How to Get Up in the Morning when You Have Depression
Enlist the help of a friend or family member., Pretend you feel well., Start the day with something you enjoy., Make getting up as simple as possible., Try starting your day with a checklist to get yourself motivated.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Enlist the help of a friend or family member.
Ask someone close to you if they’d be willing to help you out for several days by coming over to your house or apartment, turning on your lights, and making sure you get out of bed.
This can help you get into the habit of getting up in the morning, even if you don’t feel like it.You might make the request of your roommate, "Hey, Charles, you are such a ball of energy in the mornings--I would love to be like that.
Would you mind giving me an extra push in the morning to make sure I get out of bed and get dressed on time? I would really appreciate it." Avoid asking anyone to do this for you for more than a few days, or it may put a strain on their schedule. -
Step 2: Pretend you feel well.
Sometimes the old advice to “fake it until you make it” is the most effective thing you can do.
When you wake up, act as if you feel fine.
Force yourself to get out of bed, shower, get dressed, and eat breakfast without dawdling or ruminating.
By the time you’re ready for the day, you might find that you actually do feel a little better.The key to this technique is not giving yourself time to think.
Focus only on your actions.
You might tell yourself, "I am feeling healthy, happy, and whole." Repeat this as you go about your morning activities. , Give yourself an incentive to start the morning by planning to do something you like when you get up.
If you have a hard time enjoying activities, think about what you used to like doing, or settle for doing something that feels relatively easy and painless.For instance, you could try bribing yourself out of bed by writing in a journal, doing a crossword puzzle, or making a cup of your favorite tea.
Record a personalized alarm that says "Get up, get up! It's time for your morning tea!" to get you stimulated and eager to start the day. , If mornings are difficult for you, prepare ahead of time so you’ll have to do as little as possible.
Take a shower and lay out your clothes the night before, program your coffee maker to start brewing a pot when your alarm goes off, and find some easy breakfast recipes that you can make ahead of time.For instance, you might add milk, honey, and cinnamon to oatmeal and sit it in the fridge the night before.
Nuke it in the microwave for several minutes for a quick and hearty breakfast. , By setting some realistic goals for yourself and writing them down, you may feel more motivated to get up and start your day.
Keep a pen and pad of paper near your bed and make a quick to-do list before you get out of bed.
This will help to give your day some direction.
Check off items as you complete them throughout the day.
Keep in mind that it is okay if you don't complete everything on your list.
You can simply move anything that did not get done to your next day's to-do list, or reevaluate your goals and adjust your list as needed. -
Step 3: Start the day with something you enjoy.
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Step 4: Make getting up as simple as possible.
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Step 5: Try starting your day with a checklist to get yourself motivated.
Detailed Guide
Ask someone close to you if they’d be willing to help you out for several days by coming over to your house or apartment, turning on your lights, and making sure you get out of bed.
This can help you get into the habit of getting up in the morning, even if you don’t feel like it.You might make the request of your roommate, "Hey, Charles, you are such a ball of energy in the mornings--I would love to be like that.
Would you mind giving me an extra push in the morning to make sure I get out of bed and get dressed on time? I would really appreciate it." Avoid asking anyone to do this for you for more than a few days, or it may put a strain on their schedule.
Sometimes the old advice to “fake it until you make it” is the most effective thing you can do.
When you wake up, act as if you feel fine.
Force yourself to get out of bed, shower, get dressed, and eat breakfast without dawdling or ruminating.
By the time you’re ready for the day, you might find that you actually do feel a little better.The key to this technique is not giving yourself time to think.
Focus only on your actions.
You might tell yourself, "I am feeling healthy, happy, and whole." Repeat this as you go about your morning activities. , Give yourself an incentive to start the morning by planning to do something you like when you get up.
If you have a hard time enjoying activities, think about what you used to like doing, or settle for doing something that feels relatively easy and painless.For instance, you could try bribing yourself out of bed by writing in a journal, doing a crossword puzzle, or making a cup of your favorite tea.
Record a personalized alarm that says "Get up, get up! It's time for your morning tea!" to get you stimulated and eager to start the day. , If mornings are difficult for you, prepare ahead of time so you’ll have to do as little as possible.
Take a shower and lay out your clothes the night before, program your coffee maker to start brewing a pot when your alarm goes off, and find some easy breakfast recipes that you can make ahead of time.For instance, you might add milk, honey, and cinnamon to oatmeal and sit it in the fridge the night before.
Nuke it in the microwave for several minutes for a quick and hearty breakfast. , By setting some realistic goals for yourself and writing them down, you may feel more motivated to get up and start your day.
Keep a pen and pad of paper near your bed and make a quick to-do list before you get out of bed.
This will help to give your day some direction.
Check off items as you complete them throughout the day.
Keep in mind that it is okay if you don't complete everything on your list.
You can simply move anything that did not get done to your next day's to-do list, or reevaluate your goals and adjust your list as needed.
About the Author
Richard Wilson
Writer and educator with a focus on practical organization knowledge.
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