Entrepreneurs work hard and play hard. So, as you might expect, sometimes getting out of bed in the morning can be tough — especially on Monday’s when you know you have a full week ahead.

If you’re on-the-go to investor meetings, reviewing numbers for supplier conference calls, all the while shipping orders, overseeing marketing plans, and circling back with your accountant you are probably exhausted. So much so, that your snooze button doesn’t even work anymore. But hiding under the covers in the morning (in a zombie-like state) isn’t going to solve anything! If this sounds like you in the mornings, then you are in the right place.

Here are five tips to help you wake up in the morning, get off your mattress, and seize the day:

1. Choose The Right Alarm Clock

   Standard alarm clocks are initiators of the snooze button habit. Once you push the snooze button, the alarm stops. We’ve trained ourselves to push this button whilst in the midst of sleep, so we’ve become immune to it. However, there are now a variety of innovative alarm clocks that use different ways to wake you up.

   For example, you can buy Clocky, the alarm clock that rolls onto the floor and hides when the alarm goes off. So, the next time the alarm goes off, you will have to get up and search for it. By the time you find the clock, you will already be alert and awake, which means you can start your day. Sure. This may be a desperate measure, but the key is to get you out of bed.

2. Move Your Alarm Clock

   If you find it hard to make the most of your mornings, place your alarm clock in an unconventional place. For example, you can relocate your alarm clock to your doorway or inside your closet — just make sure it’s loud enough to hear. By moving your alarm clock away from your bed, you will actually have to get up and off your warm, comfy mattress. However, make sure the alarm is disruptive enough; you don’t want to end up sleeping through your 9a conference call!

3. Give Yourself An Incentive

   It may sound strange, but we all love the concept of rewards. Tell yourself that if you get out of bed by a specific time, you can grab that chocolate muffin in your kitchen or whatever reward makes it worth your while. If you don’t wake up, you will have to take a piece of celery as your snack (and most people don’t enjoy celery). It may sound like an odd idea, but as you wake up in the morning, the thought of having to eat celery may be enough to get you up and moving.

4. Let the Light In

   When your body senses daylight, it registers that it’s time to wake up. In turn, as your body realizes this, the production of melatonin decreases, which is the chemical that relaxes you enough to make you sleepy. For instance, buying thinner curtains means that more light can shine through, which is perfect if you sleep close to a window. The light will reflect throughout the room and can prevent you from going back to sleep. Meanwhile, in the winter months, if you have to drag yourself out of bed in the dark, set a timer for your bedside or room lamp to turn on just before your alarm goes off.

5. Buy A Coffee Scented Candle

   The smell of coffee is so powerful that it can actually help to wake you up. Most of us don’t have coffee machines in our bedrooms, so a scented candle is the next best thing. You don’t even have to light it, the scent often fills the room itself. It may help wake you up in the morning. But if you don’t want your entire room to smell like the inside of Starbucks, just keep a bag of coffee beans beside your bed. Smelling this will serve the same purpose.

These five tips can help you get out of bed in the morning. However, one of the most obvious things to improve your morning alertness is to get to bed on time, so you’ll feel more refreshed the next day. Although sometimes, especially as an entrepreneur, no matter how much sleep you’ve had, it’s never enough!

Danielle Bagworth is a writer an avid lover of sleep. Dani is writing this article on behalf of Silentnight, a UK-based bed and mattress manufacturer that aims to provide the ultimate sleep comfort. Connect with @SilentNightBeds on Twitter.

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