Spring arrived yesterday at 1 p.m. yesterday so when I woke up this morning to an icy cold morning, I so did not want to get out of bed. In fact, I so did not want to get up so bad, I actually stayed in bed for an extra two hours and got up at 4 a.m. instead of 2 a.m.
Yes, I know – 4 a.m. is early enough, why was I trying to get up at 2? Because I bit off more than I could chew work wise at the moment and I’m trying to stay ahead of the curve. I work better in the morning than I do at night, so I elected to get my six or seven hours of sleep. Which then turned into a couple of hours more.
It’s hard to get motivated early in the morning when it’s cold, that’s why some experts suggest waiting until May to begin a real hard push on a diet or new fitness plan. Why? By May, the days are longer and the added light and warmth to the day will energize all of us.
So what do we do in the meanwhile? It’s only spring – time change comes in a couple of weeks (April 2nd to be precise. Happy Birthday, I get to lose an hour of the day!) However, here’s a few ideas that I use to get myself going even when I’d rather just sleep in or skip the workout because I did sleep in.
- Pray. While I am not one given to prayer easily, focusing intent and drive along with a request for an assistance to meet the challenge can help you achieve wonders.
- Pep talks. Write pep talks for yourself or record some. I have a CD player in my alarm clock and I’ve used motivational CDs to wake me up in the morning and get me moving.
- Music. I love music. You can get your blood pumping with the right songs. Slipping headphones on can give me time alone in my own head. Parents know how rare real quality time with yourself is, so use music to get you up and moving.
- Rewards. On the days when I find it the hardest to get moving, I promise myself a payoff at the end of the day. It may be a trip to the bookstore, a nap later in the day or a pedicure. Pedicures are among my favorite rewards, because I love having a foot massage!
When in doubt, work out. It’s the best way to go to keep yourself on target for your goals.