The best way to maximize your mornings, according to your horoscope

Whether mornings are your specialty or not, you have to get through them—and any tips to make them more productive (and waking up less torturous) are always welcome.

And since you may be peeking at your horoscope for everything from career guidance to stress-relief strategies and sex advice (you can’t not look, right?), why not get some astrological insights to figure out how to get your day started right?

From early risers to don’t-speak-to-me-until-I’ve-had-my-coffee types, there’s some useful info written in the stars, says Sandra Sitron, founder of Strong Eye Astrology.

“Look at your sun sign [the astrological sign aligned with your birthday] to tell you whether you should use your morning to get caught up or slow down and nourish your body,” she says. It turns out, the zodiac has pointers on making the most of those early hours.

Keep reading to find out what to do when your alarm goes off (or, okay—after you hit snooze a few times), according to your astrological sign.

Aries: Take quick actions

You feel most productive when you’re kicking ass in quick bursts—and the same goes for your mornings. Get your body going with some heart-pounding exercise (hey, even bed yoga). Then buckle down to work and cross some things off of your to-do list. Give yourself some props for accomplishing so much—but don’t forget to build in some Zen time (so as not to burn out your adrenals) before jumping back into #girlboss mode.

Taurus: Luxuriate…then slowly get to work

Real talk: Mornings aren’t when you’re most productive. The last thing you want to do is feel rushed in the beginning of your day, so don’t give yourself a guilt trip for taking some major chill time as you warm up. After lounging in your silk pajamas, log some time with a long-term project. It’s good for you to have something you’re building that you can work on for an hour a day, and doing it in the morning will help you feel productive—and contribute to your ultimate success. (Score!)

Gemini: Write, write, write

Your instinct in the morning is to catch up on all the news and text messages (and, okay, scroll your Instagram feed) that you missed while you were sleeping. You like to be in the know and connected. But the trick is realizing that you can postpone this—there’s time for it to happen later in the day. The best thing for you to do in the morning is to write. You could just let it flow and write everything that’s on your mind, or you could do something more structured—an article, a blog post, an essay, whatever. The morning is your prime time for clarity and creativity.

Cancer: Make a gratitude list

As a water sign, you need to be in the flow with your emotions. Sometimes that “flow” can seem like it’s uncontrollable, depending on how your day is going. The perfect solution? A simple gratitude list, which will help you stay in a high emotional vibration for the rest of the day. As you write out five to ten things you’re thankful for (or, even better, do this one-minute video exercise with Gabrielle Bernstein) try to create appreciative feelings within yourself—and then revisit it throughout the afternoon and evening to keep the good vibes going.

Leo: Create

It’s key for you to get into a creativity-recognition cycle, in which you make something, share it, and repeat. This can be anything that’s a form of self-expression, from a painting to the dreamiest unicorn toast. Setting aside time for joyful creation in the a.m. helps you keep things in perspective. Just remember not to indulge any insecurity that could accompany your art—simply enjoy it in the carefree way you did as a child.

Virgo: Focus on your wellness habits

You like to feel like you’ve got all systems go when it comes to your health, since your sign is in charge of refining, adapting, and perfecting. That’s why it’s ideal for you to jump-start your wellness habits first thing when you wake up. Try to eat a nutritious meal (like, say, these low-sugar pancakes), chug (lemon) water, and squeeze in a sweat sesh—these are all activities that’ll help you stay focused for the rest of your day (not to mention give you the solid foundation to help others).

Libra: It’s all about cleaning and grooming

Your symbol is the only machine in the zodiac—which means that when anything in your life, whether it’s your body or environment, is out of balance, you feel it. Start your day off right by getting everything into aesthetic order: Clean your space and your body, and allow yourself to really enjoy your beauty routine. Then your mind can relax and you can operate at your personal best. Venus, your planetary ruler, loves it when you’re feeling good…so primping is totally encouraged.

Scorpio: Meditate

Your emotions run deep—which means that if you don’t process them slowly enough, they may end up running away with your day. (Sound familiar?) A morning meditation habit can help you learn to observe your thoughts and feelings, without knee-jerk reactions. As a Scorpio, your energy allows you to merge with others in emotional, psychological, and spiritual union—but you need the tools that’ll grant you a greater capacity for letting go instead of needing all of the control. That’s why you should Zen it out before your first cup of joe.

Sagittarius: Find inspiration

Sagittarius is all about freedom—in order to create it in your life, you need to cultivate inspiration (hey, nobody ever got mentally liberated by dwelling on pessimistic thoughts). Start your day with a heaping dose of whatever gives you perspective. This can be a list of quotes from your fave author, a scroll through inspiring memes, or a mental boost from a meditation app. Your symbol is the centaur, an archer that shoots straight into the heavens—so reach high and stay in forward motion.

Capricorn: Plan your day—and beyond

You’re the type who functions best with a plan. Structure allows you to work efficiently, and working out details can even be a major stress reliever for you (hence your frustration when your friends try to coordinate get-togethers at the last minute). In the morning, determine your day’s priorities and then take a glance at your week and month. Monthly, review your five- and ten-year plans. Setting aside time to work on important projects keeps you feeling grounded with a clear perspective, which you’ll definitely relish.

Aquarius: Focus on your vision

Your sign is a paradox (you’re unique!): Aquarius rules change and innovation, yet it’s also a fixed sign. This means that it can be hard to switch gears. To work with this finicky energy, you need to be a conscious navigator. In other words, keep your dreams top of mind so that you can build momentum in the direction of your desire. If the momentum swings toward pessimism or the compromising of your ideals, it can be difficult to break free of that cycle. Every morning, visualize what you want your life to become: See it, taste it, feel it, imagine it, and believe in it. Then you’ll navigate more easily toward your goals.

Pisces: Feel it out

The goal of your mornings should be to connect with your sixth sense (that’s intuition, not seeing dead people FYI)—your sign rules the five senses, after all. Sit quietly and figure out the best way to structure your day. Ask yourself, “What’s the first thing I need to do today?” Write down whatever pops in your head. Then ask, “And what about after that?” Keep on going until you’ve come to the end of the day. Follow that plan, checking in and adjusting as need be—but don’t be surprised if things wind up on your “intuitive to-do list” that wouldn’t normally be there. Just trust your inner guidance.

Sandra Sitron is an astrologer, consulting hypnotist, and writer living in Brooklyn, NY. She was introduced to interpreting celestial objects at a young age, and it’s become part of the lens through which she views the world. In addition to writing Well+Good’s monthly astrological guides, Sitron also releases a weekly horoscope and offers private astrology and hypnosis sessions.

Originally published April 14, 2017; updated May 31, 2018.