One thing I will admit to, is that I’m not the best person at getting up in the morning. I probably use the snooze button way too much and as my Mum would always say to me when I was little ‘you’re on a go slow and stop this morning.’
I am a bit of a zombie in the mornings, so when bath and body brand Rituals approached me to work with them this Spring, I had to say yes to a new challenge. With myself having a sluggish start to 2016, I thought that this Spring, I could try to become more of a morning person. Being a big fan of the brand already, I was enticed by the concept behind their iconic spring range which is inspired by the Ritual of Sakura. For hundreds of years, the Japanese have celebrated the annual flowering of Sakura which is the Japanese word for Cherry Blossom. Seeing the beautiful trees in blossom, marks an awakening of nature and as they don’t last too long, it symbolises that life is short and must be enjoyed to the full. Rituals have re launched this collection with a new name and packaging but still with the same concept that every day should feel like a new beginning.
So with this in mind, this Spring I wanted to get more work done and seize the day. Although, I wouldn’t say I dart out of bed in the morning like a spring chicken, I am finding it a little easier to get my bum moving and the snoozing of my alarm has almost stopped. Almost, I said almost.
Being Organized The Night Before
Being organized and doing things such as choosing what to wear for the next day, preparing lunch, writing to-do lists etc can really help you when it comes to the morning. You’ll have less to do and think about, meaning you won’t be running round like a headless chicken. I always find if I’m stressing in the morning it will make me feel about 10 times worse than I already do. So this just gives you a little extra time in the morning to have breakfast, have a pamper or watch all the snapchat stories that have been uploaded during the night.
Going To Bed Early
A bit of a simple one but getting yourself into bed a bit earlier will mean you’ll hopefully wake up a bit easier in the morning. I’ve been trying to get myself into bed earlier recently, and not staying up late for the sake of it. In fact I posted about ways to switch off easier a couple of weeks ago, so you can catch up with that here.
Don’t Snooze
The snooze button on an alarm is so tempting. But it’s not good for you and studies show it makes you more tired! Two ways to beat this are; either putting your alarm on the other side of the room to ensure you have to get up and out of bed. Or using an app such as Sleep Cycle which wakes up when you’re in your lightest cycle of sleep. You have three cycles of sleep; light, deep and dream state which is referred to as REM sleep. The app monitors your movements during the night then wakes you up in an allotted time frame when you are in the light cycle. Just make sure you charge your phone at the same time as the app absolutely drains your battery! You should hopefully wake up not feeling as groggy as you may have done. It definitely works for me.
Then just wake yourself up in the best way, for me I like to sit and scroll on twitter, Instagram snapchat, but some people like to just get out of bed. Find out what works best for you and stick with it. You know how to get yourself up.
Get In The Shower
I find that having a shower straight away wakes me up and gets me ready for the day. I find that having a little pamper really helps to wake me up and puts me in a good mood. I’ve been using the ‘Ritual of Sakura’ range for the past couple of weeks in the shower and it smells amazing. This re launched iconic range is inspired by the beautiful Japanese Sakura tree. As I mentioned above, observing the falling of the cherry blossom symbolises the start of spring, new life and optimism. So this range is to encourage you to seek everyday as a new beginning and to live life to the full. I made a promise to myself this year to become more productive and more of a morning person so this really is the perfect range for me to use in the mornings.
I love the meaning behind the products and they are so lovely and luxurious. I really love the shower foam probably the best, with its ingredients of organic rice milk and cherry blossom; meaning it has a very delicate soft fragrance. It’s so moisturizing and I think using a foam is a little more interesting that normal shower gel. It’s also a great multi use product, as you can also use it whilst shaving and it moisturises your skin at the same time. I also love the shower oil, which is great for when my skin feels dehydrated or I feel a bit tired in the mornings. It really makes my skin feel so silky and soft, and is a real pamper for first thing in the morning.
If you like the sound of the Ritual of Sakura range, make sure you head over here to find out how you can win a luxury gift set.
After this, I’ll get changed and use a body lotion such as the Rituals Ritual of Sakura body cream which is thick and super hydrating. After massaging this in, my skin feels so soft, and I feel ready to face the day.
Use Music As A Mood Booster
Music really helps me when I’m in a mood. I can try and say I’ll try to be a better morning person but let’s be honest, some days you wake up in a grump and that’s that. So when this does happen, I’ll pop on a playlist which will make feel a bit cheerier, to listen to whilst I do my hair and make up. Spotify has loads of playlists to choose from, but I also have made my own playlist which I listen to when I’m in a bad mood. I’ll link my Spotify down below if you’d like to have a sneak peek at my playlists.
Give Yourself Something To Look Forward To
I find that having a nice breakfast to look forward to always makes getting out of bed easier (typical me always thinking with my stomach.)
I love my coffee machine so I love nothing more than getting a big cup ready and then enjoying it whilst I scroll through emails. I have been eating porridge recently in the morning which isn’t too exciting, but I always get out of bed easier when I’m thinking ‘ooh I have this to eat.’’ You know yourself well enough to know what excites you and then just use that to get yourself out of bed.
Get Moving
Whether it’s booking an early exercise class, going to the gym or just going out for a walk. Getting out and about in the morning can do wonders for you. I am not a fan of exercising early, so I tend to do it in the evenings but I do love walking Frank first thing. I like it because it’s quiet, peaceful and its a nice way to start the day.
Sometimes I’ll put in my headphones and listen to music, or we’ll walk in silence. I feel ready for the day once we come back and energized. Whether it’s walking to work, or going for a swim you have to do what’s right for you.
By this point, I’m ready to start my day, I’ll sit at my desk and start work.
I also made this post into a video which I popped on my YouTube channel at the weekend, which you can see below!
Music, food and getting out seem to the things that really get me moving, and although I wouldn’t say 100% I’m now a morning person, I’m getting better. I’m sure in no time, I’ll be up in the morning whistling like I’m Snow White.
Let me know what your favourite tip is for getting up in the mornings!
* This post was sponsored by Rituals but as always my opinion remains honest and genuine.
