How many of you spend your morning rushing around, leaving you stressed before the day has even really got going? Let’s be honest, so many of us are guilty of starting the day already behind schedule, and as the saying goes ‘lose an hour in the morning and you will spend all day hunting for it’. Starting your day ahead and on top is a great way to prepare yourself for interviews, as well as being a beneficial routine to get into in life generally. So let us share with you our top tips to master your mornings.
Plan Ahead
Eliminate as many of the choices you have to make in the morning by taking 10 minutes to prepare the night before. Job interview at a new location? Then plan your journey in advance. Going to the gym straight from work? Pack your workout clothes in the evening, as well as preparing lunch and selecting your outfit for the day (remember to check it’s clean!). Removing these mundane tasks from your morning routine will give you a much better chance at being on time, and you will be grateful for the stress-free start to the day.
Wake Up Earlier
Ok, this one might sound a little obvious so bear with us here. But waking up even just 15 minutes earlier really can work wonders. You might think it’s more beneficial to have a little extra time in bed, and it can be so tempting to hit that snooze button one more time (believe us, we know). But actually, you will find that having a more leisurely morning can make you feel so much more relaxed throughout the day than those few extra minutes spent sleeping.
Change Your Mindset
Instead of going to sleep dreading the morning rush, change the way you think about them. Learn to see the quiet morning hours as peaceful ‘me’ time, allowing you to gently wake up before you’re bombarded by other tasks in the day ahead that can often be out of your control. What you use this time for is totally up to you; whether that’s walking the dog, reading, meditating, having a leisurely breakfast or anything else you might like to do- it doesn’t matter, it’s YOUR time and YOU are in control!
Get an Early Night
With many self-confessed night-owls in the office we admit this might sound a little easier than it is, but getting enough sleep is important for making us feel refreshed and ready for the day ahead. Studies have shown that early risers have a tendency to be more successful, from Immanuel Kant to Bill Gates, learning to utilise those early morning hours starts with getting to bed earlier. So whilst it’s true that some of us simply have a predisposition to be an early or late riser, getting into a good routine can help you move from the latter category to the former. Get into the habit of switching off your screens and staying away from social media an hour before bedtime will help you drift off that much easier. The Sleep Foundation’s guide to better sleep quality recommends turning off your TV, phone and computer at least 30 minutes before you go to sleep – this is due to the blue light they emit which tricks your brain into thinking its sunlight, therefore delaying sleep.
And remember, they say an hours sleep before twelve is worth two after!