If you're a night owl like me, you probably find it hard to be upbeat and productive early in the morning. If you have the luxury of working the hours that are more in tuned with your biological clock, that's awesome. What if you have to get up early in the morning for work? Are you destined to drag yourself out of bed every morning and be half-asleep at work?

I came across this article Have more fun in your first 10 minutes, which suggests setting up some "A.M. treats" for yourself, so you can have something enjoyable to look forward to each morning. For example, the author suggested watching cartoons while you eat your breakfast, bathing by candlelight to add some romance to your routine, get a book just for mornings and read a few pages a day.

Besides the above suggestions, you can also spend some quiet time by yourself before everyone else gets up. If you like to meditate or do yoga or exercise, it would make a wonderful morning treat for yourself. Or maybe you want to enroll a buddy (or your dog) to go for a quick walk around the block. Or sing your favorite songs (at the top of your lungs) in the shower. Or use your favorite aromatherapy shower gel and body lotion after shower. You get the idea.

I like the idea of the "special morning treats", because it will help you get up with a better mood, make the morning routine more fun for you, and set a positive tone for the rest of the day. You will feel energized when you are doing something fun and/or have something fun to look forward to. Overtime, you will train your body to wake up and be energized at an earlier hour.

Of course, to have sustainable energy for maximum productivity in the morning, you need to eat a balanced breakfast. A breakfast with a balanced combination of lean protein and complex carbohydrates (think whole grain) will offer you "quality fuel" for your body and keep you full longer (so you won't crash early or pig out later). Watch out for high sugar contents in packaged foods and cereals. You might want to stock up on your favorite healthy breakfast foods, or prepare all the ingredients in advance so you can whip it up quickly in the morning. This might take a little more prep time, but your long-term health is well worth the efforts.

So, ask yourself:

• What kind of special morning treat(s) would you like to have?
• What would motivate you to get out of bed on a workday morning?
• What actions do you need to take to set up your special morning treat(s)?
• What would be your first step & when are you going to do it?
• What would you commit to do this week, so you can have your special morning treats?

Please share your own ideas of "special morning treats" by leaving comments here. I'd love to hear from you!

Labels: fun, Intensive Self-Care, productivity