I am really struggling with the mornings, my friends. Here's the situation. I want to get up early in the morning. I want to have more time to spend reading other people's blogs and writing my own. I yearn for that feeling of being organized when I'm actually on time for work and have not been rushing around like an out-of-control freight train trying to decide what to wear and what I need to remember to bring into work for the day.
I'd like to have a leisurely cup of tea in the morning. Or actually wear make-up to work.
At bed time I'm an in-control Dr. Jekyll, calmly planning to rise at 6.30 a.m. (I know, it's not even that early!). In the morning, I'm a monstrous Mr. Hyde, plotting how I can stay in bed just one more second, and thinking that actually I can get ready for work in 15 minutes! And who needs clean hair? Or breakfast?
How can I deal with these two competing sides of my personality? How can I motivate myself to do what I really want to do without letting myself get in the way?
I thought I had it cracked for a while (see I'll Never Be a Morning Person, But). Doing something I liked in the morning (like writing) was helping a lot. But then the going got tough. All I needed to keep my bum in bed was a super busy week at work or something I was upset about.
I know many of you have given me suggestions before, but please, reiterate or give me more. I'm not a big fan of fighting natural tendencies, but I know that if I had better mornings I'd probably have better days.
Perhaps I should try the whole 'publicly pledging to do something', so I'm held accountable. Who knows if this will work with Mr. Hyde at play, but it's worth a shot.
6.30 a.m. on weekdays or bust. Any other ideas, please do send them over.
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Try this:
ReplyDeleteStep 1: Retrain your thoughts
Step 2: Eliminate urgency
Step 3: Increase enjoyment
repeat
Step 1: Retrain your thoughts.
You're current thought pattern about the morning is: Mornings are hard, I'm not a morning person, Mornings are unpleasant, Mornings are hard, I'm not a morning person, Mornings are unpleasant, over and over.
Over time you can change this pattern.
Before bed every evening, make two lists:
1. Things I like about the morning.
2. How it will feel when I am a morning person.
You can keep these and look them over before bed each evening, or you can make new lists before bed.
Step 2: Eliminate Urgency
Consider the things you do in the morning and see if you can't do most or all of them the night before. For example:
1. Wash and dry your hair before bed. Wrap your hair in a scarf and brush it out in the morning.
2. Layout the next day's outfit, including shoes.
3. Pack your purse/bag with whatever you need to walk out the door: keys, wallet, metrocard, etc.
4. Make a quick list called "Tomorrow" of the various places you'll need to be the next day. Pack anything required for this in your bag (i.e. tap shoes, fancy heels, etc.)
Step 3: Increase Enjoyment
You've listed, you've packed, you've prepared, you've slept, now wake up.
It's important that every aspect of your morning is enjoyable. Do you like your alarm clock? Can you set it to play your favorite song to wake you? Do you love your robe? Does it make you feel wealthy? Can you spritz your face with some kind of expensive spray? Do you have exciting soap? Do you have a favorite place to sit in your house? Can you sit there in your beautiful robe and drink something really delicious, like fresh squeezed orange juice or pomegranate juice? Can you gaze out at your beautiful backyard while munching on a really excellent croissant? Can you pretend your butler laid out all of your things the night before so all you have to do is slip into them and float out into your world?
While you're moving through your much easier morning, make mental notes of all of the pleasant aspects of it. Later in the evening, include these in your list that you are creating for the next day.
This process has worked for me, and it's fun to try.
-s
Thank you so much! Fabulous ideas. I will give them a try and let you know how it goes. (By the way, the one I can't do is look out over the back yard as the sun doesn't come up until 8 am in England in the winter months -- shocker!)
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