It's summer job time, and many students lucky enough to find a summer job are now discovering something that eluded them all year… 7a.m., Monday morning. Or it could be the challenge of the dreaded Monday morning 8 a.m. class.
So in the fashion of helping out my fellow students, I have amassed a collection of hints and suggestions to help the student get out of bed faster, and to their jobs or classes more quickly.
The Alarm Clock
Everyone has one, and just about everyone has to hit the snooze button four or five times before they can get out of bed. So here are a few suggestions to optimize alarm clock effectiveness.
- Set the clock as far away from your bed as possible. If you don't have to get out of the bed physically, you probably won't.
- Get another alarm clock. Set two clocks to go off within 5 minutes of each other. The urgency of turning off two clocks should get you out of bed.
- Set the alarm to a radio station, because sometimes the buzzer is just too jarring, and can ruin your whole day. However, I suggest the following…
- Set the alarm to radio static, as loud as possible. I find music just tends to weave itself into whatever dream I am having. The static is more effective than the music and buzzer combined. Try it and see.
Alarm Clock Alternatives
Some people have strange ways of tricking themselves into waking up in the morning.
- Drink lots of water.The more you drink, the more likely you will wake up in order to take care of some very urgent business.
- Will yourself to wake up. Some people seem to be able to set their biological clock to wake themselves up. This is more myth than truth.
- Get to bed early. Going to bed at 11 p.m. for students is the equivalent of adults going to bed at 8 p.m. But it is a known fact that the sleep one gets before midnight is the most important.
Alternatives to the Alternatives
- Have a reason to get out of bed.
A day job doesn't create satisfaction, nor does sitting through a droning class, nor does another day spent lounging around the house.
Many people seek to discover meaning in life to find a reason to get out of bed, and when they find it each day is seen as a new opportunity. Each day becomes a gift to explore the wonderful world around them, and then it becomes a little easier to get out of bed.
