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Why oh why is getting out of bed so tough? I find as we slowly start to wake to darker, colder mornings, my mood takes a bit of a nosedive. There’s no point speaking to me before breakfast, and maybe just don’t come near me at all. I’m a grump.
Recently I’ve been making some changes to boost my mood in the mornings, and I’ve managed to finetune my early hours to ensure I’m a little more fun to be around. It was well overdue…
Find Your Groove
One of the first changes I made (and saw a difference with!) was just changing my thinking. I started waking up and thinking to myself “I had a good sleep, and today is a brand new day!”, and it really worked.
I’d get myself ready, have a delicious coffee in my favourite mug (made by my barista husband, of course) and prep an easy but fun brekkie. Legend has it that if you feed and water me pretty quickly, I perk up in no time.
Since I started working with Light* & Free, I’ve had a good supply of my favourite Strawberry yoghurt on hand for minimal effort breakfasts. I layer up a pot with some flaked almonds, cacao nibs and whatever fruit we have on hand and sit in my favourite spot to enjoy it.
Taking time to sit at the table (instead of my desk!) and eat my breakfast, usually while browsing Instagram, has made a big impact to my mornings.
Routines Work For Some
I know a lot of people don’t like to stray from their routines, which is totally fine! I, on the other hand, find myself getting restless if there’s not enough variety in my day-to-day, so I like to mix it up wherever I can.
If I know I’m going to be at my desk all morning, I’m not exactly giddy with excitement.
I always find that adding in an hour of blog photos, or maybe even some (highly productive!) Pinterest browsing for inspiration always gets me feeling a little more upbeat. I usually have a quick rundown the night before so I know what I’ve got on the following morning, so I can make space for something fun to break up the day, and also just get ahead of my daily tasks.
It’s All In The Music
I live, sleep and breathe music so I always find it’s an instant pick me up! I have a couple of playlists that I reach for as soon as my eyes are open (only a slight exaggeration!), and you can find them all on the Light* and Free Hub, a music-lovers destination packed full of playlists, interviews and more.
Music really helps me to fire through my to-do list, blast those emails I’ve been putting off for weeks and perk me up when I’m stuck in a rut. If I want to reach ultimate productiveness, only a playlist can help me out.
Suss Out Where You’re Going Wrong
A lot of my morning moodiness comes from boredom, so I usually start the day with a workout to get the blood flowing! There’s nothing like a round of burpees to get me wishing I was back at my desk!
On days I don’t have the gym (aka my favourite days), I wake up a little earlier and put on an upbeat playlist to get me in the mood. I tend to either sit in bed listening to a chilled pop playlist, or collect my thoughts in the kitchen listening to golden oldies with my morning coffee. It’s a really peaceful way to start the day, and it never fails to get me feeling great.
Improving my mood is the first step to having a happy, productive day! Do you have any tips or lifestyle changes that have made your day a little brighter?
This post is in collaborating with Light* & Free. As always, all opinions my own.
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