Full disclosure. This girl is NOT a morning person. This isn’t going to be one of those fluffy posts that try to trick you into waking up with a smile on your face. This is not one of THOSE morning motivations posts, but it is some tried and tested tips that helped even the most cranky morning person (a la me) realize the world doesn’t have to totally drain the life out of you as soon as you crawl your butt out of bed.
Whew, now that I have that off my chest. Boys and girls mornings are not my thing, and chances are if you are reading this they are not your thing either. Do you hiss when the sunlight creeps through your blinds? Do you roll over and groan as you smack the snooze button with such enthusiasm you would squash it like little bug? Yep, welcome my non morning people.
Sadly, morning time is something we have to learn to conquer. We have to learn to get motivated in the morning time so it’s not noon before we get up and most bosses look for the pink slips because you are chronically late to work. I’ve never been a morning person, and you yes, you can say I have it “easy” because I work from home, but keep in mind that is not always the case!
Now that we have bonded, and you know I am not susie mary sunshine in the morning, let’s get real. Check out these 10 morning motivation tips that might make you cringe a little bit less in the morning time when you have to get out bed.
8 Morning Motivation Tips (When You Aren’t a Morning Person)
Build in spare time: If you are like, me it takes time for me to get going. Don’t expect yourself to get up right away and dash out the door. It’s a sure fire way to wake up crabby. Build in a slow ritual to wake yourself up. Move at your own pace, and if you aren’t getting enough sleep to be able to do this GO TO BED EARLIER. (No whining about that you can’t, just choose to do it people)
Lay your stuff out: The night before you go to bed, have all your stuff prepped. If you are going to the gym, have your gym bag packed ahead of time. If you are going to work, have your work outfit laid out. If you pack a lunch, pack it the night before that way you don’t have to remember when your brain cells are firing at half speed.
Stretch, stretch, stretch: You don’t have to be a yoga nut, but stretching as soon as you get out of bed really helps get the blood flowing. It tells your body it’s time to wake up. I started doing this when I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, and it makes a world of difference waking me up. To motivate you, here’s a pretty flower stretching up to the sun. Be the flower, see the flower, stretch like flower!
Have faith: I am talking about have faith that mornings will get better. Every morning for me is yucky thanks to health issues, so instead of telling myself how bad this morning is gonna suck, I tell myself if I just get up and get moving things will get better. Once you have a few good mornings under your belt, then you can tell yourself “Well yesterday turned out ok for a morning.” It gives you faith that mornings aren’t something you have to dread!
Shower with awesomeness: In the morning nothing wakes me up faster than a nice long hot shower. Plus, I buy products that have peppermint and other stimulating scents to wake me up without even realizing it.
Get your jam on : While I am in the shower, I stream Spotify on my morning commute channel. It has a great blend of lighter tunes and jamming tunes. It gets me up and going. Before I know it, I am jamming in the shower and ready to face the day.
Rewards, rewards, rewards: This girl is ALL about self bribery. Heck, I bribed myself with coffee just to write this post. It’s what I do. In the morning time, reward yourself with something if you get up on time and out the door. If you work out of the home, promise yourself lunch or a yummy snack on the way to work.
Get juiced up: If you need an extra jolt in the morning grab something. Here are some of my favorite morning ‘pick me up” recipes.
Kari says
Thank you! I needed this list today! Definitely going to try the stretching first thing. I think that might really help. I’m NOT a morning person but I would like to be. And I would love it if I didn’t need 4 cups of coffee first thing to feel alive in the morning. Going to test out a few of these every day! Thanks!
Ashley Sears says
Kari, Stretching helps me SOOO much. Gets your blood flowing in the body while your brain is still saying “WTH am I awake??!~!”
Robin Rue (@massholemommy) says
I am totally a morning person. I always have been and so far, my kids are, too!
Ashley Sears says
Oh, you are one of THOSE people, Robin! Ha! We all have our faults (j/k)
Jennifer says
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I am NOT a morning person. I’m more of a mid-day person. LOL. I’ll be giving all of these tips a try.
Ashley Sears says
Yeah, mornings happen to us all. It’s a good thing, but for those of us that don’t smile before noon sometimes these things help save lives.
Dawn says
I always do whatever I can the night before to be prepared for the morning. I’m a zombie in the morning.
Ashley Sears says
Member of the Walking Dead huh? I hear that the show is looking for extras 😉
Nancy @ Whispered Inspirations says
Lately, I’m not quite sure if I am a morning person or not. I force myself so, maybe I need these tips.
Ashley Sears says
Step one: Accepting you are not a morning person Step Two: Advising those you care about about this revelation Step Three: Don’t growl at the help and follow these tips.
Amy says
I love Starbucks Refreshers too! It made me sad when they stopped selling the Valencia Orange.
Ashley Sears says
The Strawberry Lemonade is mighty tasty 🙂
Stacie says
I need to try that drink – yum!
I’m SO a morning person LOL. I love to get up at the crack of dawn. I feel like I get more done that way.
Ashley Sears says
I guess we can still be friends. Though at times I do envy my early bird friends. It’s nice to have the rest of the day to do what you want.
Amber Edwards says
I really am not a morning person. But giving myself extra time and laying things out the night before really help.
Ashley Sears says
Extra time is probably one of my favorite tips. Rushing and being stressed just adds to being cranky and that’s how people get hurt.
Kelly Hutchinson says
I can use any tip that can get my butt moving in the morning. It is not my favorite time of day!
Shauna says
I am so not a morning person, so these are just great. I keep meaning to try one of these refreshers and I think with the school year approaching I need to 🙂
Ashley Sears says
Caffeine is not only my friend, but it’s the friend of those around me in the morning.
Vera Sweeney says
Mornings can be so rough!! I am a night owl, these are great tips for getting motivated in the morning!
Ashley Sears says
And Vera, You can write your own name on the can so you actually have your name spelled right 😉
Felicita Moncada says
Love these tips. I think I’m a morning person but not a mid-afternoon person… lol. I work so in the mornings I wake up fine but by 2pm I’m exhausted. I’m going to use these tips to give me a boost!
Ashley Sears says
So glad they can help you out!
Seattle Travel Blogger says
I don’t do mornings very well myself. I bet if I had some of these Refreshers I would look forward to mornings a little more.
Ashley Sears says
I find bribery of oneself is a great morning motivator.
Aubrey says
I am so not a morning person. These are some great tips.
Ann Bacciaglia says
These are great tips for me. I am not a morning person at all. I will have to try stretching in the mornings.
dawn says
thanks for sharing these tips. boy they are well needed right now. lol
Aimee Smith says
I am with you! I hate to admit it, but getting up early really does start the day out right.
Ashley Sears says
Aimee, I personally can’t do early. ever. Though I do seem to get more done.
Ty @ Mama of 3 Munchkins says
Thanks for the wondrous tips! I absolutely LOVE long hot showers in the morning. They’re so refreshing!
Tiffany Cruz says
I’m become a morning person. Funny how parenthood will do that to you. I do need my coffee drink/energy drink though to get me out of bed.
Rachel Everheart says
You so totally had me at REFRESHERS! I simply love the pick-me-up they give me late in the day. 🙂
Ashley Sears says
I love the fact they are bubbly! Such a sucker for the bubbly in my drink.
Leila says
I need to put these tips in a place that I can see daily and remember to put them to action! I definitely need all the motivation I can get in the mornings!