Article Updated 4/3/19
1. Prepare the Night Before
Get all your gear together the night before!
whether this is:
- putting together a bag to take to the gym
- laying out workout clothes in the bathroom
- pulling out the earbuds, shoes, and whatever else you use in your workout and setting it next to the door
2. Grab a Mint
As soon as your alarm clock goes off in the morning sit up and pop a mint in your mouth.
According to some, the smell and taste of mint can invigorate you much like that of a splash of cold water. The bonus in mints is that little bit of sugar that can help stimulate your body and your brain.
3. Sniff a Scent
If you have essential oils, or room freshners of specific scents, give them a spray as soon as you wake up.
According to sleep.org there are specific smells that help you wake up and even feel energized:
- Citrus
- Peppermint
- Rosemary
- Eucalyptus
4. Move the Alarm Clock
While it may be frustrating and difficult to do in the morning ; moving your body as soon as the alarm clock goes off is a really good way to wake yourself up.
Place the alarm clock far enough way from your bed that you have to get out of bed in order to turn it off. The movement will help you wake up and keep you from rolling over and hitting the snooze button.
5. Make it a Routine
For the first few days of a new routine, DON’T LET YOURSELF FAIL. If you can faithfully follow a routine for several days in a row, the task will be that much easier to continue in the future.
**This one I can attest to! The more often I follow my routine the easier it really does become to continue.
6. Remind Yourself of Your Goals
Why are you waking up early to work out? What are your goals? How will you feel when you accomplish those goals? Remind yourself of the reasons and the benefits and keep yourself on track for reaching those goals you’ve set.
If this requires a list of reasons by your bedside to remind you when the alarm clock goes off, then do it.
7. Find a Buddy
- Find a friend
- Join a workout group
- Set goals and a report date with someone
Waking up to an alarm and relying on yourself to stay motivated to work out every morning can get tricky; but when you know someone is waiting outside for you, or you know you have to report your behaviors to someone, there is an extra incentive to stay on task and get up and going.
**I personally love running buddies! Especially during the winter months when its freezing cold outside and your bed it toasty warm. Not only are they great for giving you the initial push to get out of bed, but they make the time pass quickly during the run too. With a running buddy, the whole process is just that much easier and more enjoyable.
8. Track Your Runs
Many people like to use the physical coloring sheets that allow them to fill in squares each time they complete a run, or fill in a certain number of squares depending on the number of miles they run.
There are also apps that allow you to track your workouts in fun ways and showcase your goals:
- Habitica – make it fun with a game using Habitica
- Productive – build good habits while organizing your life
- StickK – commit to yourself with a built in contract!
- Streaks (IOS only) – set up goals and get your streak going
- HabitBull – for detailed tracking, habitbull is the app
However you choose to do it, tracking your runs can help motivate you to wake up in the morning and just get it done before your brain can convince you otherwise.
9. Understand the Benefits
There are many benefits to waking up early and working out first thing!
- Give the metabolism a jump start to the day.
- Wake up the brain and help it stay more acute throughout the day.
- Provide a sense of accomplishment and mentality to take on the rest of the day.
- Set a routine that helps for future wake ups (the body actually starts to prepare to wake up and exercise long before your eyes open), it helps keep regular hormone levels, and regulate the body.
- Ensure a workout gets done and life doesn’t take over and bog down your fitness goals and opportunities.
- Brighten your mood and prepare for a positive outlook on the day.
5 Apps for Waking Up in the Morning
- Alarm Clock for Heavy Sleepers (Android only) – from math problems to different alarm sounds
- and more!
- Sleep Cycle – Track your sleep and wake up at the easiest time in your cycle
- SpinMe – you must spin in circles in order to turn off this alarm
- Alarmy – take pictures, shake your phone, fill in math problems…whatever it takes to wake you up!
- Wakie – need a legitimate wakeup call? This app assigns strangers to call you in the morning and talk to you until you’re awake.
5 Apps for Tracking Runs
(These are mentioned in Tip #8 above)
- Alarm Clock for Heavy Sleepers (Android only) – from math problems to different alarm sounds
- and more!
- Sleep Cycle – Track your sleep and wake up at the easiest time in your cycle
- SpinMe – you must spin in circles in order to turn off this alarm
- Alarmy – take pictures, shake your phone, fill in math problems…whatever it takes to wake you up!
- Wakie – need a legitimate wakeup call? This app assigns strangers to call you in the morning and talk to you until you’re awake.
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