Warm Bed, Cold World - How to Get Up in the Morning

I believe the temperature outside right now, on this February morning, is hovering around 32º. How do I know? Because the rain outside switches between liquid rain and frozen rain periodically.  (Something my older daughter and I have termed, "snizzling," a cross between drizzle and snow.)

No one wants to go outside in that mess. (I could be wrong, there might be some labradors who love this kind of thing.)  Seeing it from your bedroom window, you might start wondering how important it really is to go out and run errands today, or if today might be a good time to ask your boss again about the possibility of working from home.

I recently bought some new sheets for our bed that are "plush." Honestly, I hate crawling into bed at night and shivering until my body heat warms the bed up enough to sleep.  These new sheets bypass that step, and actually encourage me to jump right into bed at night.

You know the consequence already, don't you? I don't want to leave that cozy haven. My problem is not unusual, as the morning comments on Facebook are often related to the many other folks wishing to be back in their own cozy havens too. Yet, every day we do it.  Get out of bed, and then complain about it.

So here I am to save the day! (Cue Mighty Mouse music.)  Okay, maybe just your morning.  Below are my tips for an easier way to get out of bed in the morning:

Get Enough Sleep-  The reason most people don't want to get out of bed is probably not because of the comfy bed, but because they are still tired. You might want to get this extra sleep in the morning, but practically speaking, that may not be possible.  Give yourself a bedtime.  It might be earlier than you want to go to bed - missing a TV show or foregoing time to read - but your body will thank you throughout the next day. Set your TiVo and read at lunch time instead. Set Up a Quick Routine to Do In Bed Before Getting Out-  Trick your mind.  Start your routine immediately, so your body feels like it must keep going.  My favorite is to say a morning prayer.  When it is finished, you go onto the next thing in your morning routine, which is getting up and... (getting dressed, brushing teeth, whatever.  As long is it starts with getting up!)  Other tricks might be planning your day's clothing, figuring out the day's meals, or remembering what out-of-the-ordinary events are taking place today. Or you could do some stretching.
Have a Reason to WANT to Get Out of Bed- No, this doesn't mean switching to scratchy sheets so you can't wait to get out of bed.  That will disrupt your sleep, and poor sleep will not make you want to get up. But start thinking about that delicious morning cup of coffee or how hungry you are for breakfast.  (Yeah, my incentives usually revolve around food.) Maybe you are meeting a friend today and can't wait to get ready for that. Can't wait to pet the cat?  Fine.  It works.  You love putting on your slippers?  Have a new outfit today?  Want to see you was sent home from Dancing With The Stars last night?  Have a funny Facebook status to post?  Anything you are looking forward to, make it a motivator to get out of bed. If you can't find anything, see #6.
Keep a Clock in View-  Time never goes so fast as when you are avoiding getting out of bed.  If no one else is in the room, your clock can keep you accountable.  Silent minutes ticking away in bed are minutes you are not drinking your coffee.
Have Children-   If they are small, they will get out out of bed, sometimes physically, whether you like it or not.  If they are older, you may need to be responsible to help them get ready for school.  If nothing else, their quiet presence lets you know they are up to something, and you had better find out what it is.Make Sure the Problem Isn't Just the Bed- If you can't find any reason at all to get out of bed, you need to talk to a doctor.  Our God is a good God and His mercies are new every morning.  That means everyday is a fresh start.  If you are waking up with the past holding down, you may need help getting it off of you.  Medicine, counseling, prayer, friends - can all be helpful and put you in the right direction.


Warm blankets are great.  But so is sunshine on your face.  Here's to a great day, and congratulations for making it out of bed today!  Here's hoping tomorrow will be a little easier for you.