Even early birds have bad days. It’s inevitable—everyone has those moments when you just don’t want to get out of bed. And when you finally do, the morning lulls on, never-ending, kind of like the “It’s a Small World” ride at Disney.
Luckily for you, we also struggle through our mornings—which is why we’ve written so many articles about getting through them. And what we’ve discovered in our research is that it’s actually possible to make it through those first few hours pain-free.
So here you go, 11 key tips for surviving the first (and arguably most important) half of the day, courtesy of your obvious first stop every morning, The Daily Muse.
- Good mornings start with a good bedtime routine.
- Guess what? It’s actually okay to hit the snooze button for those extra 10 minutes of rest. Just don’t do it, say, 20 times.
- Consider making some changes to your morning routine, such as listening to a podcast while you wake up.
- Favorite new tip? Instead of grabbing your phone, take out a pen and paper and write for 15 minutes. Just 15 minutes, you can do it!
- Now that you’re awake, how do you stay productive? We promise you that it’s possible to get almost all your work done before noon.
- Did you know ambient noises, such as the sounds of a coffee shop, increase creativity and productivity? Spice up the background noise (or lack thereof) in your office by simulating your own soothing ambiance.
- And to make your morning even brighter, here are 12 coffee mugs that will make you smile.
- Leave the house right on time—every time—with these four easy tips.
- Not enough time to check the news before you leave the house? Here’s a list of seven different sources for getting your daily news fix on the go.
- Accept, at the end of the day, that you just might not be a morning person. It’s okay! You can still be productive the night before.
- And if that’s the case, as they say, fake it ’til you make it.