11 caffeine-free ways to start the day happy and energized
Do you struggle to wake up when the alarm goes off? Never quite get enough sleep to be fully awake when it’s time to get going? I feel you. I seriously don’t know if I’ve had a full night of sleep since my first child was born in 1992! (#momlife) At some point I got tired of dwelling on all the sleep I wasn’t getting and decided to find some way to deal with the situation and make the best of it.
I've learned that there are quite a few ways to get the day off to a good start regardless of the way I slept the night before. And none of them involve all the standard advice you always hear about how to get the perfect night of sleep. I personally just find that advice frustrating and mostly impossible for moms to follow. Great ideas like "set a consistent bedtime and wake up at the same time each day" just aren't that helpful for moms.
And even the practical suggestions just don’t sound that fun to me. Sorry, but I don’t want to turn off my screens an hour before bedtime. That’s my best TV and phone time!
So whether you are a young mom up in the night with little ones, or a mom who stays up late waiting for her teens to come home, it may be hard to get optimal sleep every night. But don’t despair! Even if you don’t get the perfect 8 hour snooze very often (or like ever…) I’ve got some real life, caffeine-free ideas on how to wake up and feel good no matter what kind of night you had. Here's the list so you can skip to the ones that sound most interesting to you.
1-Purposely think a positive thought first thing in the morning.
2-Choose wakefulness rather than resistance.
3-Start moving as soon as possible.
4-Have a plan for the day or at least part of it.
5-Stick to your plans for the morning even if the kids don’t cooperate.
6-Get out in the sun.
7-Pray your way to a good day.
8-Stop eating at 7:00
9-Eat a good breakfast
10-Make a morning playlist
11-Think Happy and Energetic Thoughts!
1-Purposely think at least one positive thought first thing in the morning.
First start by noticing what runs through your mind first thing every morning. If you’re just not excited for the day to start, give yourself some encouragement with a simple positive thought like Today is going to be a great day!
Instead of reminding yourself how much sleep you didn’t get, tell yourself that you’re going to have a super productive day today. Or you could try saying to yourself I’m going to make today fun! You could even go all the way to This is going to be the best day ever!
I also like to open my eyes and look around for things that make me feel happy and grateful. Even little things like noticing the crown molding on my bedroom ceiling just help me start the day off with a smile. I know that might sound a little odd, but I just love the crown molding we installed when we bought our house. And I'm all about finding whatever works and makes you happy first thing in the morning. :)
Psalms 118:24 says This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. What a beautiful thought to start the day! The scriptures are full of happy and positive thoughts. Find one you love and practice repeating it first thing each morning to give you a spiritual boost to get you going.
2-Choose wakefulness rather than resistance.
What I mean by this is when your alarm goes off, or the kids wake you up a little too early, or maybe you had some trouble sleeping, resisting waking up to your alarm makes it even harder to get up and get going.
When we had a lot of little kids that were early risers, I think I resisted waking up pretty much every morning for years.Sadly, I probably started the day off frustrated with my cute little kids more often than not. I wish I could go back and tell my younger self that I was going to be awake anyway so I might as well make the best of it. Little kids are usually so cute and excited to see you in the morning. Mornings can be a really special time for moms and kids when we embrace the moment.
3-Start moving as soon as possible.
We have a saying in our house. Movement creates energy.
Some kind of movement, even just getting up to go to the bathroom, can get you going faster. If you’re not quite ready for that, try rotating your hands and feet to start the blood flowing. (This is a surprisingly helpful little trick that I’ve done for years.)
If yoga is your jam you could try a yoga stretch or sun salutation. .
I personally like to roll out of bed and onto my knees to pray. I had a church leader that called this the “morning roll out”. I remember watching him demonstrate this to a group of youth once and it was pretty hilarious. Clearly it’s pretty obvious how to roll out of bed and on to your knees, but seeing him do it in front of the group was really funny. A good morning roll out could be the perfect way to start your day focused and spiritually prepared for the day.
4-Have a plan for the day or at least part of it.
Just knowing what you’re having for breakfast, having a workout planned, or thinking ahead to what’s happening first thing in the morning, can help you find the impetus to get going.
If you find yourself dreading the day, ask yourself why and what could be good about this day. Try to find something you enjoy and look forward to, and plan to spend some time that day doing that thing.
I know that as a mom sometimes the days can seem long and repetitive. It always helped me as a young mom to have something planned, like going to the park or a McDonald’s Playland with friends. That gave me and my kids some social time, and helped them get motivated to get going on their day too.
Even if you don’t have a plan for the whole day, I really recommend planning at least one thing that would really make a difference to get done that day. Even something simple that you’re looking forward to doing can give you a reason to get moving in the morning.
5-Stick to your plans for the morning even if the kids don't cooperate.
If your child is grouchy and doesn’t want to get up and go to school, you don’t have to go to “grouchy land” with them. Stick to what you have planned for the morning, whether it’s housework or exercise, or getting out the door on time for work, and try to keep a cheerful attitude. (Talking to myself here...)
Letting the other people in your family dictate your mood can start your day off on a real emotional roller coaster. Ya probably wanna stay off that ride as much as possible! Save the roller coasters for Disneyland, and choose to be the calm and cheerful influence that your family needs to start the day off right. You can be the calm in your family’s storm. :)
6-Get out in the sun.
There are so many benefits of getting some sun each day. It’s been proven that even 15-20 minutes of sunlight a day gives you all the vitamin D you need, and helps you sleep better at night.
To get your time in the sun, walk your kids to school, walk the dog, walk with a friend or go for a walk/run and listen to your favorite music or podcasts. My personal favorite is hiking up a mountain or walking on a river trail, but do whatever works for you with your schedule and energy level.
Literally the sun is your best energy friend!
When I get out in the sun in the morning I have so much more energy to keep me going throughout the day. Sunlight also provides a great boost to your mood.
7-Pray your way to a good day.
Personally, prayer is my secret weapon. It is the best way to get in tune with my spirit and connect with God. And combining prayer with scripture study, reading the word of God, is the best way I have found to be a happy mom, rather than “Satan mom” lol.
You could try the “morning rollout” I mentioned above, or just give yourself a few more minutes in bed to talk to God. Tell Him what’s on your mind and in your heart, and try to be open to hear His voice. If you don’t know what to say, there are beautiful books with prayers you can read that provide a great dose of spiritual energy to start your day.
If you’re not into prayer, try meditation and/or reading something positive and uplifting to focus your mind where you want it to be for the day.
8-Stop Eating at 7:00.
I learned this years ago from a personal trainer I worked with. Two of the main things she always emphasized were,1) Don't snack. 2) Don't eat late.
I translated the don't eat late into the general rule of stop eating at 7:00. Of course that can be give or take depending on your daily schedule, but the idea is no more eating after dinner.
Let's face it, anything you eat after dinner is either dessert or a snack like popcorn. It's just added calories that you don't need. And eating late means that your body doesn't have as much time to reset before your morning meal.
I have found that if I give myself 12-14 hours from dinner until breakfast, it is much easier to wake up in the morning and do my workout.
I don't drink alcohol, but obviously drinking late at night that has lasting effects in the morning. Same is true for food, especially snack food and desserts eaten late at night. It's ok to go to bed a little hungry. And when I do, I usually feel lighter and more energetic in the morning.
It can help to set an alarm for after dinner to remind yourself that the kitchen is closed. I don't always stick with this because I love to have popcorn when I go to a show, or sometimes go out for dessert, but when I 'm at home I try to stick pretty close to a 7:00 cut off for eating for the day.
Stop eating at 7:00 leads me right into my next suggestion...
9-Eat a good breakfast.
This good old fashion wisdom has kind of gotten lost in our day. I know that intermittent fasting is a huge trend right now, and I think that has its place. However, there are so many benefits to a good breakfast.
The best breakfasts consist of protein, produce, and some whole grains or starch like potatoes. (Hash browns are my fave!) A good breakfast is absolutely the best way to start your metabolism and energy going and to help keep your blood sugar level throughout the morning.
From my own experience, after almost a year of logging my daily food intake, I have concluded that a good balanced breakfast sets the stage for a great day of healthy eating and reduced cravings. Something like a fried egg on whole grain toast with some grapefruit really fills me up, and feels emotionally and physically satisfying.
10-Make a Morning Playlist.
I'm sure you know that music can almost instantly improve your mood and energy. So if you don't already have a morning playlist that helps you get up and get going, use your favorite music app to make one.
One of my kids has a super hard time getting up in the morning, but since she loves musical theater I can *almost* always make her smile by playing Seize the Day from Newsies. I love to play the song New Day by Alicia Keys when I'm getting up and going for the day.
Of course, there are a million options so have fun making a playlist that motivates you to get moving!
Sunlight, prayer, music, and a good breakfast are all great ways to start the day, but the last thing I’m going to say is the most important thing you can do for your mood and energy when you wake up, and it takes no time. All it takes is some mental effort.
11-Think Happy and Energetic Thoughts!
Yep, I’m going to say it every time...your thoughts are the key to literally everything in life.
Intentionally thinking happy and energetic thoughts first thing is the #1 best thing you can do to start your day off right.
Ask yourself how you want to feel when you wake up, and then find a thought to help you generate that feeling. This takes some awareness and some mental effort, but it can really improve your mood and outlook first thing in the morning.
If you need some happy thought inspiration to start your day or give you a mental boost anytime, check out my Pinterest board of Positive Living Quotes
I hope these tips help you stop hitting snooze and start waking up happy and energized. I’d love to hear your tips and ideas as well. Drop them in the comments below or email me at rachel@mom-mindset.com.
XOXO
Rachel
