5 simple ways to zombie-proof your morning routine.
Morning mavens all across the internet suggest everything from gratitude journaling and breathwork to meditation while sitting in lotus pose and chugging green juice. That’s all well and good. The problem? Zombies don’t do any of those things. And that’s what most of us are when we wake. We’re zombies.
If you’re anything like me, it’s quite the challenge to convince your sleepy self that a 5am wake time is a good idea…despite knowing it will provide the flexibility to do more of what you enjoy in a day. So I’ve decided to cast the elaborate morning rituals aside and focus on five simple steps for waking up and winning my first battle of the day — defeating morning zombie Julia.
STEP ONE:
Zombie walk to turn off the alarm.
Obviously a decent night sleep is your first line of defense when battling your morning zombie. I’m a huge fan of Andrew Huberman and you should definitely check out his pod if you want to improve your sleep. But this article focuses on what happens after the alarm sounds. If you want to consistently wake up early, you may want to consider a little negative reinforcement. That’s why I plug my phone up in the bathroom and then I have to get up to turn off my alarm.
STEP TWO:
Blind your morning zombie with all the lights.
Believe it or not, there is a magic button you can press to make waking up early easier. Well, actually, it’s a switch. For my next act, I turn on all the bathroom lights, shut the door, and trap zombie Julia in there so she can’t crawl back in bed.
SIDE NOTE:
There is no natural light outside at 5am where I live, but there are immense benefits to going outside and exposing yourself to natural light within the first two hours of waking up. So if that’s an option for you, give it a shot. It will boost your mood among many other wonderful things.
STEP THREE:
Get dressed and put on sneakers. Zombies don’t like sneakers.
I place workout clothes in the bathroom the night before and then my first task of the day is simply getting dressed. I like putting on comfy athleasure because I TRY to workout in the morning. Get dressed for whatever activity you’re going to do first but DON’T FORGET THE SHOES! It’s a little trick that tells your brain it’s time to do things. Plus, you’re not going to get back in bed with shoes on — you’re a zombie not a psychopath.
STEP FOUR:
Hydrate. Zombies are just dehydrated working adults.
Whenever you read an article that lists out steps to improve your life, drinking water could easily be included every time. Most adults are chronically dehydrated. It’s a problem. And our bodies become increasingly dehydrated as we sleep. So if you wake up feeling gross, there’s a good chance that could be why. Start your day with a good health habit by placing a bottle of water by your phone and clothes the night before. Then sip on it as you get dressed.
STEP FIVE:
Give your morning zombie a deadline.
Give yourself a task to get done by a certain time every morning. Bonus points if it’s something that gives you a little dopamine boost. I recently started attending a cross-fit class at 5:30am…I know this isn’t for everyone. The task you choose could be anything. A morning walk, preparing breakfast for your family, an elaborate skincare routine, whatever. Simply pick a task, give yourself a deadline and get it done consistently, every day. It’s a great way to set a productive tone for the day ahead, practice consistency in your everyday life and defeat your morning zombie.
