Wake Up With Hillarys

6 out of 10 people hit the snooze button in the morning and this is set to increase with the clocks going back on October 29. To help tackle those unbearable mornings, Hillarys presents the opportunity for you to better your routine with the help from our fabulous Interior Squad and Life and Wellness Coach! 

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You can find the full Wake Up With Hillarys campaign here: Wake up with... Hillarys!

A typical example of my morning routine 

 

1. My alarm goes off — no pressing snooze or multiple, staggered alarms — straight out of bed.

2. Get into my workout clothes (laid out the night before after the obligatory morning weather-check).

3. Whilst brushing my teeth I do a cursory check for any urgent, work-related emails and look over my to-do list for the day.

4. Get out for my planned morning exercise — whether it be a run, cycling or swim session.

5. Then have my breakfast, and a delicious homemade oat latte, whilst setting my intentions for the day – how I want to feel that day and what I’ll do to achieve that, plus any challenges I might face that day and how I want to handle them! Ensuring I get what I want out of my days and that I’m as prepared as I can be, instead of spending each day just being reactive!

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…when you think about your morning routine, are there things you could change that means you get more from your morning, and therefore, day?

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Some quick-fire questions and hacks around morning routine;

Q. How can the season changing, affect the way we feel about waking up in the morning? 

• When you open your eyes and it’s noticeably darker and colder, just getting out of bed is already less appealing and requires that bit more effort. 

 

Q. What are a few good tricks for finding motivation to wake up on a dark morning? 

• Think about what you can do first thing in a morning that’s going to make you feel good and act as your motivator for getting out of bed — maybe some exercise, or a walk in the fresh air, or a nice coffee? Something that will put you in a good frame of mind and make you feel ready to take on the day!

• Having a plan — the night before, decide what you’re going to do the next morning, and then set your alarm, plan your clothes and even prep your breakfast accordingly. This removes any possible friction or excuses for not sticking to your plan.

• Set an alarm for the time you need to get up, not allowing for endless snoozes, and go to bed the night before at a time that means you’ll have enough sleep before your alarm going off. A good bedtime routine will increase your success of a good and productive morning routine!

 

Q. How important is light in the morning? 

• Our body's circadian rhythm is greatly influenced by light, which signals to the body that it's time to wake up, therefore getting up in the light is the preference but winter in the UK, and life responsibilities generally, make this near impossible for most of us. Try shifting your mindset and thinking about all you could be achieving, exploring, seeing and enjoying whilst others might be pressing snooze! 

 

Q. How can people become more productive in the morning? 

• Going to bed at a time that means you can get enough sleep is key. Have a plan for the morning, with goals to work towards and things you enjoy that will motivate you to be productive. Exercise is a particularly good morning activity because it causes our body to release natural, feel-good hormones – endorphins — which can reduce stress and improve our mood.

 

Q. What’s one thing you would recommend to someone who wants to improve their morning routine?

• Work out what motivates you, what makes you excited and want to jump out of bed in the morning, and is going to make you more happy and fulfilled than just lying in bed would! This is your life, your time, how do you want to spend it?

 

Q. Could repurposing a space in the home contribute to improved quality of life? This could be anything such as turning an unused room into a yoga room, office, wellbeing space, cosy nook, window seats etc.

• Our physical environment has a direct impact on our emotional well-being. A cluttered, untidy space can contribute to procrastination, increase our stress levels and lower our self-esteem and also make it harder for us to focus. Small changes to existing spaces in your home can make a massive difference. This could be setting up a corner of your lounge where you can lay a yoga mat, or store a few weights for some home-workouts. Or maybe you can find a space for a desk where you can do some creating writing or art. Whatever the activity that you enjoy and makes you feel good, create a dedicated space for it within your home – a space where you have no distractions from focusing on what, in that moment, is important to you!