9 Tips for More Peaceful Mornings

We've survived the first week after daylight savings time began, some of us just barely! I know that even as recently as yesterday, I've been struggling to wake up in the mornings. So what can be done about it? Well, you could petition your local legislature to abolish DST. Many localities are looking to do away with the plan, but we all know that the wheels of justice turn very slowly, so how about a solution in the meantime??

1. The first thing that will make for easier mornings is something you do the day before. Namely: go to bed on time. Your body needs a certain amount of sleep in order to function properly. Obviously, people try to work around this with copious amounts of coffee or other caffeinated beverages, but that's not the best solution. The best solution is to listen to your body and, when you get tired in the evenings, go to bed!

2. Another thing you can do the night before in order to ensure more peaceful mornings, would be to get your stuff ready: clothes, shoes, bags, lunches, etc. Particularly, all those things you are scrambling around for in the morning. Get them ready before bedtime and they won't stress you out the next day. This goes double for the kids. You can be completely ready yourself and still get thrown off by a missing shoe for Junior!

3. How you wake up can set the tone for your day. I know that when I am awakened by a yowling cat or a yelling child, even if it's only two minutes before the alarm, it gets my day off on the wrong foot. If you want to wake up peacefully, try setting your alarm to a music setting instead of a buzzer. Now I know some people need a loud buzzing sound to wake them up, and some are super-motivated to get out of bed when the alarm is annoying, but hear me out. If you tell yourself that you will wake up at 6:15, then your body will be primed to hear the music at that time.

4. Along those lines, if you are aiming for peaceful, well-rested mornings, stop setting multiple alarms. We all know you're not getting any more quality sleep after that first alarm. That's just planned procrastination! Set your alarm for the actual time you need to get up in order to complete your morning routine without rushing. Then, enjoy actual sleep up until the alarm and get out of bed when the music starts.

5. Some people like to shower at night. Others eschew a daily dip. I find, though, that whether or not I scrub up, a shower in the morning helps to wake me up. I start it out nice and warm for a gentle wake up and then cool it off at the end to invigorate my body. OK, sometimes I stay in so long that the hot water runs out. Same thing!!

6. After I get out of the shower, my mirror helps me set the mood for the day. How, you ask? Well, I set it up that way! I call them my morning reflections. I get out my Window Markers, pick out a quote or verse and write them on the top of the mirror. It helps aim my day in the right direction.

A photo posted by Rabia Lieber (@mamarabia) on Feb 14, 2015 at 7:58am PST

7. Science has long told us that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so I'm just going to go along with that here. A good protein and some whole grains fill you up, give you energy, and keep you full until lunch. I like a fried egg sandwich most mornings, but sometimes I mix it up with a toasted peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

8. Stimulate your senses. We have those CFC light bulbs that take a few minutes to brighten up. It eases my eyes into awareness and is a good medium between getting dressed in the dark and shocking the system with a sudden onslaught of brightness. You can also use certain invigorating smells to get your body ready for the day. I love citrus smells in the mornings. I get my essential oils from my friend Lydia. My personal favorites are wild orange and lemon, but you can try lime as well. There are some good blends with citrus tones to help wake you up too, like Ignite or Peel.

9. To completely ensure that your mind is in it's best place for the morning, I would also recommend some sort of prayer, meditation, yoga, or other way of checking in with yourself before you start your day. This isn't necessarily a time to go over your to do list, but that could be a small part of your morning affirmations. Check in with your self, remind yourself how awesome you are, and get ready to face the day with a smile!

I'm linking up today with the #1Word Blog Challenge. The prompts today are secret and morning. Did you guess which one I used? Also, I'd like to note that I used a few affiliate links in this post. If you click on something to buy it, I may receive a few pennies in return. Thank you for your support of my blog!