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Roughly 56% of us are ‘not’ morning people. Research by Youna Hu and colleagues published in Nature found that men were more likely to be evening people compared to women, and the older we get, the more we like mornings. So for those of us who struggle in the mornings, what can we do to make this time of day a bit easier? Make your bed While this can sound like advice from your teenage years, there is actually a bit of research around how the simple act of making your bed can kickstart your day and contribute to a better night’s sleep. Making the bed can give you a sense of accomplishment which has a ripple effect. Remember your purpose Think of purpose in terms of the bigger picture of what you do. As the the medieval quarry worker’s creed goes “We who cut mere stones must always be envisioning cathedrals.” Sometimes it’s hard to see the importance of the part we play. In these moments, think of your family, your team, your organisation and what they do. Understand how you contribute to the whole. We all play a part. Stretch If you have time to do a full stretching routine or yoga 🧘♀️ then this would undoubtedly do wonders for your motivation. But if time is limited and your motivation is really low, keep it simple and enjoyable. Take a moment while still in bed to stretch out your toes, perhaps sit up and stretch your arms above your head. Enjoy and be thankful for your body for a moment. Simplify How can we remove obstacles, distractions and decisions from our mornings? All these things tap into our daily reserve of energy and can create unnecessary obstacles in getting our day started. If you are an evening person, do the heavy lifting plans and preparation the night before. Lay your clothes out, have a shower at night, make breakfast minimal fuss, be aware of how devices can distract you, let others know in advance you need quiet time in the morning. Having a simplified approach may also bring more peace and calm to your mornings. Find one thing to look forward to When we are in a negative mood it can be hard thinking of things to look forward to. So think small. Perhaps you look forward to breakfast, or the book you read on the train, or walking past flowers on your way to work, or the friend you chat to at work or your take away coffee ☕️ Once you find one positive anchor for the day, you might be surprised at how you discover more. It’s about shifting our perspective, what are we on the look out for?
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