JUST ASK JO: Number 1 Tip for morning motivation.
JUST ASK JO is back! I skipped a week or two because of travel and I've got a ton of questions to get back to and I promise I will, but I needed a bit of a break. If you follow me on Instagram you'll know I had a bit of a mental meltdown and truthfully I think I'm still in the works of rewiring myself so that I can prevent them from happening. This week I'm answering questions about motivation and how I manage to get myself going for the day.
Question:
Hi Jo,
Just wondering your tips for morning motivation? Up and out early, just how do you do it?
Real big sticking point for me.
Many thanks,
Lhaann
Two years ago I wrote a blog post on 10 Ways to Slay the Day, a lot of those are still something that I refer back to you these days when it comes to my day, but ultimately what keeps me motivated is to remember my WHY.
When I first started this fitness journey I had a goal and that was to be the healthiest version of myself in my 30s both mentally and physically. I definitely think that when we remind ourselves of our why or our intention we're able to connect our values with our actions and then it slowly turns into a habit. It's ok to have setbacks, we all do. I've been through many ups and downs in this health journey of mine and there have even been moments where I've felt as if I failed to keep myself in shape after my competition days. But at the end of it all, I'm still the healthiest and happiest version of myself.
Along with remembering YOUR WHY here are some other helpful tips to get you going in the morning.
1. Get an extra hour of sleep.
Sleep is probably the most underrated tool used in our own well-being. We're so stuck in this culture of go go go, that we often forget to rest. I'm guilty of this too, but sleep is key! I always set the intention of heading to bed by 10 PM. It doesn't always happen, but I do my best to try.
2. Prepare all the things you need for a successful morning the night before.
When I worked my 9-5 corporate job, I would pack all the food I needed to bring to the office, my change of clothes in my gym bag, and I would go to bed with fresh workout gear or lay it out on top of my dresser or by the side of my bed in order for me to just grab it and change into it. This just helped me from wasting precious time in the morning.
3. Don't hit the snooze button.
As painful as it is to have your alarm waking you up at 4:30 AM or 5:00 AM, don't hit the snooze button. Creating habits takes time and you've got to give yourself the opportunity to make that turn that small change into a habit. Studies say it takes 66 days to turn a new behavior into something automatic, so don't give up after the first week if you really want to make this morning routine an integrated part of your life.
4. Ask for support!
This one was probably the hardest one for me to do. When I worked at VSCO I would commute over 30 miles to get to work and sometimes during the thick of commuter hours I would sit in traffic for up to 90 minutes. It sucked and after almost 2.5 years of silently dealing with the frustrations, I turned to my husband for some advice and help. He generously took over the morning routine with our girls, which allowed me to get up at 5AM before commuter hours to get my gym time in before work.
5. Create a morning ritual that works for YOU.
A few weeks ago I experienced a mini mental meltdown. I realized it was caused by the lack of putting myself first before all the other responsibilities in my life. I wasn't practicing what I preached and needed to create a new morning ritual that worked for this stage in my life. Morning rituals allow you to settle into your day. It's an opportunity to set your intentions, write down your top priorities for your day, and simply DO YOU!
