I’m one of those people that other people get annoyed with because I have a lot of energy in the morning. But that’s only the Andie Summers you see. The Andie Summers who has to turn her alarm off is never happy to do so. I love to sleep, and I’m a huge procrastinator. Put those two together and you have this girl who is late for work almost every day because I just can’t pull it together. Sure, I’m in a good mood and have a lot of energy, but I still hate waking up. Hate it.

Mornings can be the worst. Not everyone can wake up in a good mood. As a matter of fact, if you’re the kind of person who wakes up without a problem, every morning, before your alarm goes off – there’s a part of me that hates you.
Now, I realize that’s extreme, but if you’re a snooze-pusher like me, you get it.

Mornings can be a struggle for lots of reasons, like when you’re rushing to avoid traffic, or catch the train, or bus, or when you’re not yet fully awake, or – and this one’s the worst – if you really don’t like your job. But experts say you can change all of that. Taking the time to start your morning at a slower pace can help reduce anxiety, improve work performance and help you start the day feeling refreshed, rather than stressed. What a concept!
So what can we do to improve our pre-work morning routine? Check out these tips from Metro.

• - Prepare the night before

  If you take a lunch, don’t wait until the morning of to try to pull it together. Get it done the night before. And it’s also a good idea to prepare your brain for the day. If you clear your mind at the end of the day by writing down everything you need to achieve the next day, then you can kick-start your day with a clear purpose.

• - Have a consistent bedtime schedule

  I’ll admit. This one is difficult for me. I have kids and find it impossible to remember to do everything for them and for me before I go to bed, so I’m constantly running up and down the stairs trying to pull it all together. By the time I get into bed, I’m frazzled and its later than I hoped.

  But, according to experts, if you have a consistent bedtime and wake up time, your brain will condition itself to feel more awake at the time it expects to be switched on.

  Good luck.

• - Get a good night's sleep.

  Easier said than done, right? They say that if you have an ideal sleep environment it will help you get the quality sleep you need to function at your best in the morning. So, what’s an “ideal” sleep environment? A place you feel safe and comfortable – and it should nclude a supportive mattress and a cool dark bedroom.

• - Give yourself time.

  Rushing and running late only add to your anxiety, so make sure to allow plenty of time to get ready and get to work to make the morning more relaxing.

• - Start your day with something you enjoy.

  Having something to look forward to when you get out of bed always helps. Whether that’s a morning walk, a chat with a friend, or doing your Wordle, make time for it and you’ll be in a great mood to face the day.

• - Work Out

  This seems crazy to me. I understand exercise lowers your body’s stress hormones, but if I already have a hard time waking up, I’m not going to set my alarm even earlier. Maybe I’ll try this after I’ve tried the rest … 

• - Start work with something easy.

  Checking off one of your easiest tasks first thing will help to give you a sense of accomplishment. If you start your day feeling like you’ve already won, can you imagine how much more productive you’ll be? Go get em!

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