Think about this for a moment…
It’s the crack of dawn, the sun is rising and you wake up with a spring in your step and get yourself ready.
You still have a few hours left before the hustle and bustle of the day can get to you. And you start doing something productive in this time.
What would happen to you and your life if you were doing this every single day?
You wake up at the crack of dawn, cherish the cool breeze, enjoy the beautiful sunrise, and spend time doing something important.
Wouldn’t your life change for the better?
That’s how my life has been in the last couple of years ever since I mastered the habit of waking up early.
For most late risers, it can be frustrating to develop this habit… even though they realize the value in waking up early.
If you’re struggling with this habit, don’t worry. I can feel your pain. I was there too.
Nevertheless/Still, if you put in the effort, you can overcome your struggles and start waking up early for sure.
Here are a few strategies to keep in mind…
Early To Bed And Early To Rise Is Your Mantra:
If you go to bed early, you will be able to wake up when the alarm rings without having to hit the snooze button.
For most people, the main reason why they struggle to wake up early is because they have habits that prevent them from going to bed on time.
Habits like…
- Eating a heavy late night dinner
- Television watching
- Internet browsing
- Etc
And if you want to start waking up early, you have to learn to draw the line somewhere. Several recent studies have revealed that sleep deprivation and lack of exercise affect performance and ruin health in the long term.
It’s easy to start going to bed on time. All you need to do is turn in to your bed early and spend 15 – 20 minutes reading a non-fiction book every day.
Moving television and all kinds of tech gadgets out of the bedroom is also a good idea.
Another reason why most people don’t go to bed early is because they don’t fall asleep soon enough.
This is usually because of mental clutter. Spending 10 – 20 minutes meditating and clearing away all kinds of clutter is a good idea.
Take Baby Steps Towards Waking Up Early:
The key towards waking up early is to start taking small baby steps. Taking small baby steps and constant practice is the only way you’ll be able to develop this habit.
Think about the time you are waking up right now. Set your alarm clock 15 minutes earlier than the current time. And start waking up each day as soon as the alarm rings without hitting the snooze button.
Every 07- 12 days, reset your alarm clock by 15 minutes earlier. This will get you towards waking up at the crack of dawn in a couple of months.
Why would developing this simple habit take a couple of months?
Because… you need to rewrite years of existing habitual patterns of waking up late in the day. It’s easy to go back into your old habits if you slip for just one day.
That’s why taking baby steps and going slow will ensure consistency in the long-term.
Move Your Alarm Clock Away:
If you keep your alarm or mobile phone next to you, you will hit the snooze button as soon as it rings.
You may wake up without hitting snooze a couple of times. And during all the other times, you will fail. This is why moving your alarm clock away is one of the best things you can do.
When the alarm rings out loud, you can’t help but want to turn it off. This will get you to stretch your legs and move your body.
Once you get out of bed, you won’t feel like going back to bed again. All you need is a quick water splash and you’ll be ready to conquer the day.
Link It With A Pleasurable Activity:
Some people struggle to wake up early because they have nothing to look forward to when they wake up. They often force themselves to do something rigorous as soon as they wake up early.
And this is a surefire path to failure.
You must link any new positive habit that you want to develop with something pleasurable. This will motivate you to jump out of bed and look forward to doing the activity.
For me, it’s my yoga/running session followed by a hot cup of coffee with the newspaper that drives me.
As for you, it’s something you’ll have to pick and choose. It can be things like…
- Watching the sunrise
- Practicing some breathing exercises in the cool breeze
- Doing some stretches
Whatever it is you want to do, make sure that it’s so easy that you won’t say NO to it.
There’s no doubt that rigorous exercise early in the morning can fuel your body with energy for the rest of the day.
But you can’t develop multiple good habits at once. First, cultivate the habit of waking up early and then you can move towards practicing rigorous exercise.
Use Your Extra Morning Time For Productive Things:
When you’re waking up early, always make sure that you engage yourself in doing something productive.
Think about this…
What is the one positive thing that you can do every day that takes less than 30 minutes… which if you did for the next 3 – 5 years would have a tremendous impact on your life?
Is it?
– Meditation
– Exercise (body-weight exercises/warmups or hitting the gym)
– Reading something valuable in your field
– Writing
Pick one and start doing that thing every day as soon as you wake up. Don’t do something rigorous. Instead, start small and take baby steps.
Instead of exercising for 30 minutes tomorrow, just do 3 push-ups. Or read for one minute. And make tiny little improvements on a day to day basis.
Always think long-term. What impact would doing this particular activity have on your life in 3 – 5 years from now?
Take a call on the activity based on that.
It’s magical to witness the sun conquer the darkness. It’s a beautiful event that I cherish and watch daily. And you’ll start to cherish it as well in due time.
Are you struggling to cultivate healthy habits? Is your life completely out of order? Then go here right now…
https://satishrao.in/strategy4
I will personally help you overcome unhealthy habits and cultivate healthy ones so you truly create the life you want.
https://satishrao.in/strategy4
Besides working with clients 1 on 1, I also engage with corporate teams through my Group Wellness Sessions. Through these sessions, your team will be able to…
- Turbocharge their personal productivity
- Improve their physical and emotional well being
- Feel more motivated and connected to the workplace
Are you someone in the ‘Management Position’ who’s struggling to improve your team’s productivity? Then go here right now to get in touch with me…
https://satishrao.in/groupstrategy
Yours Sincerely,
Satish Rao