Put yourself on auto-pilot with a smart morning routine
Whether you’re an early bird or night owl, mornings - especially during weekdays - are for a lot of households a rushed event. Make your morning rituals less hectic with a smart morning routine. We apologize in advance, because there is no snoozing allowed!
1. Your day starts with a good night’s sleep
It’s no secret: getting up in the morning is easier when you’ve slept a good amount of hours, preferably 8 of them. Take control of your sleep quality with a smart sleep tracker. As good as every smart watch offers this service to their users, however, there are also brands that specialize in smart health trackers. Whoop, for example, calculates how much sleep you need to function well throughout your days, and has a special eye for training and recovery.
2. An alarm clock you won’t hate
You probably know the feeling: you’re in a deep sleep to abruptly be woken up by a repetitive, intrusive sound close to your ear. Your relationship with your alarm clock could be a lot better. The smart clock by Lenovo combines forces with Alexa, making waking up feel natural. Some of its features include:
- A dimmable touch screen, which slowly brightens when your alarm goes off.
- An overall control panel, so you can check on your security system and the kids' room from one device.
- The familiar voice of Alexa. Easily prep for the next morning from your bed: “Hey Alexa, turn the lights off and set an alarm for 7 AM, waking me with the weather forecast.”
3. Waking up to natural light
According to research, waking up to natural light is the key to a productive day. Install your KNX smart blinds and shutters to automatically go up at sunrise. There’s a catch though: during the winter it’s often dark until 8 or 9 am, but you need to get up at 7 - back to abruptly waking up in the good ‘ol dark room? No, thank you! The KNX building automation products from Siemens are equipped with the technology of ‘tunable white’. These smart lighting products imitate daylight as if they were the sun itself, giving you a feeling of waking up to natural light all year round.
4. But first, coffee!
For those who still feel sleepy, we hear your cries for help: time for coffee! You have two options. Option 1: a smart coffee machine, just plug in, control the device with an app or by voice command and it pours you a hot cup of coffee. One of Italy's most famous coffee brands, Lavazza, just launched a built-in Alexa.
Or you can opt for a simple on/off-machine that’s connected to a smart plug or outlet. You can plan your morning caffeine fixes, so that you don't lose any time. The Lightwave Power Starter Kit is an accessible smart plug and works with the three biggest voice assistants.
5. Getting the kids ready in (no) time
Children often have a morning routine of their own. Some extra help is therefore more than welcome. Meet Tile Mate Tracker. This handy device is a keychain that you can clip on basically everything. Backpacks, jackets, lunch boxes… If your child lost something, just go to the free Tile-app and it guides you towards its hiding spot. No more delays before leaving the house, because of last minute missing items.
Want to know how your smart home can assist you as a ‘plus-parent’ in everyday life? A previous article provides you with tips and tricks to keep your kids safe and healthy with smart tech.
Automating your morning routine will relieve you from previously rushed mornings. Just be sure to tell your automation systems to make a distinction between weekdays and weekends. After all, getting up early every weekday needs to be treated with sleeping in.
