When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive -to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love. (Marcus Aurelius)
About six months before, I was not a morning person at all. I chose not give mornings the importance they deserve and failed to realise that I was missing out on different things but more importantly, being productive.
Being productive for any one of us means different. For me it means, writing posts for my blog, become conscious or mindful of the day ahead and try to maintain that state. For you it may be some thing else. However, the process is same for each one us. This process includes to go for the thing you think and you know will make you a productive being. For some its about getting a task done. Think about the psychological boost you will get by getting things done at the start of the day.
I have tried different things in previous, and I can’t say every one of them works for me, but they have made an impact on me and now I am finding some time to dedicate an amount of time to tasks I want to achieve before getting indulged in rest of the day.
Here are few things that have worked for me, and hopefully they will work for you. I’d like to share them with you.
Reading
Reading an amount of pages from your favorite book does help you sleep better. Or if you are an explorer and want to read more, try reading different books. I have been reading almost all my life and I found in these years, specifically, reading fiction is better for mind and its scions at night, before the sleep.
Go To Bed Earlier
I am actually enjoying going to be early more than I enjoy sleeping late. That refresh feeling you get after waking up after a night’s sleep is what makes it worth. Having a comfortable sleep is very important for the sake of body as well as the mind. Both need rests from that constant stream of thoughts.
Avoid Drinking Caffeine Too Late
Consuming caffeine in day time might help you up in achieving your task with pumping your heart faster. But drinking it at night or late in the evening will have the same effect. My advice, avoid it. You need a relaxed sleep at night, you are not in a hurry.
Get Moving
After waking up and laying in bed doesn’t works for me. I am back to sleep in seconds. Neither the sitting part encourages my eyes to be open wide. I have to move my body. I walk to kitchen, drink a glass of water, or make a cup of coffee then roam around there for sometime until coffee is ready. This helps in getting both my body and mind in a sync mode.
Cold Shower
I read about this technique in Tim Ferriss’ book, Tools of Titans, the chapter in which he interviews Tony Robbins. At first I thought it’s hard to achieve, and how would it be bearable? Later, after trying it myself, it is actually beneficial for me to be aware. Cold ‘chilly’ shower at a bearable amount and without giving up on your breath will actually make you feel energised and ready for the day ahead. Hot showers might sound relaxing, and they are, but it is not a relaxation you need as the very first thing in the morning. You need to boost yourself up. Apparently, cold shower does this and is good for hair too.
Morning without you is a dwindled dawn. (Emily Dickinson)
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Good advice, especially the reading before heading off to sleep part. Usually when I do something else (like spending time on my IPad), it takes me longer to fall asleep. While I read a book though, and turn off the lights I fall asleep in seconds 😀
Me too. Reading half hour on average before falling asleep 😁
Great blog! I get more done in the morning, always. Reading before turning the light out is a great sleep aid.
Me too, super productive in the morning 😊
Reading at night definitely helps.
Thanks!
Great advice. I no longer lay in the bed. I go to my writing room. Thanks for the advice.
You’re welcome 🙂
Make sure you read a real book though, not something on a back-lit screen. Screenlight tells your brain it’s not sleepy time.
I think ereaders are better at that.
Populate your surroundings with small children. They guarantee you will have to get up!
It is amazing the colours one sees in the morning and which disappear bery quickly.
[…] How to Hack Your Mornings So You Get Most of Your Time […]
For ppl like me, it helps a lot bro. Thank u so much❤
You’re most welcome 🙂
My pleasure bro😀
Good advice. Yeah, I have done a handful of cold showers in the morning and it was a big boost. I didn’t know it was good for your hair too, though. 🙂
Just to let you know that I got a new site URL and some of my followers didn’t automatically transfer over. Can you see my latest posts in your reader? But if you can’t, can you unfollow me and refollow me on my new site: https://messageinstanza.com/? Some of my followers had to do that, so my latest posts would show up in their reader. I hope you will. 🙂
Carly (Message In Stanza)
Yeah, I can. Thanks for dropping by and sharing the link of your new site 🙂
Great. I am happy that you will. 🙂