Okay, you may be thinking I am crazy, but I swear, it is possible! You can wake up at 5am and actually enjoy it! I’ve been waking up at 5am for quite some time now and while I don’t always enjoy the actual waking up and getting out of my bed part, I love the benefits of waking up early. I get a lot of things done in the morning that I probably wouldn’t get done otherwise.
I want to start off by saying that waking up early isn’t for everyone! I really think that different people have different rhythms and that is fine! I know everyone says that CEOs wake up early and whatever, but I do think you need to do what’s best for you! Which might not be the same as a CEO and that is completely fine.
The next thing I want to discuss before we dive in is your tendency. Gretchen Rubin has four categories of tendencies that we all fall in – you can take the quiz here. I really think this can help you know exactly what motivates you and how to harness that knowledge.
Why wake up early
If you’re reading this, you probably don’t need me to convince you to wake up early. But in case you do, here’s a few. First of all, it’s uninterrupted time. If you have kids or roommates or a live-in partner, it might be hard to find some time to yourself. And 5am, is probably the time. No one to interrupt you, no one to bother you. Along with this, you’ll feel so accomplished when you wake up early. You’ll be able to exercise or write or work on your blog, whatever. Lastly, whatever your morning brings, you’ll have time to meet it. One of my favorite things about waking up early is that I am not rushed. This is the time to be intentional and take your time.
Tip #1: Set your alarm clock across the room
This has probably been the biggest game changer for me. Before I did this, I was the queen of snooze. Snooze is not your friend people. By putting my alarm clock across the room, I physically have to get up and get out of bed to turn it off. This was a big game charger for me. When I lived in a small apartment I actually put my alarm in a different room to wake up.
Tip #2: Drink a lot of water before bed
My second tip builds on my first one for me. Once I am actually out of bed, I go straight to the bathroom. This is another way to get you out of bed – which I really think is the hardest part! Once you’re out of bed and into the bathroom, you might as well keep going. Keep a bottle of water on your nightstand to drink when you get thirsty during the night and you’ll be ready to get out of bed when you’re alarm goes off!
Tip #3: Get a dog
Okay, don’t get a dog if you’re not going to take care of it or if you don’t have the time. BUT if you were thinking about getting a dog anyway, this might be a perfect time to also integrate an early morning routine. Once my alarm goes off and/or I start tossing and turning, my dog is ready to wake up and go outside. This might not be everyone’s case, but this is definitely a help for me. Many mornings my dog has nudged me out of bed so she can get outside and get some breakfast.
Tip #4: Exercise in the Morning
This is probably my favorite one. I love working out in the morning! Mostly because then I’m done. I don’t have to think about it any longer. It helps get your blood pumping and I think helps me sleep better at night. I’ve been running in the morning and recently integrated Blogilates workouts back into my morning routine.
Tip #5: Go to bed Early
This one is always on the list and I know, it’s boring! But it’s true! If you want to wake up earlier, you have to go to sleep earlier. It’s that simple, yet that hard. Start with trying to go to sleep 15 or 30 minutes earlier, while setting your alarm 15-30 minutes earlier as well. Take things slow and you will succeed!
Don’t think things will change overnight, it will take time and that’s okay! I wake up at 5am and love it, but it’s not for everyone! Maybe you want to wake up at 6:30am or 4:30am or 8am, do what’s best for YOU. You know your body best, work with it and not against it. I have faith in you that what you want will come with patience and grace.
Much love,
Justina