It is a well-known phenomenon that getting up is a gargantuan pain in the neck.

Often if we rise too late, we don’t finish tasks; we don’t eat breakfast; we are late (and embarrassed) for school, or work, and we end up angry and frustrated as a result. If this sounds like you then I have some good news! It doesn’t have to be like this. I’ve tried a million things to get my blood pumping in an attempt to improve my productivity throughout the day and have come up with a few simple ideas to make your morning routine as easy and enjoyable as possible:

1. Open the window for a few minutes

Instead of hitting the snooze button for an extra five minutes, you can use the time to breathe some fresh air. This will wake up your senses and help you ready for the day. You can also use the five minutes to unwind, which will prevent you stressing about the day ahead. Try to think of cute animals and tea, not work.

2. Treat yourself

Everyone likes getting gifts, so why not treat yourself? Promise yourself a small but significant reward for getting out of bed at a set time. The type of reward depends on your preferences. You could make your favourite breakfast afterwards, or even eat it in bed? You could dress up – rock out those killer heels, or leather jacket! You’ve made an effort, so let the world see it!

3. Change your alarm

Let’s be honest, the traditional alarm clock was invented by the devil to set you on the path of misery from the get-go. How about changing it to something you enjoy hearing? Like peaceful water cascading or waves bouncing off an exotic shore. Try setting your alarm so the sound gets gradually louder. Maybe try moving your alarm clock away from your bed so you have to get up to turn it off.

4. Smile 🙂

If all else fails, get up and smile in the mirror. I know this sounds ridiculous, but research has shown that smiling can make you happy. The Scientific American has published the results of their study shows that ‘our emotions are reinforced – perhaps even driven – by their corresponding facial expressions.’

5. DON’T go back to sleep!

If you find yourself that you wake up within minutes of your alarm, it can be tempting to close your eyes again and enjoy those last few minutes of sleep. However, it’s better to get out of bed at this point because it’s likely that you were in a light sleep stage. If you go back to sleep you could end up in a deeper sleep stage, making it harder to wake up and start your day.

If one of these ideas doesn’t work, you can always try the rest. It’s free and you might even gain time, satisfaction and a smile in the morning.

Happy Rising!