Sometimes getting out of bed is a walk in the park, other days it takes everything in you to drag yourself out of bed and start getting ready for the day.
Let’s see if we can help make it just a little bit easier on those difficult days.
The mornings when your alarm goes off, your brain instantly says “nope, not today” you slam the snooze button and your entire being melts back into the mattress. Maybe you didn’t sleep too well, maybe life feels a bit meh today, or maybe you can hear the rain pounding down on the window and the thought of facing the outside world is somewhat unbearable.
Whatever the reason, we’ve all been there. The duvet becomes a safe haven, a temptation to avoid everything else you know you have to do today. So how do you actually force yourself to get up when every fibre of your being is telling you to simply stay put?
Today we’re going to give you some real life little tips – and no, we aren’t going to harp on about “being disciplined” or “hustling harder.” That’s a good perspective to have, but some days it’s just nonsense and too much pressure. Here’s the real-life, very British guide to getting out of bed when you really, really don’t want to.
1. lower the bar (seriously)
If the goal right off the bat is “get up at 6am, do a workout, cook a full English and write a chapter of your book before work”… you’re setting yourself up to fail. Of course this is achievable, maybe just not on those days where you’re struggling as it is. Don’t force yourself into it.
When you find yourself in one of those “don’t want to move, don’t want to try” moods. Give yourself just one task to think about, the only mission at this point is to get out of bed. That’s it. Nothing crazy. You don’t have to be productive, you just need to escape the gravitational pull of your duvet and get yourself going.
Once you let go of the pressure to do all the things you were planning to do, it becomes easier to do just one.
2. count down like you're launching a rocket
Ok, hear us out. This one’s silly, but weirdly effective. Think of it like the reverse of counting sheep to fall asleep. Give yourself a sort of timer countdown.
Say it in your own head: “5… 4… 3… 2… 1…” and then MOVE. Force yourself to sit up. Throw a cheeky leg out the cover. Whatever you can manage. It helps break the mental state and give you a tiny moment of fake momentum. It’s like tricking your brain with a little drama, helping it to jumpstart itself awake.
Why not go ahead and shout “blast off!” if it helps. No judgement here.
3. make mornings suck less
If you find yourself feeling like mornings are just an endless string of tasks (get dressed, commute, answer emails, socialise), then it makes sense that some days you’re not going to be elated to get out of bed. That’s not a lack of motivation – that’s just your body and brain being tired.
So instead, try to give yourself a nice little ‘task’ to look forward to, even if it’s tiny.
Could be:
- A really good coffee or a fancy tea you dedicate just for mornings
- 10 minutes in bed chilling out with a podcast before you do anything else
- A killer playlist that makes you feel alive
- A hot shower with the world’s fanciest shower gel
- A cheeky little biscuit before breakfast (guilty as charged)
The idea is - giving yourself a reason to want to start the day, even if it’s not a huge one. Bribery works. Even for yourself. So use it.
4. don’t check your phone right away (or at least don’t doomscroll)
We get it – phones all basically function as everyone's alarm clocks now. But if the first thing you find yourself doing when you wake up is open Twitter or scroll through a series of depressing news headlines, you’re basically setting your brain up for a day of misery before you’ve even got out of bed to brush your teeth. Needless to say this doesn’t ignite the desire to spring out of bed.
Try these instead:
- Simply turn off your alarm
- Resist the urge to open any social media or start browsing the news
- Find a cool uplifting podcast, lo-fi playlist, or some stand-up comedy to ease yourself into consciousness and help your brain start the day off right
Honestly you’ll be surprised, mornings feel less like a punch to the face when you don’t start with other people’s chaos and just focus on yourself.
5. let in some light (fake or real)
This one might be surprising but humans aren’t actually designed to wake up in complete darkness. We’re basically exotic plants – we need a cheeky spot of sunlight to activate.
If it usually still seems pitch-black when you wake up (thanks, UK winter), try:
- Flinging the curtains open as soon as you wake up
- Use a sunrise alarm clock (probably a game-changer if you're not a morning person)
-
Turn on a soft warm lamp instead of the blinding big light that’s bound to induce annoyance
It’s surprising how much that little bit of light will help your brain switch from “bed mode” to “okay, fine, lets get ready for the day.”
6. move your body (but gently)
You don’t need to leap out of bed and start doing burpees (unless that’s something you genuinely enjoy, then fire away). But, a simple bit of gentle movement can help shake off that feeling of grogginess.
Try this:
- Stretch your arms way up above your head
- Wiggle those toes and fingers, get ‘em moving
- Do a big fat yawn and roll your shoulders for a minute
- Sit up and dangle your legs from the edge of the bed for a little while
These little movements really help. It’s a simple way of sending signals to your body that we’re not in sleep mode anymore – we’re in “okay, let's try to get ourselves moving” mode.
7. stop negotiating with yourself
This one’s harsh but true. When you start bargaining with yourself (“Just five more minutes… okay, ten… ok, I’ll skip breakfast it’s fine”), you end up more tired and more stressed. Often, you also end up being late too, a stressful day incoming.
If you know you have to be up at a certain time, just rip the plaster off. Don’t let sleepy-you control the inner monologue. Sleepy-you is a liar and cannot be trusted.
Just get up. When that first alarm goes off, resist the urge to snooze for just a little bit longer. You can hate it as much as you like, but at least you’ll be out of bed. You’ll come around soon enough.
8. give yourself credit
A key thing to remember – sometimes just getting out of bed is a massive win, especially on these days when you really don’t want to. Whether you’re suffering from burnout, low mood, anxiety, or just a really sucky week – it’s not “lazy” to struggle. It’s human. It happens to all of us.
So if you manage to swing your legs out, put the kettle on, and shuffle into the world, you’re doing alright. Seriously. Don’t beat yourself up about it.
And if you don’t? Tomorrow’s another day to start fresh. No guilt needed. You’ll get there.
final thoughts
Getting out of bed when you really don’t want to is one of those boring yet challenging little battles we fight all the time. It doesn’t make you weak or lazy – it simply means you’re human, and sometimes life already feels like a bit too much at 7am.
So be kind to yourself. Make mornings suck less wherever you can. Find the things that work for you to motivate yourself, it’s all about trial and error. Don’t let carefully crafted Instagram morning routines make you feel bad about not doing yoga at sunrise or drinking smoothies where the main ingredient is grass. Your only job is to start the day, even if it takes a while, you feel grumpy, or you find yourself sitting there muttering “why is this my life” into your cereal. You don’t need to compare your mornings to anybody else.
You’ve got this. Or if it doesn’t end up being today – maybe tomorrow it will be. That’s okay too. Until next time, eve Sleep.
