7 things that are helping me become a morning person
I’m not big on early mornings. No matter what the incentive to get up, at the crack of dawn I’d almost always rather snuggle down into my covers than put those toes on the floor. And the darker and chillier the mornings get, the harder it is to get up the motivation to leave that warm, comfy bed.
However, I know that when I get up well before my kids start circling the bed begging for food, I’m more productive and just feel saner when the rush really starts.
So even though I’m not a dyed-in-the-wool morning person, I’ve been trying to trick my internal settings so that getting up earlier is easier.
Here are a few things that just might help turn me into a bona fide morning person:
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Wake-Up Light
This is one product I can't believe I haven't bought yet! Since I have a very difficult time getting up when it's dark and a relatively easy time getting up when the room is bright, the Phillips wake-up light - which turns on gradually starting a half-hour before you want to get up - is a perfect solution. Guess what's going on my Christmas list this year?
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Fluffy Bathrobe
The first thing I reach for every morning? My ridiculously soft, fuzzy bathrobe. I don't go for short, wimpy robes during the colder months: The bigger and fuzzier the better. (featured robe: Overstock.com)
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Teapot
There's something so soothing about a morning routine, and making a cup of tea has been a big part of my morning for years. This year I decided to invest in some loose teas and a teapot to make the whole ritual that much more special.
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New Puppy
Okay, this definitely isn't the solution for everyone, but we recently got an adorable new pup named Renly. While he sleeps well through the night, if I value my carpet and shoes, I had best get up when he does, no later than 6:15 AM.
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Warm Slippers
Right up there with a fuzzy bathrobe, having a warm pair of slippers to shuffle around in makes my morning much more pleasant. My husband got me a pair of Muk-Luks for Christmas last year, and they are hands-down the best slippers I've ever had.
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Space Heater
We live in an old house with drafty windows, and one of the hardest morning-time hurdles for me is facing that blast of chilly air when I throw back the covers. From November on, we've always got a space heater pointed at the bed, which really helps. I'm thinking of upgrading it to a mini-electric fireplace for double the coziness.
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My Kindle
Wait, huh? How is a Kindle making me a morning person? Two ways: First of all, my Kindle cover has a built-in booklight, so at night rather than keep the lamp on, I snuggle down until I'm practically under the covers to read. I'm so comfy that I usually fall asleep within 10 minutes (sometimes with the Kindle still in my hands...good thing it automatically shuts off after a while). Since I've been using my Kindle at night rather than reading a book with the light on or watching TV, I've found that I fall asleep easier and faster, leading to a better morning. Also, if I'm having a particularly hard time getting up in the morning, I'll sometimes give myself five or ten minutes to read in bed before heading to the kitchen to brew my tea. Sometimes easing into the day really helps!
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