As a night owl, early mornings haven’t always been my cup of tea. Over the last year, I’ve been focusing on ways to make my mornings more enjoyable, energizing, and feeling prepared for whatever the day will bring. Since I have worked from home for the last 7 years, I found myself rolling out of bed, hopping in the shower, and heading straight to my desk while my hair air dries. While this works, taking 30 minutes or an hour after my shower to start the day with a little “me-time” has actually allowed me to work more efficiently, be more relaxed, and feel less cluttered in my headspace to tackle my tasks and goals that day!
I set my alarm everyday for 7AM, and I’m at my desk by 8AM on most days – 9AM on the days I add in my morning runs. Whether you have flexible hours like me or need to set your alarm a bit earlier to add a little joy into your mornings, these 12 simple changes have made my mornings so much more enjoyable!
1 – Set Your Alarm To A Song That Makes You Happy
There’s nothing that jolts me up in the morning feeling frazzled like the annoying dings of an iPhone alarm. I learned a long time ago that setting my alarm to a happy song that builds up in volume is the BEST way to wake up in the morning. Instead of waking up stressed from loud buzzers, I wake up in full joy to the build up of “do-do-doop-dum” of Always Be My Baby by Mariah Carey. Honestly I wasn’t even a Mariah Carey fan until I set this as my alarm, but it is hands down the best song to wake up to. Whether you set your iPhone alarm or your Alexa, pick a feel-good song that will wake you up with positive vibes.
(In boarding school, my song of choice was Mexican Cousin by Phish – the lyrics are pretty odd, but my roommate and I woke up to this all of Junior year and it was great!)
2 – Make Your Bed
This isn’t a new one, but it really is the easiest way to check something off of your to-do list before you even start the day! If our bed is unmade, it makes the room feel so messy and cluttered. Taking a minute to make the bed will make your room feel so much cleaner and organized, plus staring at all of those fluffed accent pillows throughout the day is a feel-good experience in itself!
3 – Don’t Check Your Texts/Emails/Instagram When You First Wake Up
This one is pretty tricky, especially if you’re using your iPhone for your morning alarm, but waiting even 30 minutes after I’ve woken up to check my phone allows me to start my day focusing on MY tasks and goals before cluttering my mind with what everyone else is up to. It’s hard to do, but a small thing that makes a big difference in my morning mindset!
4 – Do Something You Enjoy Before Diving Into Work
Working from home, it’s easy to roll out of bed and immediately go into work mode. Taking 30 minutes in the morning to do something I enjoy makes a huge difference in my mindset and productivity for the day! Have your morning coffee outside, read a daily devotional, catch up on an inspiring blog, scroll Pinterest for home decor or lifestyle tips.
For me, I take a bath every morning. It’s not the most conventional way to start the day, but baths are literally my favorite thing in the world – so why not start the day with something I love? ;)
5 – Exercise
Now I will be the first to say this is the one item on the list that I struggle to keep up with, but it is the one that makes the biggest difference! While we started with a home gym, I later transformed it into my office now that my husband works from home too – but I kept the treadmill in there and actually use it a lot more now that it’s not a “gym” (perhaps it’s because I look at it all day when I’m working and not avoiding the room..)
On the days I exercise, I run (sometimes run/walk) 3-5 miles on the treadmill. When I shifted my mindset from working out was for “getting in shape” to working out is “beneficial for mental health” like stress or anxiety, it actually made me WANT to exercise and truly enjoy it. I’ve never really loved yoga or pilates, but running is the one type of exercise that I actually love – plus I can do it at home without driving to studios for classes. While I have a TV in my office, I’ve found a good shuffle on SoundCloud is the best way to tune out, discover new songs, achieve those feel-good endorphins, and channel my energy in a great way. Plus it’s an excuse to buy new workout wear!
6 – Do Your Hair And Makeup
Our mom always taught us to wake up, shower, and put on makeup before starting the day – and as I’ve gotten older, I’ve really understood this one a lot more. It’s hard to feel productive if I’m only “half ready” for the day, even if I’m working from home. Feeling put-together makes all the difference with my productivity!
7 – Make A Smoothie
I have never been a fan of breakfast. I don’t like eggs, milk, and I’m a vegetarian, which cuts out a lot of breakfast foods – and the idea of waffles or pancakes is WAY too sweet for the morning (I’m honestly impressed with people that don’t have a sugar crash after morning sweets!). As someone who typically skips breakfast all together, switching up my routine and starting my day with a smoothie is a great way to easily get nutrition, energy, and feel like I can check “healthy ingredients” off of my daily list and feel accomplished.
My morning Vitamix smoothie:
- Water
- Berries
- Kale or spinach
- Chia Seeds
- Turmeric
- Honey
- A spoonful of peanut butter
- A dash of ginger
It’s a delightful mix of healthy ingredients with a boost of energy and nutrition!
8 – Tidy Your Space
It’s impossible for me to feel productive if I’m working in a cluttered space. I start every morning by tidying the kitchen (doing the dishes and wiping down the countertops), fluffing the couch pillows and cleaning the coffee table, a quick trip around the central area of the house with my Dyson vacuum (literally my favorite thing I own – thanks mom!), and organizing my office space. As someone who gets distracted very easily, starting the day in a clean and organized environment keeps me focused on my daily tasks without distractions!
9 – Enjoy Your Morning Caffeine
Whether it’s your morning coffee, espresso, black tea, or a Diet Coke like me (it’s my vice, sorry), take the time to really enjoy your morning pick-me-up whether it’s over breakfast with your spouse or reading your favorite source for inspiration. Bonus points if you enjoy it outside.
10 – Take Vitamins
Following up with my smoothies and exercise routine, having a healthy lifestyle has been my priority this last year. Adding a multivitamin, vitamin D supplement, and collagen supplement to my morning routine has made me feel much more energized and proactive about my health! Plus gummy vitamins are tasty, so it’s a win-win.
11 – Choose Pretty Lingerie For The Day
If you look good, you feel good. Have you ever noticed how confident you feel when you wear pretty lingerie on a night out? Why not feel that way everyday? Even though they’re hidden under your loungewear or workwear, a pretty bra and panty set will always give a boost of confidence to take on any day – and even more so if they’re matching!
12 – Do Your Skincare Routine
As soon as I entered my late 20s (and even more so now that I’m in my 30s), skincare became a huge priority for me. When I’m exhausted at night, I usually find myself taking off my makeup, applying a night cream, and skipping the rest of the steps. However, the morning is the best time for me to really take the time to lather on the products. I use a face wash in the shower, then apply my daily serum, followed by my moisturizer of choice (right now I’m using this one), apply my eye cream, and later circle back for my daily sunscreen, primer, and makeup. At least 1 day a week, I use one of these Korean sheet masks from Amazon (so inexpensive and SO hydrating) for a deep dose of hydration while I tidy up the kitchen, and it leaves my skin feeling silky smooth.
In addition to my face, I never start the day without a full application of body lotion – sometimes twice a day – but I cannot stand dry skin, so taking a minute to fully moisturize my body head-to-toe is so rewarding!
Whether you’re a night owl like me or simply looking for some new ideas to make your morning more enjoyable, I hope these tips will inspire you to take a little “me-time” in the mornings!
If you have any tips for making the mornings more enjoyable, let us know in the comments below!