I recently read a blog post where all the very productive women were waking up at 5am to get shit done (like the washing!) and quite honestly, it made me feel a bit sick. Are we really expected to get up at 5am and put washing on? What if you're not an early riser? What if you don't want to do laundry at 5am? What if you're a snoozer? Like me. I am a snoozer.
If you too like to sleep in, I've rounded up a few tricks I've been using to get myself out of bed and into my workout gear by 6.30 (a much more productive activity than laundry if you ask me). Because 5 is way too unrealistic for this snoozer.
1. Workout how much sleep you need
Do you need 8 hours? Then get it. Go to bed at a time where you'll know you'll get a full 8 hours and still wake up at the time you need. So if you need 8 hours and want to wake up at 6, go to bed at 10. Work back from when you need to get up and go to sleep at the time you need to. You can actually set a bedtime reminder on your phone, so it tells you to go to sleep! Technology is good sometimes.
2. Get your clothes ready
The night before, lay out your workout gear so you're not fumbling about when you get up in the morning. If you set out everything from your gear to your water bottle, work clothes if you need them and any beauty products, all you have to do is step into your clothes and leave the house (or in my case, er, go downstairs cause I work out at home).
3. Prep your brekky
This is also a good motivator to eat a healthy breakfast once you have finished working out. Make a chia pudding the night before, or do a quick overnight bircher muesli so you can be thinking of delicious breakfast while you're working out.
4. Meet friends
Nothing is a higher motivator to stick to your goals than to be accountable. There have been studies done on it. The more accountable we are, the more likely we are to achieve our goals. So if you have a friend waiting for you at early morning boot camp or yoga class you are more likely to get there. Because nobody likes to let a friend down.
5. Do something you actually like
If you're not getting out of bed because the thought of that HIIT class makes you want to cry, don't do the HIIT class. The key to consistent exercise is to choose something you actually like doing, so you will continue to do it!
I learnt this when I started yoga years ago. I wanted to do it so much that I would do anything to get to a class. It's addictive and it set me up for great workout habits later in life. Consistency is key. It takes two months to create a habit. Keep going and you'll get there.
6. Reward yourself
With a pedi, with a new top, or gosh, what about a new natural perfume?! If you stick to it for a month, give yourself something (aside from the buzz you'll get from working out in the morning and ensuing daily productivity). Get to the habit forming two months? Another pressie rolling your way. It's all good news from here.
Photo: @laurenalarocco Instagram