Have you ever thought about waking up earlier than your usual time? Has it been a challenge for you? Well, it was for me, but with a bit of research and hard work, I have mastered the art of waking up early and it has transformed my life. I used to have 5 alarms 10 minutes apart and then I will drag myself out of bed and end up rushing to work. Your early morning sets the tone of your day, so “own your morning and elevate your life” as Robin Sharma says in the book 5 am Club.
Before we go into the details of how to wake up early, let’s look at the benefits of waking up early.
1. Discover the gift of time
Even if you wake up 30 minutes earlier than usual it gives you time to do things which are essential but you always skip due to lack of time. This could be setting goals for your day, exercising, meditating or even enjoying a cup of coffee or tea before your whole house wakes up. I love the peace and quiet in the early hours, I love having my coffee sitting outside on the deck in the warmer months. The air feels fresh and enjoying the serenity of a quiet morning could be a mindfulness act.
2. Enhanced Productivity
The early hours of the morning are often considered the most productive. By waking up early, you gain a head start on your day, allowing you to accomplish more and make progress towards your goals. Ever heard of Brahmamuhurta? it is the most creative and auspicious time of the night, about 48 minutes before sunrise. When you wake up at this time, there are fewer distractions, your mind is calmer and it is perfect for learning new skills. If you are a student this is the best time for you to study. Some days you don’t feel productive at all, right? like you wasted a day? Try waking up early and setting 5 small goals for that day and work on achieving those throughout the day, you will feel great at the end of the day since your day was productive.
3. Self Reflection
Self-awareness is the most powerful skill you can have. When you know yourself well, it is easier to find where you need to grow, what your strong points are and how to use them to your advantage. When you get the relationships with yourself right, you get it right with others too. Self-awareness is created through reflection and introspection and it contributes towards your mental health. However, when you don’t have time to think about anything other than urgent and important at the given moment, this is often neglected. When you wake up before everyone else in the early hours of the morning, you have the perfect gift of time to reflect on yourself and do meditation and or Journaling, all of which make your mind peaceful. Starting your day with a peaceful mind allows you to approach challenges with a greater sense of clarity and calmness. To read my favourite meditation technic click here.
4. Health and Wellbeing
Waking up early gives you time to incorporate an exercise routine into the early hours of the day. This could be, yoga or getting out for a run or ideally 20 minutes of HIIT workout. Exercising first thing in the morning wakes your brain up, it also decreases cortisol levels and increases serotonin and dopamine. a decreased level of cortisol with an increase in dopamine and serotonin enhances your mood and brain function. The health benefit of exercise is also given, and you don’t need me to explain it.
5. Enhanced Time Management
By waking up early, you gain a valuable opportunity to plan and organize your day effectively. Setting priorities, creating to-do lists, and strategizing your tasks allow you to approach your day with purpose and efficiency. This proactive approach helps you navigate through your responsibilities, reducing stress and increasing your ability to meet deadlines. With better time management, you can achieve a greater work-life balance and ensure that you have ample time for both personal and professional pursuits.
5 Tips for Waking Up Early
Okay, now I believe, I have your attention and you are with me in waking up early. But you wonder how? Or you are thinking, I have tried and failed it many times. Keep reading, see 5 tips below.
1. Leave technology out of the bedroom.
I always had my phone on the bedside table. And what was the first thing I do when I woke up? Check my phone. So even if you are waking up reasonably early, you can waste your precious morning hours scrolling through social media. The key to waking up early for me is to leave my phone charging in the living room when I go to bed. Having your phone by your bed is a cue to check the phone as soon as you wake up for many, so eliminate it, remove it. Removing cues to undesirable habits is a way to break bad habits. Many of us have our alarms on our phones or in my case I had 5 alarms back to back. So finally when you turn off the last alarm you move on to scrolling through social media. That is why the next step is important.
2. Have a physical alarm clock
Remember these good old analogue alarm clocks? I had those during my school-college days. When you have a physical alarm clock you don’t need to rely on your phone alarm which will distract you from mindless scrolling through social media. By going to bed at a regular time and waking up to the soothing sound of a physical alarm clock, your body’s internal clock becomes synchronized, mGet aking it easier to wake up early naturally. Physical alarm clocks also come with no blue light exposure which is an added benefit compared to using your phone as an alarm.
3. Sit up to turn off the alarm
Get out of bed as soon as you hear your alarm goes off. Sit up to turn off your alarm rather than reaching out while still in bed. This is really important since when you try to turn off the alarm lying down, the reasoning starts in your brain., The goal here is not to give yourself time to think. Sit up, jump out of bed or do whatever is needed to get you out of bed. I would like to use the words of wisdom from the book 5 am Club by Robin Sharma ” It sounds obvious, but jump straight out of bed before your reasoning mind-the prefrontal cortex give you a bunch of excuses before why you should go back to sleep. It is at this very moment that, by getting out of bed, you build the early rising neural circuit in your brain through the power of neuroplasticity”
4. Reward yourself for waking up early
Having a reward when you are trying to build a habit encourages repetition. This could be anything having a piece of chocolate for lunchtime. An afternoon nap(not if you are at work lol!) 30 minutes of mindful use of social media or watching your favourite show in the evening. However, for me, the reward is having that extra time in the morning. I look forward to my peaceful morning, enjoying a cup of coffee without being interrupted by my husband or my 3.5-year-old. I almost always have a book to read in the morning, these days so those are my rewards motivating me to wake up early.
5. Repeat till the habit is formed.
The key to forming any habit is repetition, especially when you feel like giving up. Many new studies reveal it takes an average of 59-70 days for habit formation. The 5 am club book explains the habit installation protocol which is 66 days. first 22 days of the destruction of old habits, the next 22 days for the installation of new habits and the last 22 days for integration. Anyway, all of this means you can’t master it overnight, but only by steadfast, relentless practice of repetition.
I do wake up at 5 am most days and it has transformed my life. I feel calmer and more productive and I have time for some extra studies and hobbies like writing this blog. Waking up early is a lifestyle choice that empowers you to take control of your day and maximize your potential. By embracing the morning glow, you gain extra time for self-care, personal growth, and enhanced productivity. It allows you to establish a peaceful mindset, improve your physical and mental well-being, and make the most of each day. So, set your alarm clock a little earlier, and savour the beauty and tranquillity of the early hours. Wake up early and unlock the endless possibilities that await you each morning. If you would like to know anything more from me on this topic, leave a comment below and I will get back to you. Have a great day!
