KYle Loftus Studios Behind the Scenes BLOG
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Becoming a Morning Person: Secrets of Early Risers
September 2, 2021
Getting up early in the morning can be challenging, especially when you’re tempted to hit the snooze button several times. Some people are actually early risers and consider themselves to be a morning person. What’s the secret to these early birds, and what are the benefits of becoming like one? There are actually several health benefits of waking up early. Most importantly, you’ll have time to prepare a healthy breakfast, do some morning exercise, and spend some time relaxing before you start your busy day. Many people claim that getting up early gives them more energy throughout the day too. Early risers tend to be more productive and have a positive outlook. Read on to learn how to become a morning person so that you can experience some of these benefits for yourself.
Planning a morning routine: start with a sleep schedule
One of the secrets of early risers is that they know how to develop and follow a consistent sleep schedule and a healthy morning routine. This routine will set the tone for your day and help you feel more prepared for whatever comes your way. There is a lot involved in developing a good morning routine. Remember, becoming a morning person won’t happen overnight. You’ll need to create new habits that will change your daily schedule and your nightly sleep schedule so you can start rising early. None of these plans will work if you don’t have a good, consistent sleep schedule, so this should be your first step before mapping out your new daily morning routine.
Keep a steady sleep schedule: If you want to be an early riser, you’ll need to start and keep a steady, consistent sleep schedule. Go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time each day. This includes the weekends, which means that you shouldn’t sleep in on your days off. By sticking to the same schedule, you’ll set your body’s circadian rhythm, which will make it easier to rise early over time. Consistently doing this is the best way to develop a good morning routine that will become a part of your everyday life.
Tips on getting a good night’s sleep: Sleeping soundly will make it much easier to wake up early in the morning and develop the best morning routine. To sleep better, keep the room temperature as low as possible and avoid looking at your devices (smartphone or tablet) at least 30 minutes to an hour before you head to bed. Create a peaceful, restful environment that will help you feel relaxed and calm. Use white or ambient noise if that enables you to fall asleep using a fan or noise machine. Ambient music also works well. Ideally, it’s best to avoid eating and drinking close to your bedtime. However, if you’re extremely hungry, the best late-night snacks and drinks are healthy and light. Munch on some cold vegetables and hummus, try a bit of oatmeal, or simply drink a glass of water to help you feel full so you can sleep soundly.
Morning routines of successful people
Becoming a morning person takes time, but the proper routine will set you up for success. Not everyone will do the exact same things with their mornings, but there are a few important things that you should try to incorporate into your daily schedule.
Take your shower in the morning: Showering when you wake up not only helps you feel more alert but also ensures that you’re clean and fresh for the day. Try to take your shower in the morning so that you’re starting things off on the right foot. This is important whether you go into an office or work from home. Showering in the morning may also help reduce feelings of anxiety and fatigue to help you feel alert throughout the day.
Drink water and stay hydrated: When you wake up, a glass of water is a great way to start your day. Try to drink as much water as possible to help you stay hydrated. When you’re dehydrated, it can cause brain fog, fatigue, and headaches. Drinking a lot of water is the best way to give your body the hydration it needs to stay healthy and alert.
Don’t check your email or phone: When you wake up, it’s tempting to check the latest headlines or read new emails. Doing this as soon as you wake up can make you feel anxious and cause you to feel rushed and stressed. Try to avoid looking at your phone first thing, and instead, focus on your health and well-being by going directly into the shower or do some meditating. There will be plenty of time to read emails and headlines later in the day.
Morning skincare routine
A good morning skincare routine will help you look and feel your best. Here are some tips and steps to help you get your skin primed and ready for the day:
If you don’t have time to shower in the morning, it’s important to cleanse your face at least.
Start your skincare routine by using a quality facial cleanser to remove dirt and oil buildup.
Once your face is clean, follow up with a toner to remove any leftover makeup, oil, or dirt that the cleanser may have missed.
Use a serum or moisturizer to target problem areas on your skin. This will make your skin feel dewy and fresh, and a quality moisturizer will help prevent feelings of dryness or irritation during the day.
Always apply sunscreen to your face before you head out the door. Sunscreen protects you from dangerous UV rays that can cause premature aging, sunburn, and skin cancer.
If you wear makeup, apply it after cleansing, toning, moisturizing, and applying sunscreen to your face and neck. A primer will help you create a lovely canvas that allows your foundation and eye makeup to last longer.
Importance of eating breakfast
One of the benefits of early rising is that you’ll have time to prepare and enjoy a nutritious, well-balanced breakfast. Studies have shown that eating breakfast helps you stay alert, focused, and energetic during the day. Here are some other benefits of eating breakfast as part of a good morning routine:
Eating a nutritious breakfast can help jumpstart your metabolism, which may contribute to weight loss or maintaining a healthy weight.
Children who eat breakfast do better in school because they need the fuel to stay alert and focused. The same idea applies to adults too.
When you eat a well-balanced breakfast, you won’t feel as hungry during the day. This will help you avoid eating unhealthy snacks and can keep you going strong until lunchtime.
Morning workout
Developing a morning workout routine is excellent for your body and mind. Here are a few tips to help you get started.
Start a morning stretch routine: Getting your morning stretch in every day will help you feel more focused and alert. Stretching promotes healthy circulation and will also help protect your body from things like neck or back pain. Practice a few simple daily stretches every morning to get your day started on the right foot.
Benefits: There are many incredible benefits to developing a good morning exercise routine. Daily exercising can improve your mood, help you lose weight, strengthen your muscles, and even help you sleep better at night. Start your day with some simple exercises to get yourself motivated, energized, and in a good mood.
Fitness examples: You don’t have to be athletic to practice some healthy fitness routines every morning. A brisk 20-minute walk is a great way to get in some daily exercise. You can also lift some hand weights for a few minutes each morning or try a quick cardio session.
Morning yoga routine: Practicing yoga or meditation in the morning can set you up for a great day ahead. Learn how to do simple yoga poses, then slowly work your way toward more complex poses as you go. When you do a little bit of yoga in the morning, you’re improving your physical and mental health at the same time.
Morning meditation and journaling
Some simple morning meditation and journaling can do wonders for your stress and anxiety. Here are some morning routine ideas to help improve your mental health and reduce your stress levels.
Wellness: Practicing daily morning meditation can help you feel balanced and calm. Meditation is an integral part of overall wellness and can help you feel more positive and energized. Start with a short morning meditation every day to set your mind on the right path.
Bullet journaling: Keeping a bullet journal is a great way to help you feel more in control of your day and your schedule. This journaling method involves keeping your to-do lists, schedule, and other important information together in one single journal or notebook. Doing this in the morning will give you a sense that you’re in control of the day ahead and make it easier for you to get things done.
Reading a book or the paper: Start your morning by enjoying some quiet time as you dive into a good book or read the daily newspaper. Quietly reading can set the tone for your day and gives you a chance to relax before things start to get hectic.
Even if you are not a morning person, use these tips to help you become an early riser. With the proper morning routine and healthy breakfast, you can start your day on the right foot. Remember to develop a consistent sleep schedule, get in some morning exercise, and practice self-care to help you become a successful early bird.
How to Financially Prepare for a Filmmaking Career
Are you an independent artist starting your filmmaking career? Getting started can be a struggle and there’s neither an easy nor an immediately successful way to get the funding you need. The reality is you need to find a good way to fund your upcoming career, and you should start early.
If you’re looking to take your film chops to the next level and go beyond small projects - and that means treating it like a proper business. Here’s what you can do to prepare yourself financially for your filmmaking career.
Making music videos can give you a more profitable career as a start, as you don’t need to
make passion projects. Even then, you need to start from nothing and build your career. It takes
time to make up enough money to keep you going in your early filmmaking years.
Save Early Into Your University Years
One way to finance yourself through your filmmaking career is to start saving money while in college. Music videos, for example, shouldn’t need too many assets so you can start filming. A few thousand dollars in your bank account should suffice.
Not everyone can finance themselves outright, but starting early and setting aside a few dollars a day will likely add up. Saving money from your university years means you will have a sizable chunk of cash ready after some time. The downside of this, however, is that not everyone will spend their savings on their film career.
If you’re serious about your filmmaking, you need to create a few good music videos that show off your skills. You will likely not make any of this money back, and that’s ok. These will work as your portfolio for bigger things that will open the floodgates for more projects.
Whether you’re looking to become an indie filmmaker or a mainstream blockbuster, setting aside some money should be perfect.
Get A Day Job If You Can
If you’re working towards a successful film career, one route that many creatives take is to start a day job. Pursuing a film career, especially at the start, means lining up your coffers. It offers several benefits that will help you jumpstart your future.
We’ve always heard of the idea of a struggling filmmaker working at a diner or waiting tables at a restaurant. These jobs put money on the table and give you enough extra to start filming music videos and other small projects. It provides you with a level of financial stability that gives you more chances to do what you want in your free time.
Getting a day job also gives you structure, allowing you to squeeze your filmmaking time after your day job. It will help keep you up to the task and help you segregate what is “work time” and what is “film time.” The only downside of having a day job is that you may physically overextend yourself if you’re not careful.
Try to invest in some gear and different assets to make
music videos. Outfit yourself with necessary equipment to help you make better and more
elaborate videos.
Join A Film Crew And Start Learning
Many creatives are taking advantage of what they know in filmmaking and move towards related jobs that can help them put the right foot forward. For those preparing for a future in film, a good way to financially prepare for it is to join a bigger production team.
Most film enthusiasts and would-be filmmakers likely have a specific skill that production teams would love. This can be your camera skills, your editing, or other talents that you intended to use for your film. By working with an actual production team, you can get paid nicely working for a TV show or a film outfit.
Much like a day job, working with a film crew can earn you a nice chunk of cash. What’s better is you also learn from the many different professionals in the industry. As an up-and-comer, you would still need mentorship from the pros. They can help sharpen your skills as you work with them, which should yield better results in the future.
Another advantage of working as part of a film crew is the network of people you can build. For would-be filmmakers, the industry friends they have can be a valuable treasure that they can use for their future endeavors. Even if you’re making amateur music videos right now, the right connections should help you thrive in the future.
Consider Crowdfunding
Another popular approach for young and upcoming creators is to consider crowdfunding their upcoming film career. Crowdfunding campaigns allow creators to raise enough capital to pick and choose whatever genre of film they want. It’s a useful and highly-rewarding way to start a fantastic career in filmmaking.
Crowdfunding has several unique benefits. For starters, you can build your audience as early as possible, together with giving your audience a stake in your future as a creator. If you know what you’re doing, it will look and feel like you’re getting free money to do whatever you want.
If you plan on entering a crowdfunding campaign, you need months of preparation ahead. You want a solid pitch to your would-be backers, as well as concrete plans to make your projects a reality. You can get funding for a project at a time in places like Kickstarter or Indiegogo, or get consistent patronage from places like Patreon.
Upload Your Stuff in Public
Creating music videos can be an enjoyable process. Regardless, you need to try and make
money from them. Most modern music video directors started somewhere, and there’s no better
place to start than showing it off in public via streaming platforms like Youtube, Vimeo, or
Dailymotion.
How can this make you money? Many creators building portfolio projects measure their video’s
viability through Youtube. Not only can you earn money from ads, you can also get public
response and engagement online. The more uploads you do, the more chances you have of
getting public attention.
If you’re feeling extra bold, you can start a streaming channel and talk about your process on
stream. Having a stream setup can eventually make you good money from donations. The
streaming crowd is a very curious bunch, so they’d want to see your talent as you grow.
Final Thoughts
There are many ways to fund your career in film. From things you can do like saving up and getting a day job to crowdsourcing to grants and fellowships, you have several options going forward. There are more out there, including contests and investors, but the tips above depend upon your initiative.
Your film career is only starting. Follow any of the above ways to fund your creations and you should be good to go in no time.
Article written by: Sophia Young of Sophia Young Content Studio