I used to be skeptical. I didn’t think it was possible to have little kids and be a morning person. I didn’t think I could use my morning time efficiently and effectively when I was always tired and sleep deprived. But I was so wrong! You can be a mom, have little kids, and use your mornings well! It just takes some intentionality!
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I want to be very upfront. While I have two young children, they both sleep through the night. If you have a baby still waking up several times throughout the night, please, please give yourself grace to sleep in if you’re able. Your season of life right now is different than mine. If you want to be more intentional with your morning hours, wait until that baby sleeps through the night. You will get there mama!
Mornings used to be my most dreaded time of the day. I would wake up feeling like I was already behind because both of my boys would already be awake. I would race frantically to get more clothes on, get the baby his bottle, and grab something for my older son for breakfast because heaven forbid we have to wait 5 more minutes to eat! 🙂
I was overwhelmed. I would have to sneak back in my bedroom later on in the morning to get myself ready. My morning routine didn’t happen all that often because I was just trying to catch up to the day that had started without me.
Looking back I can see my fatal flaws and allowing this to happen is at the top of the list. You see, I thought that I didn’t have a choice. If I wanted to get enough sleep, I had to do this. I had to stay up late to get things done since my mornings were so frantic. I told myself, “My life is too crazy in the mornings. I’ll just stay up late to play catch up.” This was a viscous cycle that went on for several years.
In the fall of 2015, I took Crystal Paine’s course, Make Over Your Mornings. When I took the course, I still had this voice saying, “You can’t do this,” in the back of my head. I tried getting up early, but continued to tell myself that i was a night person. It took until the summer of 2016 that I finally decided to really take to heart her advice and be more intentional about my mornings.
I’m not going to sugarcoat it and say it’s been easy. It hasn’t. But I’m a happier wife and mom and my home is much better cared for just because I’m using my mornings well.
Are you struggling to use your mornings more intentionally? If you feel like I did just a few short months ago, I hope these tips help you. They have worked for me and made it just a little bit easier. You can also go grab Crystal’s course Make Over Your Mornings for some amazing tips and strategies. Get the first day of the 14-day course free!
HOW TO BECOME A MORNING PERSON
1. Go to bed earlier.
This one won’t come automatically. If you are going to bed at midnight or later on a normal basis, you will need to start backing up your bedtime slowly. The first week, make your bedtime 11:30pm. Then back it up until 11pm. Continue backing up your bedtime by 15-30 minute increments until you hit your sweet spot. Make sure you are getting 7-8 hours of sleep each night.
It’s a pretty basic principal. If you go to bed earlier, you will be able to wake up earlier. Just make sure you don’t try to do it all in one night! You will need to give you body the chance to adjust over time.
2. Set an alarm.
If you are really struggling to wake up early, use an alarm. The key to using an alarm is not the alarm itself, but rather the placement of the alarm. If you are really struggling to get up, put your alarm on the other side of the room so you have to physically get out of bed to shut it off. This one little trick will help you to feel a little more awake from the beginning!
3. Create a plan for how you will use your time.
Don’t just get up early and not have a good use of your time. You need a plan! This could be your only time each day without little ones hanging off your feet! 🙂 Think of how you want to use this time, create a plan, and stick to it!
I like to unload my dishwasher and make sure my kitchen is tidy. My youngest likes to climb in my dishwasher while I unload it so it’s much easier to do this task without him around. Think of things that re easier done solo and get them done in those morning hours.
I also like to use my morning time to read my Bible and get some blogging work done. It’s quiet and uninterrupted. It’s the perfect time to spend alone with God. I’m also able to churn out some quiet work time.
4. Get a morning buddy.
If you are really struggling to get up early, find a morning partner who you can text as soon as you wake up each morning. If you are expecting a text from your friend and she is expecting a response from you, then you will be more likely to actually follow through. It’s always easier to do things when you have accountability!
5. Drink coffee!
Okay, maybe this is just me. But I love coffee and the caffeine boost really gets me going in the morning. Maybe you don’t like coffee, but hot tea would help you out. Or maybe you just want a large glass of ice water. Get up and get something to drink to get you going for the day. It will help give you the energy you need to keep going!
6. Turn on the lights when you wake up.
Turning on the lights will signal your body that it’s daytime even if it’s still dark outside. Turn on a couple lights to get your to wake up! This instantly jolts me awake each morning.
7. Exercise.
If you are still feeling sluggish in the mornings, try exercising. It doesn’t have to be for long and it doesn’t have to be high-intensity exercise. Go for a short walk or jog outside or do 10-15 minutes of muscle toning. It will give you a boost of energy as well as a boost of endorphins to get your spirits lifted before the day really begins!
Becoming a morning person when you don’t think it’s possible will be extremely difficult. The most important thing you can do to help yourself to become a morning person is to change your mindset. Shifting your mindset from “it’s impossible” to “I can” will instantly increase your chances of success!
Remember to give yourself grace during seasons of life, but don’t let small things hold you back from carving out a small bit of time that is just for you. It’s important that we fuel our minds and bodies each morning so that we can spend the rest of our days pouring into others.
I hope you found some inspiration and encouragement today.
What are your tricks to helping you get your mornings started well?
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So you think there is hope for me (I’m a total night owl)? I need to work on this!!
Haha, Absolutely Sarah! I was staying up way too late about a year ago and it took me several months to make the switch very gradually! It took me a LONG time, but I’ve found that I’m actually more productive and more rested when I get up early in the morning to get everything done without the kiddos.