Team Cosmopolitan’s morning motivations: dramatic, delulu, and slightly unhinged

Let me be honest: I’m not a morning person. And the idea of squeezing into an auto at 9:45 am, dodging potholes and aunties on scooters, just to sit at a desk I could technically reach from my couch? Not my idea of a dream. So, to trick myself into functioning like a sane, cheerful adult, I now romanticise my mornings. I make my tea while doing my skincare, dab on some cheek tint and kajal (non-negotiable), and sip in complete silence—staring into the void while manifesting inner peace. No talky before 9:30 am. If any of my flatmates dare to ask me a question, they are met with a vacant stare.

My hack for motivation? Putting together a work-mode lewk. Because if my soul’s tired, at least my outfit isn’t. And it turns out, I’m not alone (thankfully). Commuting to work like clockwork, week in and week out, isn’t everyone’s idea of a great time (maybe for boomers, sure—but ever since millennials and Gen Z got a taste of remote life, we’ve been reminiscing).

So naturally, while we do love our jobs and going into the office (just... not every single day), every one of us has a little something we rely on to get our behinds out of bed. Here's what the Cosmopolitan India team had to say when asked: “What gets you out of bed in the morning and into work mode?”

Spoiler alert: It’s not just ambition.

Adit Ganguly, Digital Assistant Editor (Entertainment)

“I text my work bestie, ‘Do we really have to go today?’ and she always replies, ‘Yes, and we’ll complain together.’ Honestly, that’s the only reason I get out of bed some mornings. Misery loves company, especially when it comes with memes and masala chai.”

Schenelle D'Souza, Digital Junior Writer

“Sometimes, choosing between staying home and going to work is tough. But I live with my family (whom I love, of course)—so it’s constant noise, doorbells ringing, everyone shouting over each other. Work is chaos too, but at least I’m getting paid for the latter.”

Tanvi Parekh, Digital Assistant Editor

“On most days, my plan is simple: reach office, finish half my tasks, leave before the existential dread hits. On such days, my morning shenanigans are focused and hurried. But on days when the thought of going to work kills my will to live, I slow everything down—brew coffee like it’s a ritual, eat breakfast mindfully, and glam up with nude lipstick and heels just to feel alive.”

Isha Maniar, Digital Managing Editor

"I think about the alternative—no follow-up emails, no “Hello, am I audible?”, no circling back or having to 'synergise,' and I’ll admit that it’s all quite tempting. But, inevitably, the thought is followed by other thoughts—rent to pay and subscriptions that aren’t going to fund themselves. Always makes it easier to swallow my pride with my morning coffee and call a cab to go be in the warm embrace of late-stage capitalism."

Tanmay Ashar, Social Media Executive 

“I wake up wondering what fresh hell Instagram served us overnight. The thrill of catching viral content before it dies is what gets me going. It’s not caffeine, it is chaos.”

Eesha Jain, Social Media Executive

“My mornings start with the chaotic symphony of my family trying to get my little sister ready for school, while I pretend to sleep through the noise. Eventually, I’m dragged into the drama, only to be rewarded with breakfast and a pep talk about surviving the hour-long train ride to the office. It’s weirdly motivating.”

Eden Noronha (me again), Digital Features Editor

“I usually rely on the holy trinity: skincare, silence, and self-delusion. I slap on some cheek tint, chug my tea, and stare into the void until I feel something. No one’s allowed to speak to me before 9:30 am. But when all else fails and I need an extra push, I book a cab, earphones in, blasting The Smiths or Kendrick or whatever angry music reminds me that capitalism can’t kill my vibe.”

Lead image: IMDb

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