Are you a college student? Do you find it difficult to get up and running during the early morning hours? Are you seeking tips for increasing productivity during this time of the day?

From the start, you should come to realize one thing to be true: it takes time to change the way your body reacts to the early morning hours.

In other words, you can’t expect big changes on day one. It will take several weeks of change in order to realize that you have what it takes to work in a productive manner during the morning hours.

Even if you don’t consider yourself a morning person, there are things you can do to boost your productivity and feel better about the day to come. Here are five tips to keep in mind:

1. Get More Sleep

As a college student, there is always something more to do. You can hang out with friends. You can go to the movies. You can grab a bite to eat.

While there is nothing wrong with enjoying yourself, it’s imperative that you leave enough time to get a good night’s rest.

If you don’t get enough sleep, you shouldn’t expect to feel your best during the morning hours.

Here’s an important excerpt shared by the National Sleep Foundation:

“Most of us know that getting a good night’s sleep is important, but too few of us actually make those eight or so hours between the sheets a priority. For many of us with sleep debt, we’ve forgotten what “being really, truly rested” feels like.”

Once you come to realize what it feels like to be truly rested, you’ll never want to deprive yourself of sleep again.

2. Stay Off Your Devices at Night

Are you the type of person who enjoys browsing the internet before bed? Do you find yourself laying there, doing nothing more than playing around on social media?

Although there is nothing more enjoyable than thinking about the best hashtags for Instagram and connecting with your friends, this can stimulate your mind and make it a challenge to fall asleep. Subsequently, you won’t be able to reach peak performance during the early morning hours.

3. Give Yourself a Pick Me Up

There are many ways to give yourself a boost in the morning. For example, taking a cold shower can give you plenty of energy.

Once you get out of the shower, think long and hard about what you’re going to eat and drink. Is there anything in particular that could give you a pick me up, such as a chai latte (these are known for giving a nice boost of energy) from your favorite coffee shop?

You’ll eventually find a morning routine that works. Once you do, stick with it for as long as possible.

4. Make a To Do List

How will you know what to do next if you don’t know what you have to accomplish? You should create a to do list every morning, as this will keep you on track from the first hour of your day until the last.

You may be surprised at how much more productive you are when you know what you need to do next.

5. Tackle Projects that Get You Excited

There are many examples of this. For instance, you could schedule early morning classes that you know you will enjoy. This gives you something to look forward to when you get out of bed.

Or maybe you decide to get involved with an edtech startup company, which is always something that will get your blood flowing.

When you tackle projects that get you excited, your productivity level will never suffer.

Conclusion

These are the types of things that college students can do to have a more productive morning. It will take some time to change your ways and make progress, but once you find yourself on the right track there won’t be anything to hold you back.

What steps do you take to reach peak performance every morning? Is there anything you would add to the tips above? Share your personal approach and past experiences in the comment section below. Your feedback can help other students reach all their goals!