Why 9am? Because if you’re like me your work day starts at 9am but your side hustles, hobbies, lame adult duties and much more start way before that.
Life is this continuous cycle of to-do lists. Well, maybe that’s just me but there’s always something to do (and I know that’s not just me). At work, for your side hustle, in your home, for that friend’s birthday coming up, for your family, etc.the list goes on and on and to be quite frank there just isn’t enough time in the day to do it all.
This is the part of the post where I wish I could tell you I know the secret of how to do it all and still have fun but let’s be real, if that was the case I probably wouldn’t be sitting here writing a blog post at 2am. The magic answer to that is sometimes you just can’t and that’s ok.
This post is to tell you how you can do the more in a morning so you start your day off on a productive note and hopefully end it on a relaxing one…or with a whole bottle of wine. Same thing in my book.
After many attempts to become a “morning person” (my tips on how to do that here) and many all nighters to try and keep up with emails and to-do lists, I finally cracked the code last month (minus the late night part) and have not skipped an early productive morning since. So I’m sharing my top tips to waking up and getting stuff done! I can honestly say it has been a game changer in my life knocking off a few to-dos, the gym and shower before I even head into the office for my day job has been the best way to get ahead each day and I hope you find it just as helpful.
Tips for Being Productive Before 9am
Get a good night sleep. It sounds like common sense, go to bed early to wake up early, right? Sadly, that’s not always the case as just going to bed doesn’t mean you’re necessarily getting a good night sleep. Getting a good 7 hours of sleep starts with your mattress. I’m scared to admit it, but until two months ago I was sleeping on the same queen mattress I had when I got my first bed at 6 years old (back when my feet didn’t hang over the edge from being too tall). Two months ago I switched to the leesa Sapira spring mattress and holy moly, what a game changer. Looking back now, I don’t know how I ever fell asleep on my old mattress. The 100% made in America, hybrid mattress is composed of both foam and springs which form to your body perfectly and regulates temperature so I never get too hot. In addition to the comfort of the mattress, leesa donates one mattress for every ten they sell to a local shelter/non-profit in need. Nothing make me sleep better than helping a good cause. Plus, they’re giving all Blog Appetit readers $100 off their purchase when you use promocode “APPETITâ€. Mattress ships in a compressed box to your door for free and with a 100 night risk-free trial.
Set multiple alarms. The first step of a productive morning is actually getting up. We all know how to hit the snooze button but by setting back to back alarms your body will not allow itself enough time to fall back asleep which leaves you no choice but to get up. For me I set three alarms 2 minutes apart from each other (5:58am, 6am and 6:02am) so my behind is out of that bed by 6:05am at the latest.
Use the buddy system. I swear by this one. I have tried so many times to get into a morning routine but always find myself back at being a night owl after not being held responsible by someone else. Find a person (preferably not the one sleeping next to you who can snooze your alarm with you) to get on the same routine as you and whether that’s a phone call in the morning to make sure the other one is up or meeting up at the gym or coffee shop to get going, this will give you a sense of accountability to get up and get going.
Make a to-do list the night before.
Always plan out what it is you want to accomplish the next morning so you don’t have to waste time in the morning thinking about it. Before going to bed, grab a notepad and write down your top 3-5 things you want to do before 9am or heading to that office job like me. Typically I write out: 1 household chore (unload dishwasher, vacuum, etc.), finish or edit a blog post and answer emails. This way I know I knock a little off of every to-do list before I get to my day job.
Avoid distractions.
Sometimes we don’t even realize how much time we spend watching tv or scrolling through social media in the morning until we look at the clock and realize an hour has flown by. In the morning, put your phone and tv aside until you accomplish your to-dos on your list the reward yourself with a little tv or social media scroll.
Are you a morning person or trying to become one? What’s your morning routine and goals?
This post was in partnership with leesa and all opinions and photos are my own. Thank you so much for supporting my favorite brands that help keep Blog Appétit up and running!