How to Become a Morning Person

Anyone can become a morning person, mama! Here’s how you can do it, and why having a good routine is the key

We’ve long been fans of green living guru Militza Maury, the mama behind the fab healthy living blog Little Green Dot. She also runs a super cool (free!) 28-day online seminar called “How to become a morning person”, in which she’s teamed up with other lifestyle experts to give you practical, useable tips on how to take control of your day and find the energy to do all the things that matter to you, mamas!

We sat down with Militza to learn more about the free program, which has built up a global following more than 10,000 strong!

Why become a morning person?
When you’re a morning person, by the time the day gets started, you already feel energised, you’ve taken care of yourself and you’ve set yourself up for a great day ahead. You’ve put yourself first – and that feeling has a massive impact on what you do and the choices you make.

How can mums busy with school routines, breakfast and just generally the needs of others make mornings their own?
We can get caught up in the busy, urgent demands of life. Feeding our kids, getting them to school on time, not forgetting to pick them up … plus work, friends, marriage. It’s a never-ending demand on your time. If you are always reacting to it — yes, you’ll get things done, but that sense of joy and fulfilment gets lost.

The idea of being a morning person is to create a balance; to focus not just on what’s urgent, but also what’s important: your self-care, your reading, spending time with positive friends, even just going for walks — the things that inspire you.

It’s about learning to balance the urgent and the important stuff in life, which will make you happier and more fulfilled.

Can you talk a little about the importance of routines in developing good habits?
Our daily habits make all the difference in what we do and how we feel. And research shows that we can absolutely change our habits. A routine is a great way of providing the triggers we need for healthy behaviours to happen. Just like reading a story to your kids at night prepares them for sleep, or setting your exercise clothes out in the evening gets you ready to hit the gym the next morning.

My specific daily routines – techniques that I’ve learned from expert friends and now teach in my How to Become a Morning Person course – are what keep me focused, inspired and thriving.

What’s the number one factor that goes into making yourself a morning person? Sleep? Diet? Exercise?
What I’ve observed is that growth happens when all those areas are being attended to — in balance. Don’t focus too much attention on any one thing even if it’s “healthy”; things work best when everything comes together.

The trick is to do small, but consistent actions — they are more habit forming and sustainable in the long run.

Is there an ideal time of day to wake up?
The best time? 3 a.m. Only kidding!

It’s not about what time you wake up, it’s about how you start your day. That said, if you give yourself 30 to 60 minutes, before the kids get up and the demands start, to focus on your own well-being and self-care, to visualise and strategise your day, you’ll find that it completely transforms how you feel, the choices you make and what you accomplish with your time.

My work day starts at 6:30 a.m. when I wake up my daughter and get her ready for primary school. But to make time for my morning routines, I get up at 5:45 a.m. That investment of 45 minutes pays off through the entire day!

Thanks Militza! How to Become a Morning Person starts next Monday 12 March, so click here to register, mamas!