Cold Dark Mornings
It’s that time of year when jumping out of a warm, cozy bed and hitting the ground running becomes a struggle… even for the most fearless and fabulous leaders. Waking up ready to tackle the world gets replaced by a few more hits of the snooze button and just a few more cuddles with your warm, cozy blankets (or whatever or whoever you choose to cuddle with).
But that’s not all. Those darn early evenings tend to catch up on you too. I can’t wait to get home from work (or close the home office down) so I can hit the couch and chill with some good ol’ tv. The annual struggle is real and we need to recognize when this is happening and stop it dead in its tracks! Hibernation is not an option, so here are some tips on how to get your behind out of bed, even in the darkest, coldest mornings:
Meal prep for a few days: Make your lunch the night before, prepare dinners in advance (I try to prep Sunday nights for the week ahead). You can even have your breakfast ready to go the night before by setting the timer on the coffee maker, oats in a jar or set the bread maker (our kids love this). Seriously, there are few smells in this world that will drag you out of bed faster than fresh coffee or fresh bread. Am I right?
Choose what you want to wear the night before: This will give you some guilt-free duvet time in the morning. Even better, lay your clothes on a radiator. Who wouldn’t want the bonus of warm cozy clothes on a cold morning?
Create an earlier bedtime routine: Try to go to bed at least an hour earlier then you typically would. Even if you’re going to bed to read or watch television, psychologically it's easier to get a few things done after supper or play with the kids (rather then hitting the couch) when you know your going to bed in a couple of hours anyway. And hey, you’re getting the added bonus of extra bed time! Mmmm…. sweet, sweet bedtime.
Don’t give up what makes you happy: Whether it’s a workout routine, reading, girls nights out, walking, community events…don’t stop doing these just because it’s cold and dark and your couch is calling your name. Don’t get into a rut.
Embrace the blankets on days that your life will allow it, Recharge and refresh under that duvet and enjoy every minute of it. Work hard, and then play (or sleep) hard. You’ve earned it!!
xo, Carrie