Mornings are hard.
There was a time I was a morning person, but that time has long since passed and now I’m more of a ‘why would I want to leave the world’s most comfortable bed and the warmth of my husband next to me’ kind of person. Hey…I’m 40 now. I’m not really an anytime of the day person. My morning person-ness did not revamp itself into night owl territory. Nor am I a mid-morning, middle of the day, evening person either. I blame the children. There are so many of them. They have so many places to be. So many things to do. So many activities at which we must be present. I’m too tired to be anything but a sleepy person, if we are being honest.
That’s why mornings are hard, and motivation is sometimes even more difficult. When you don’t want to get out of bed in the morning, you certainly aren’t motivated to do all the things, you know? When I was younger, motivation just came to me like oxygen. It was just there. I lived it. I felt it. It was an integral part of life. Now, at 40 (or maybe just because of so many kids and a schedule like ours), I have to find my own motivation. It’s now self-made…an Etsy product, if you will.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m still wildly excited about so many aspects of my days…merely unmotivated to get up and get the process started (they do say starting is the most difficult part of any task, and while I don’t know who they are or what their expertise is, I’m inclined to agree). These days, I find myself motivating myself to do all the things, and I’ve discovered that my own daily motivation comes in the form of my non-morning person routine.
If you find yourself feeling unmotivated, allow me to share my own morning motivation to get you started. It might work. It might not work. Maybe you just need a tip or two. Maybe you don’t care. Either way, I’m sharing.
Do not hit snooze
I won’t lie. I hit snooze every single morning of my life. I do not take my own advice. However, it’s important for you to know that I also regret hitting snooze 5 times every morning on a daily basis. I am regularly annoyed with me for hitting snooze, so I’m suggesting that you do as I say and not as I do. Do not hit snooze. Regrets are made this way.
Take a shower& get your ass ready
Get in the shower. Wake yourself up, AND GET YOUR LIFE TOGETHER. There is not much in life I have control over what with four kids and a puppy and a husband and a life and all the things, but this is one thing I can control – how I look. How I look directly affects how I feel. When I look like the walking dead, I feel bitchy and snippy and mean. And when I say I feel this way, I mean my attitude sucks and I am decidedly un-delightful. However, when my hair is done and my makeup is done and I’m dressed, I am a damned delight. A ray of absolute sunshine. Try it. You’ll feel better.
Light candles
Scent is such an important factor in all aspects of life. Certain scents remind you of sweet memories. Holidays. Baking. Vacations. Family. Friends. One of the very first things I do in the morning is light a candle or two. I have several favorites that I keep year-round (and several holiday scents I can’t wait to use each fall and Christmas season) that I’ve discussed before in this blog post. Each one reminds me of something different and wonderful. I’m a huge fan of the Brooklyn Candle from the Minimalist Collection at Nordstrom. Cardamom is my favorite. Each time I light this candle, I am transported to the lobby of the Montage Laguna Beach Hotel in Southern California. My husband and I have so many amazing memories there, and the scent is absolute perfection.
My other go-to favorite candle scents (until I bust out the fall and holiday candle in September, of course) are from the Hotel Collection. The My Way scent is my personal favorite, followed very closely by Midnight in Paris. Finally, I also love to keep Nest New York candles on hand. I’ve not met a scent I don’t love. Lighting candles first thing makes the house feel cozy and fresh.
Open the windows and doors
All right, I can’t do this every single morning because we live in Florida (and it’s melt your skin off your face hot and humid pretty much every single day), but this time of year I can. Well, not this week because it’s also like 30 degrees when we wake up, but I can do this a bit later in the morning. I love to open the windows – or at least the blinds when the weather is less than ideal. The soft morning sunlight, the fresh air…what’s not to love?
Make your bed
I won’t even elaborate. Just do it.
Stay off the phone
This is a fairly new habit for me that I picked up all of a week ago during Christmas when we were simply too busy, but I really like it, so you’re welcome. I’ve barely had my phone on my in the past week and a half, and it’s been amazing. It’s also making my mornings that much better to stay off of it and focus on the little things.
The way the sunlight pours through the French doors off the pool deck. The way the light hits the subtle sparkle on the stone backsplash in the kitchen. The way the sun looks in the morning sky as it rises above the pool. Instead of hanging out on my phone, I’ve been picking up my book and reading in the lounge with my coffee. It’s quiet, lovely, and motivating.
Don’t rush
…and here it is. I’m so much more motivated during the day if I am not rushing myself in the mornings. I really enjoy making homemade pancakes for the kids and taking my time putting the dishes away afterward. I find myself slowing down and being deliberate. I don’t rush. It’s been a game-changer for me. I have all day long to be productive and motivated.
A few more things
You’ll note I said nothing about journaling or working out. Here’s the deal – I love journaling, but not in the morning. My brain isn’t functioning, and journaling in the morning irritate me and puts me in a mood, so I do it when I feel like it. I also don’t work out in the mornings. I’m not motivated to workout in the mornings. But I do take my dog for a 2-3 mile mid-morning walk and then work out in the early afternoon when I am feeling the motivation. This is how I avoid an afternoon slump.
These thing work for me, but I do understand they might not work for everyone. You may prefer to work out early. You simply may not have the schedule flexibility to workout during the day. Do what works for you, but also do take some time to focus on how you feel and do a few little things that motivate you to have a better day.
And finally…the key to motivating yourself during the day each morning***
Get your life together the night before. Clean the dishes after dinner. Mop the floors, vacuum the rugs, make sure the laundry is put away, everyone’s bedrooms are cleaned, and the bathrooms are in order. If you do this every single night, it doesn’t take more than 15-20 minutes because it’s only a matter of straightening up.
I promise you, though; when you wake up to a sparkling clean home and nothing to do in the mornings to feel organized and happy, you’ll find motivation to be productive a lot easier. And if all else fails, it’s not meant to be. Call you girlfriends and schedule an impromptu lunch with decadent cocktails and too many oysters and let the day take you where it takes you.
You, my friends, are welcome.
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Tiffany Raiford 