We talk about the pre-game a lot here at So Lets Talk. The 90-minute window is vital in the build-up to getting a good nights sleep. But the post game for me is just as important.
It is the garnish on our *insert favourite cocktail here*
Setting yourself.
The wake-up call.
Get yourself an ASMR alarm clock. They cost about £25 and work by decreasing the light levels when you go to sleep and slowly rising the light levels when you wake up. You can fortify this with the use of an electric blanket on a timer. At night put an electric blanket on before you go to bed and have it turn off an hour before you want to sleep. The lowering of your body temp sends you to sleep. Then in the morning, have it so that in the half an hour before you want to wake up it works in sync with your ASMR alarm clock and you will be WIDE awake come to wake up time.
What is a Habit?
“A settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up”
Basically, things that we do on the regular. Be they good or bad.
Cue: I am feeling anxious
Routine: I reach for an alcoholic beverage
Reward: I Feel better
It is exceptionally difficult to simply stop a bad habit, especially as they are subconscious or ingrained. A more fruitful approach is habit replacement:
Cue: I am feeling anxious
Routine: I reach for an alcoholic beverage I go for a walk/do some exercise
Reward: I Feel better
Same cue, same reward, better routine.
Habit Stacking
Write your to-do list the night before and get your momentum going. Put your phone somewhere you cannot immediately reach for it in a bleary-eyed stupor. If you can’t put it outside your room then hidden somewhere like in a sock drawer. Then look at what you want to do in the morning and how to stack a new habit with something that you want to do.
E.g. Coffee and make the bed. ‘When I have made my morning coffee, I will also make the bed so I don’t get back into it” (it is a temptation if it is toasty and warm).
“When I brush my teeth in the morning, I will take my supplement afterwards.” (Life Hack – brushing your teeth with your wrong hand first thing is a great way to engage your brain).
If there is something you want to do in the morning, make it easy and obvious to do it in the morning. I enjoy yoga first thing in the morning. I will have my matt & blocks laid out on the floor so I can get going straight away.
Eat that Frog
If you have a morning routine and for some reason (e.g. life) you have less time to do it, pick the ones that are going to be most beneficial to you or think how you can be flexible in it. Morning affirmations are an exceptionally powerful tool but if I am hurrying I will do them on the train on the way to work.
Find what works for you.
