Morning Productivity for Non-Morning People

Posted on February 16, 2009 by LJ Earnest
Categories: Productivity,Techniques

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Mondays are productivity days at SimpleProductivity blog.

I am not a morning person. In fact, I have great difficulty in waking up unless there is sufficient light. And since winter is a time of insufficient morning light, coupled with cold mornings, it is very difficult for me to get up and get things done. Yet getting those things done is what sets the tone for the whole day. Here are five ways that I get past the groggies:

Getting Past Morning Groggies

#1: Get Away from the Bed

My first strategy is to get myself out of the bed. The alarm clock that can be turned off without me opening my eyes simply leads to me automatically turning it off without recognizing it. I keep my alarm clock in the bathroom adjoining my bedroom. I have to get out of bed and walk across a cold floor in order to hit the snooze.

#2: Turn On The Lights

Once I hit the snooze on the alarm clock, I will start turning on lights. The bathroom light, the bedside light, the overhead light all get turned on. If I go back to bed, I will turn on the SAD light as well. The light will generally get me to keep my eyes open.

#3: Stretch or Exercise

In fall, spring and summer I take the dog for a walk. I don’t have to be alert for this, and the fresh air and sunrise get me going. In winter I will stretch, or hop on the treadmill and walk for a while in a bemused state.

#4: Hot Beverage

Coffee/hot tea/hot water is a no-fail way for me to get going. The heat of the beverage makes me open my eyes quickly, and since I cannot be prone while drinking a scalding beverage, it gives me incentive to stay upright.

#5: Combination

Getting my first cup of coffee is a way to implement all four strategies at once. I have the coffee machine set up to brew the coffee in time for my first alarm. I can then get out of bed (strategy 1), turn on the lights going downstairs (strategy 2), dodge the animals who are weaving around my ankles waiting to be fed (strategy 3) on the way to the coffee pot (strategy 4).

By adding an extra hour onto my morning, I find that I get more done than on mornings when I sleep until the last possible moment. I also am not rushed, and that means the whole pace of the day is less frantic.

Photo by laffy4k

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