If you feel tired and demotivated in the first half of your day, you’re not as productive as the morning person in your workplace. Even worse, you may end up taking work home or working overtime as a result.
Thankfully, there’s no need to envy morning people because a change in your habits will lead to you feeling productive and energized in the morning as well. Here are six reasons that contribute to lack of productivity in the morning and what you can do to fix them.
#1 Everyone Wakes up Dehydrated
One of the biggest reasons you’re not productive in the morning is you wake up dehydrated and don’t even realize it.
The first thing you should do after getting out of bed is drink a large glass of water. If you need to use the restroom first, of course do so, but then drink a big glass of water.
Many people who start doing this are amazed at how easy it is to drink that first glass of water due to how badly their body needs it. You may be thinking “is it really that important”?
Yes, it is, because one of the symptoms of dehydration is lack of motivation. Drinking more water increases your motivation. To make sure you drink water in the morning, set a glass of water beside your bed before going to sleep.
#2 Working in Bed
Another mistake many people make is working or studying in bed. This causes your brain to associate the bed with working rather than a place to sleep and relax.
Stop bringing your work or homework in bed. Leave the textbooks somewhere else. Don’t put other things on your bed besides sheets, pillows, and your body.
That way, you can sleep peacefully at night without bed clutter cluttering your mind.
#3 Changing the Alarm Clock
When you wake up at the same time every day, including the weekends, it’s easier on your body because it becomes used to the habit and knows when it’s time to wake up. Frequently changing the time you wake up makes it difficult for you to not only get up in the morning but feel productive.
To fix this problem, think about what time you would like to wake up in the morning in which you’re not scrambling around the house praying you make it to work on time. Then, set your alarm clock back on 15-minute increments until you have reached your goal.
Once you have finally woken up at the prime time for you, don’t adjust the alarm clock again.
#4 Not Getting Enough Sleep
Although this is an obvious reason why you wouldn’t be productive in the morning, many people ignore it and continue to stay up too late.
As much as you want to rebel sleep, you are only hurting your productivity and energy levels. When you get enough sleep each night, you get MORE done during the day than you do when you are sleep-deprived.
Most people need between seven and nine hours of sleep, so determine which is best for you. A few are able to sleep for 5-6 hours while still remaining healthy and energized, but don’t go lower than five hours.
Likewise, too much sleep is as bad as too little, so don’t exceed nine hours of sleep either.
#5 Skipping Breakfast
Breakfast is important for giving your body fuel for the day. It’s no surprise that you’re low on energy if you skip breakfast. Not only will your energy levels drop but you’ll be less productive and most likely have a shorter fuse as well.
To start eating breakfast in the morning, think about the reason you don’t. If the problem is you don’t have time because you’re rushing to work, then you need to wake up earlier.
Also keep a box of healthy breakfast bars on hand, so you can eat one while working on changing your habits or for moments you don’t want to prepare breakfast.
It’s a good idea to eat greens in the morning as well for a nice boost of energy. It may seem odd to you because traditional breakfast foods in the U.S. don’t incorporate greens, but once you notice how better you feel, it’ll be something you do more often.
#6 Not Exercising
If someone doesn’t have an exercise routine, it’s likely he will feel drowsy in the mornings. Some people have trouble sticking to a workout routine when it’s in the evening.
Try out a morning workout routine to begin your day on the right foot with lots of energy and satisfaction that you got an important task for your health out of the way early on.
To start exercising in the morning, commit to a shorter workout time if you’re a person who really dislikes exercise. Work out for 10 minutes per day and then increase in small increments until you’re getting in the amount of exercise your body needs to stay healthy.
Experiment with different methods of working out until you find one that’s not boring or dreadful to you. Dance workouts are one form of exercise many enjoy.
Whatever you choose, don’t forget to stretch before and after exercising to avoid pulling muscles or developing muscle cramps.