16 Hacks That Make Mornings Less Painful For Night Owls

Night owls cannot function well in the morning. Their brains are so scrambled in the morning that even choosing between getting up and sleeping another ten minutes (they usually choose the latter) is one of the biggest obstacles they have to traverse in order to start the day. If you're one of these people, don't fight against nature to try and become a morning person, try these helpful morning hacks that will make waking up much easier instead.

Don’t force yourself into being a morning person.

The nine to five world was built around morning people (except for Spain, that country knows how to sleep). You’ve tried every trick and hack out there to become an early bird, but none of them work. You just end up feeling exhausted all the time and you’re not as creative as you were before these insane hacks. Instead, embrace your wacky sleep schedule. If it works for you and makes you happy, then it’s meant to be.

Pick out your clothes for the next day.

Instead of frantically searching for clothes to wear in the morning, take time the night before to lay out your outfit (that includes socks, underwear and shoes). That way, even when you’re drowsy and dazed, you can easily clothe yourself in no time at all.

Prep your breakfast and lunch the night before!

It’s easy to simply say, “I’ll grab lunch out today” when you roll out of bed half an hour before work, but if you have a meal already prepared and ready to go, then all you have to do is grab it and head out the door. Try preparing ahead with your breakfast, too.

Put your keys, wallet and phone in one, easy-to-remember spot.

Put important items you can’t live without in one central location. We recommend somewhere next to the door. Yes, even your cell phone. Do this an hour before you hit the sack. If you need extra help waking up, set an alarm on your phone so you have to go all the way to the front door to turn it off.

Organize your desktop before the next day.

When you open your computer in the morning, just finding a document can be a struggle, so imagine how long it would take for you to find said document when your desktop looks like this. Before you leave work everyday, make sure your desktop is clean and organized so that you’ll be able to get started right away the next morning.

When you have a creative idea for work, save it for your peak night hours.

Our peak hours are often wasted by television and relaxing activities. While it’s good to get some well deserved ‘me’ time, it’s also important to utilize those precious hours when your brain activity peaks (for night owls, that’s usually at night). First, figure out what your peak hours are (when you typically come up with clever ideas). Then, work on a project that requires some deeper thinking. The solutions will come easier to you than they would during normal work hours.

Schedule that email to go out in the morning.

For night owls, forming coherent sentences in the morning is probably not your strong suit. Instead of writing those important emails in the morning, write them up later in the day when you have more energy. Then, schedule them to go out the following morning. You’ll get better results (and the recipients will think you start your day early).

Schedule notifications to turn off an hour before bed.

You may be a night owl, but that doesn’t mean you should stay up until 2:00 A.M. every night. Your phone, Netflix, and other distracting technology might be pushing your usual bedtime back later and later. While you’re in bed, make sure you’re completely unplugged.

Shower the night before work.

Showers are work, and therefore not meant for mornings. Take a nice, relaxing shower before bed instead. When you wake up, wash your face and do the rest of your morning ritual. If you shower because you sweat at night, then make sure your room is cool and remember to get the air circulating before you settle in for the night.

Beware the accidental all-nighter Netflix binges and NEVER buy one of these.

This is just asking for late nights and lazy mornings, or even a ‘sick day’. Not only that, but it also takes away from your peak hours of creativity and productivity. DON’T GET ONE OF THESE NO MATTER HOW WONDERFUL AND HEAVENLY THEY SEEM.

Try reading an hour before you hit the hay.

Don’t start a new Netflix show and don’t check your Facebook. Instead, make some herbal tea and settle in with a good book.

Write yourself a reminder of things you’d like to do before you go to bed.

Night owls tend to hatch great ideas right before they go to sleep. When something pops into your head that would be loathe to forget, write it down on a notebook and keep it on your bedside table. That way, when you wake up in a sleepy haze, you can read it and quickly recall last night’s brilliant thought.

Set your alarm clock in the room where you start your day.

If you’re the master of snoozing your alarm clock and going back to sleep even if it’s clear across the room, then you need to try a different tactic. Try placing your alarm clock in the bathroom, next to the coffee maker, or whichever room it is that tend to start your day in. That way, you can trigger you mind to start your morning routine right away.

Start off your day with something you love.

Early birds claim you should start the day with your workout, even if you hate it, but that just doesn’t make sense. How will doing something you hate right after you wake up make you want to get out of bed? Instead, do something you love that requires minimal effort. It could be as simple as enjoying a cup of coffee on the porch. This will give you time to prepare yourself for the morning ahead.

Take your coffee for a walk.

Yes, we said ‘your coffee’ (you can take your dog, too). If you’re one of those people who groggily sips on a cup of coffee for an hour, then maybe you should add some movement. Pour your coffee in a to-go cup and go for a leisurely walk. The light exercise and coffee combined will get your blood pumping and you’ll start to feel a bit more human with every step.

In the morning, turn up the jams and turn off the television. You’ll get more done.

Going straight to the TV with your coffee or breakfast will lead to a very unproductive morning, you might even fall asleep again. Instead, steer clear of the flat screen and pump your favorite tunes. You’ll find you can get your day started much faster.