I’m a morning person. 100%, absolutely a morning person. It took me awhile to realize this and I’ve only recently started to fully embrace this over the past year or so, but now my mornings are by far the most productive part of my day. I’ve been experimenting with my morning routine to maximize the morning hours and help ensure I get out of bed early – a few tricks I’ve picked up along the way:

1. Start your day with something you look forward to: As soon as that alarm clock goes off, get out of bed and immediately do something you enjoy. For me, it’s a trip to my kitchen to make a latte with my Nespresso machine – starting the day with a little treat for yourself will help provide that extra boost of motivation to get out of bed.
2. Give yourself a “cheat” day: Generally I try and wake up at 6 AM every day during the week but I’ve been allowing myself one “cheat” day where I sleep in until 7. Cutting yourself some slack and giving yourself a day to sleep in a bit will make getting up early easier.
3. Create a morning-specific to do list: Be realistic and make a list of things you’d like to accomplish in the morning before work or other daily activities. Breaking your to-do list up into specific tasks you’d like to crank out in the morning will keep you focused but prevent you from being overwhelmed and feeling like there’s way too much to get done.
4. Plan and prep the night before: Make it easy on yourself in the morning by prepping as much as possible before you go to bed. Have a morning workout planned? Lay out your workout clothes so it’s easy to slip them on and go. Plan on making a healthy breakfast at home? Group ingredients in the fridge or kitchen counters so it’s simple to whip up your meal. Making things easy for yourself eliminates one more excuse to make sure you’re set up to make the most of your morning.
5. Make plans and set a schedule: For me, scheduling 7 AM Flywheel classes has been a huge motivator to get out of bed early and get moving. Scheduling plans with a friend or a group workout class can give you that extra boost to get out of bed and hold yourself accountable in the morning. Sticking to a schedule will ensure you’re able to get everything done that you’d like to in the morning.

Are you a morning person? What are some tricks you’ve figured out to make the most of your mornings? Do you have any favorite parts of your morning routine?