This is it. Sunday night. The realties of the upcoming week are setting in. Mondays are tough enough, but it can be even worse when you wake up in the morning not fully rested and are rushing to get out the door.

Becoming a morning person is no small feat. But there’s a few simple steps you can take to help your mornings run more smoothly.

1. Turn everything off. When it’s time to go to bed, actually go to bed. Turn off your TV, put your phone away, and shut the curtains tight. You’ll sleep more soundly without any extra light in the room, helping you feel more rested in the morning.
2. Put your alarm far away. Force yourself to get out of bed. Put your alarm clock across the room, so when it goes off the only way to make it stop is to get out of bed. And resist the urge to just go back to bed!
3. Set yourself up for success. Do all the things you can the night before to prepare yourself for a smoother morning. Pack your lunch, shower, pick out your clothes, pack your gym bag. Doing this can really help reduce the chaos of your morning routine.
4. Brush your teeth immediately. Sounds weird. Works great. A burst of minty freshness will really help wake you up so you stop feeling so sluggish in the morning.
5. Drink water. After being asleep for (hopefully) eight or so hours, your body is dehydrated. Starting off your morning routine with warm/room temperature water with lemon has tons of benefits for your body!
6. Breakfast. Now that you moved all those pesky tasks from your morning routine to your night routine, you have plenty of time for a hearty breakfast. Get ideas here. 
7. Make it a routine. Create a new waking up routine and stick to it every day. Before you know it, waking up early will be a breeze.

What tricks do you have that helps you wake up easier?