10 ways to make your mornings better even when you hate mornings

(via Panda Whale)

The alarm. The responsibilities. The desire to Just. Get. Five. More. Minutes. We hear you. Not everyone wakes up bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and ready to take on their day. And you might never be that person, but that's ok. There are ways to make mornings more palatable even if you are so not a morning person.

1) Ditch the tech: Nothing starts your day in a more harried, stressful state of mind than going directly from your pillow to your smart phone. Give yourself a chance to breath first before you start obsessing over those emails that came in last night.

2) Don't make decisions: Give yourself a mental break and allow yourself to make as few decisions as possible . Pick out your outfit the night before. Know what you're going to eat for breakfast before you go to bed. While seemingly trivial, these tiny little decisions weigh on us and weigh us down.

3) Wake up to the smell of coffee: Even the most basic coffee maker has a timer setting, so use it! The smell of coffee wafting through your bedroom might just be enough to offset the alarm-inducing angst.

4) Take 5: Taking just 5 minutes to sit and enjoy your cup of coffee rather than throwing it in a travel mug and rushing out the door will make for a much more civilized start to your day.  Enjoy your cup of Joe with a book. Or use the time to actually talk with your family. Or, just embrace some peace and quiet. Oh, and you can totally throw more coffee in your travel mug and take it with you when you leave. Sometimes it's a multiple cups kinda day.

5) Don't harsh your mellow: Just say "no" to the jarring wake up of an rude alarm. Try waking up to a favorite song or soothing voice. 

6) Play with your food: Don't even think about skipping breakfast. And when you eat, make it fun! Whether it's creative plating, drinking your tea all fancy-like with your pinky out or drinking juice out of a wine glass. Do something unexpected and break out of the rut.

7) Listen to a favorite song: It's impossible not to get your groove on when your go-to jam is on. Any day that starts with a dance party cannot be all bad.

8) S-T-R-E-T-C-H it out: Release tension from last night's sleep, your last workout and life in general with a few gentle stretches before you jump right into it. Stimulating your nervous system and muscles will make you more aware more quickly. 

9) Make the bed: Simple? Yes. But OH so satisfying. A quick straightening of the sheets will have you feeling more pulled together. 

10) Start a ritual: A gratitude ritual puts your day in a positive spin right from the get-go. And if you're not sure how to start one, or even what one is, check this out.