So you want to learn how to start waking up early? Today, I'm sharing my six tried and true tips that you can take action on and learn how to wake up early and become a morning person!
Chances are that the people closest to me are laughing hysterically while reading the title of this post! Rightfully so. I have never been an early morning person and if I was ever up before 8 a.m. it was because I had to be.
Well, I decided to change all of that. I could feel myself stuck in an awful rut, staying up past midnight and then sleeping until the final minute before I knew that I absolutely had to get up and get ready. This made my mornings rushed and hectic. All the while feeling guilty that I didn't get a single thing done before I left for work.
So, how did this lifelong last minute sleeper turn her whole routine around? Here are six tried and true tips that helped to make it all happen!
How To Start Waking Up Early:
Preparation is Key
Like anything else in life, I found that preparation is the first and most important step throughout this whole process! When I first determined in my mind that I was going to commit to this lifestyle change, I actually wrote down what I wanted my new day to look like. This was a crucial step that helped me have foresight and picture exactly what I needed to change in order for this process to be successful. For me, that meant get to bed by 10pm. I will not lie to you all, this rarely happens as it is supposed to, but I am getting so much better! I have been trying to wind down and start my nightly routine around 9pm every night. I'm still a work in progress, but every day I get a little better!
Schedule a Workout Class
If you are extremely self disciplined and can force yourself to get up and workout on your own, I applaud you. Actually, I want to be you! For myself, I need accountability. I knew that in order to make this an actual lifestyle change and not just a one time deal, I needed to consistently wake up and get active every single day. So, I scheduled a 5:45am workout class almost every single work day for a month. Not only does this give me motivation to get out of bed, but I feel SO much more productive and confident in my day. If you work the 9-5 then you probably understand the struggle of getting home from work, making dinner, and wanting to crash for the night. I can't tell you the number of days that I didn't get a work out or any physical activity in because my mind was completely fried by the end of the day. This has been the biggest benefit of waking up early, by far!
Drink Water Before Bed
Sounds crazy right? I promise you, this is one of the tricks that makes me get out of bed in the morning! When your body is literally forcing you to get out of bed, you have to listen to it. As weird as this tip may be, I have this down to an exact science. I know that if I drink a big glass of water right before I lay down to go to sleep, my body will force me to get out of bed when my alarm goes off. At first I drank too much and woke myself up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, but now I know exactly how much to drink. Everyone's body is different so you may have to test it out and alter the amount for yourself on this one!
Place Your Alarm On The Other Side Of The Room
Not going to lie, this one is hard. It is literally the worst minute of my day when I have to get out from under my warm covers and turn my alarm off. But once I am up and out of the bed to turn it off, I am good to go. It might be hard, but it is definitely a key piece in forcing myself to get up.
Remind Yourself Of The Why
This one is so important for me. This may show my Type A side, but I keep a note in my planner that lists all of the benefits and reasons why I get up at 5:30am. I wish that I had kept track of how many times I read through this list over the last month because trust me, it was a lot! But every time that I remind myself why it gives me more motivation and drive to continue. Here are my reasons why:
- To prove to myself that I can.
- To increase my daily productivity.
- To get a workout in first thing every morning.
- To not feel rushed in the morning.
- To spend time with Michael in the mornings.
- To have a dedicated devotional time before I start my work day.
- To improve my overall health.
- To create a proactive attitude for my day.
- To treat myself on Fridays!
Treat Yourself
That's right, you just saw to treat myself on my list of reasons why! I give myself a treat if I successfully stay on track that week. It could be a trip to Lululemon, a movie night, or my ultimate weakness - Starbucks butter croissants! Treat yourself to whatever it is that you love and know will help put the cherry on top of a successful week!
You just set your alarm to wake up at 5:30 a.m. tomorrow morning didn't you?!
In all seriousness, it is just a few days away from being a full 6 months since starting and I didn't know how much I truly would appreciate this change until now. Do I have mornings where I hate myself for it, yes. Did I hit the snooze button and miss a workout class just last week, yes. Did I wear my undies inside out the very first day that I started this, unfortunately yes. Is it still hard, yes. Is it getting easier, yes. Is it worth it, most definitely!
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I hope this post was helpful in you're learning how to start waking up early! Be sure to leave an amazing review in the comments below or tag @bylaurencermak on social!
Thanks for this inspiration. I'm not a morning person either. I have job two days a week when I have to get up at 5am. I would love to get up 5am every morning to have a routine everyday instead of just those days. These ideas have been God sent