4 Tips That Turn a Morning From Stressful to Peaceful

How to Wake Up in the Morning

The pace of your morning can have an enormous impact on the rest of the day. If 2013 will be the year of making your morning count, then each of these easy tips will help alleviate that dreaded a.m. struggle and allow you to rise and shine for real.

Stop the snooze: Hitting the snooze button over and over is only putting off an inevitable start. Those last 20 minutes won't help your quality of sleep but will instead take a toll on your morning. Rushing to throw yourself together, a skipped shower, or eating a subpar breakfast are simply not worth those extra few minutes in bed.
Take time to yourself: Whether it's a quick moment of silence, a calming cup of tea, or writing down your initial thoughts in a journal, take a little time to allow your body to get acclimated to the morning. Instead of feeling jolted to begin all your chores and obligations, just a few minutes of relaxing "me" time will help slow your speed.
Ready for two nighttime tips for a better morning? Keep reading.
Leave a list: Once the lights go out, don't let those Type A qualities hinder your ability to fall asleep. It's natural to want to plan for the day, but trying to remember everything adds unnecessary stress. Take the simple step of leaving a pen and paper next to your bed. If something really important comes up, write it down. This way you'll remember what it was as soon as you rise.
Pack it up: Throwing together your work bag, lunch, or gym clothes in the morning is an extra bother. Before you go to bed, organize everything you'll need for the following day, and if possible, set them up right by the door. No more mornings desperately searching for your wallet or that left sneaker when everything is right where you've prepped it!

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