Do you feel rushed in the morning? Are you a night owl who finds it hard to believe waking up earlier might be easier than staying in bed? If you answered yes to either of those questions, then we’re here to encourage you to start your day off right by giving yourself more “me time” every morning. Consider a trial run for 30 days and we predict that you’ll learn to appreciate it. Here’s how to get the most out of it:

• Set an earlier wake-up time — maybe 30 to 45 minutes earlier than usual — and get up at that time. No hitting the snooze button.
• Create a special sitting area by a window with a small table and a chair. Add a clean white tablecloth and some fresh flowers in a vase to create a calming atmosphere.
• Read the paper, catch up on your favorite magazine, enjoy some coffee or tea, or just daydream.
• Avoid using your computer or mobile device right away.
• Most important: Eat breakfast. When you skip the most important meal of the day, you’re likely to be less productive, less efficient and have less endurance.

By choosing an earlier wake-up time; not hitting the snooze button; setting up your sitting area by a window; and picking your “me time” newspaper, magazine or silence, you’ll forget that you slept for half an hour less. Try it for a month or so. Don’t be surprised if by actually getting less sleep, you feel more energized and are tempted to maybe even wake up earlier to squeeze in a jog or do Pilates. Photo courtesy of laffy4k on Flickr

Related reading:

• Basics of feng shui