We’re not all ‘morning people’…surprised?
No, not everyone bounces out of bed ready and raring to go with a smile on their face and in a terrific mood. ‘Morning people’ can’t seem to do it any other way – and I must confess, I’m a morning person. I’m at my best before 4 pm in the afternoon! A recent book I read labels me a “Lark” because of this.
If you’re one of those people who needs more time in the morning – perhaps staggering out of bed a bit groggy, growling at those whose mood is sunshiny until you’ve had your first cup of tea or coffee, that’s okay too. We need both kinds of people in order to keep our world moving – and folks who’d rather start their day later are referred to as “Owls”.
Take a few moments and decide which of these seems to fit you better.
You may fall somewhere in between or perhaps your career or business pushes you one way or the other. We can all learn to develop a routine that might not be our preferred routine, but we perform because we HAVE to.
If you’re a morning person – a Lark – it’s likely that you find preparing for the day easier, both mentally and visually. The start you get to the day can make a big difference in the image you project to the world. Typically, the person who bounds out of bed wide awake is also the person who has planned their wardrobe and accessories ahead of time, and it’s just a matter of putting on their ‘uniform’ and heading out the door.
The caution for a Lark is to be intentional about choosing your visual image for the day – don’t get stuck in a rut and repeat the same image “formula” every day. Take advantage of your morning energy and perhaps rise a little earlier to plan what you’ll wear that day with consideration for the activities you’ll be involved in.
If you’re more of later-day person – an Owl – you can also be prepared for a day that starts early, it will just take more advance planning. Take advantage of the energy you have later in the day and prepare for the morning by choosing one (or several) outfits and accessories so that you can be dressed for the day’s activities without over-stressing your energy in the morning. You may feel more creative at night – use that creativity!
The visual image you present to yourself and to the world is important.
It can help you start your day on a positive note, or cause a drop in energy and enthusiasm if you’re not loving who and what you see in the mirror.
Start thinking of how you can mix and match garments in your existing wardrobe to suit your day’s activities – if you’ll be away from your office most of the day, choose clothing you can move easily in and remain polished and professional. Working in the office a majority of the day? Choose clothing that has the level of authority you need (or aspire to) and that will still look good at the end of the day when you’ve been primarily sitting down all day (this means items that don’t wrinkle or crease easily).
Take 15 minutes each day for the next 5 – 7 days and focus on creating a winning image – notice your own reactions and the reactions of others. You’ll likely find there’s enough positive reinforcement to make this practice one that you’ll follow through with from now on.
Read more posts by Dianne Daniels, image consultant and coach. Dianne is a blogger for JenningsWire.
