It’s 7 a.m. and your alarm clocking is ringing your ear off but all you want is to sleep a tad bit more. We all know the feeling all too well, and many people have mornings where they have zero motivation to wake up and complete the things they had set out to do the night before. Below, you can find some solutions for increasing your morning motivation to help you to rise as a leader.
Have A Morning Routine
According to College Info Geek, a simple task such as doing the dishes can improve your “productive momentum.” Productive momentum forces your brain to go into work mode, allowing you to get more significant responsibilities completed like organizing a campus rally.
Another part of a morning routine that could get your engine running is exercise. In a study conducted at the University of Georgia, researchers found that young adults who did 20 minutes of low-intensity exercise for a total of three times per week had more energy and less fatigue. With less fatigue, you’ll be continuously inspired to lead others and accomplish your short and long-term goals.
College Info Geek also highly advises young adults to incorporate a hobby that you enjoy into your morning routine. College Info Geek describes this as something that “pulls” you into something you love to do so much that you can’t go to sleep without doing it first. If that is volunteering, then you’ve killed two birds with one stone, but this “pull” can also be listening to music, drawing, reading, or anything else!
Eat A Healthy Breakfast
Once you are done with your workout, you can reward yourself with a healthy breakfast. Having a healthy breakfast is another aspect of a morning routine that you should carry out to nourish your body. Her Campus at Virginia Tech says that having a nutrient-rich morning meal is the best way to give yourself energy for the day and jumpstart your metabolism. Some of the options they recommend are whole grain toast with an avocado, a vegetable omelet, or a smoothie with greens and berries. Having a vitamin-packed breakfast can be the key to getting you through a day of back-to-back lectures or it can give you the boost you need to volunteer as the leader for your group project.
Respect Your Sleep
Getting a good nights’ rest is crucial to feeling motivated in the morning and overcoming insecurities you might have with being a leader. This can be accomplished by disconnecting from your electronics and saying “no” to social media once the clock strikes a certain time. Once you begin to go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time everyday, your body will adopt a consistent sleep schedule so that you don’t feel awful in the morning. Being responsible with your sleep will result in your body wanting to wake up because it is well-rested, allowing you to be energized throughout the day.
Make Lists
One thing that can make your mornings drag is not knowing what to do or what you want to achieve. As stated in an article written by Huffington Post, writing by hand improves the ability to remember things, so if you write something down you’ll be more likely to follow through with your responsibilities. With that being said, pull out a pen and paper and jot down all the things you have to do today, this week, this month and so forth. Not only will writing your tasks down improve your memory and overall success rate, but it will also help you prioritize, according to Entrepreneur. At the end of each day, week and month, your list of duties will become a list of accomplishments which according to Entrepreneur, “is a great mental boost that energizes you to do more.”
It’s now 8 p.m. and you’ve had a busy yet fulfilling day all because you were motivated and energized. With these tips in mind, NSCS knows you’ll be a great leader!
Author: Saskia Jones, Marketing Intern