being "morning show co-host" in case you're not a morning person either.)  For almost five years I've been doing the morning show, and getting out of bed every day is STILL a struggle.  So I did some internet research, and found a few tips that may help.  I plan on implementing these tips and working on my biggest problem--hitting the snooze.  Over and over and over again. 

1. Don’t Stalk the Clock. Setting three (or more) alarms over an hour is not a good way to wake up in the morning. Opening your eyes to glance at the time every few minutes will fill you with dread and worry about the moment that clock hits the time that you actually need to get out of bed. Laying there thinking about getting up will only make it harder. The solution?

2. Set ONE Alarm. Put the alarm clock (or cell phone) on the other side of the bedroom. Set it for the time you actually need to comfortably get ready for the day. By setting it across the room, you’ll need to get out of bed to turn it off. This is they key here. When you walk across the room, do not just turn it off and go back to bed. The solution?

3. Go to the Bathroom. Walk your tired and cranky butt to the bathroom. Use the bathroom. Wash your hands, then wash your face. Take some deep breaths and stretch. You may even drink some water before going to bed in the evenings so you’ll need to use the bathroom even more. As you know, you can’t lie in bed all day. At some point, you will need to get up. The key is avoiding hopping back into bed once you do get up.

4. LIGHT. Turn on the lights and open the windows. If it’s still dark outside (I feel your pain) turn on all the lights. Your bedroom, living room, bathroom, etc. The light will spark your brain into daytime mode to help you get out of sleep mode.

5. Sound. Turn on the television or radio. If you feel extra cranky in the mornings, turning on a favorite CD (and singing or dancing along) will surely brighten your mood on those more difficult mornings.

6. Positive Thoughts. If you’re lying in bed thinking about how horrible your day is going to be, you’re never going to get out of bed. You might have a horrible day ahead of you – boring work, challenging work, dealing with difficult people, or maybe you know you’re going to get in trouble from your boss. Lingering on the bad things ahead while you’re lying in bed in the morning (or night) will make it nearly impossible to get up and have a successful morning or day. Set those thoughts aside. Tell yourself that you will worry about those later. Now start talking positively to yourself (in your head or out loud if you live alone). Some examples: I’m strong, I’m smart, I’m capable, I can do this, I will do something fun today, I am loved, I feel good, I feel great, I feel strong…and repeat this over and over and over until you start to feel better.

7. E-mail. Instead of hopping back into bed, commit yourself to writing one positive e-mail to someone you care about each morning. Writing something encouraging to someone else will help you feel better about yourself, about the day ahead – which will hopefully prevent you from groaning your way back into bed.

8. Get enough sleep. This one is pretty obvious. If you feel rested, you won’t have as much need to yank the covers over your face to squeeze in a few extra minutes. Go to bed and go to sleep!!

9. One good thing. Before you go to sleep. Write down (on your computer, on paper, on a whiteboard, anywhere) ONE good thing you get to do the next day. As soon as that alarm charms, think about that one thing as you stumble across the room to turn it off. Get excited about your day! Even if it’s only for ONE thing.

10. Annoying Pets. Sometimes it’s a lot easier to do things for others than for ourselves. Get an annoying pet who annoys you in the morning to take them out. They’ll help you get your lazy bum out of bed. And when you let them back in, why don’t you play for a minute? Throw their ball, rub their bellies, and show them some love. The combination of activity and showing love will make your day easier to start.

11. Bribe yourself. If you’re continuously struggling with getting up in the morning, bribe yourself. You know yourself best, so you’ll know what will be most effective. Choose something small and tangible. And make it daily, so there’s a reward every morning. For example, “When I get up without crawling back into bed, I get a yogurt parfait from McDonald’s.” Condition your body to enjoy getting up in the morning. Scary, I know.