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Abstract

the world gives you time that is free of distractions; thinking that you might want to start optimising the 24 hours that you have daily rather than spend time in snoozing in bed.</p><p id="8f6e">For me, waking up early was a deliberate change that I wanted to introduce into my life, initially for the reasons that well, “<i>successful people wake up early</i>”. But, later on I discovered that I quite enjoy the additional two or three hours I get a day. I tend to get most clarity in my mind in the mornings. Which is amazing especially because I think we spend too much of our lives at work.</p><p id="06d8">You may have your own reasons, but whatever the reason may be, have it clear in your mind.</p><h1 id="1ac4">Sleep enough.</h1><p id="0042">Obviously, waking up early isn’t quite going to work for you if you had only managed to get in that few hours of sleep.</p><p id="f489">Yet I’m often surprised by how many people tell me how it’s impossible to get up as early as I do (and hand to heart, I do not think that waking up at 7 a.m. is too much of a feat). When I ask them well what time do you go to bed then? More than half the time, their responses are that oh just about half past 1 in the morning (or the likes!).</p><p id="2543">Your body <b>needs</b> sleep.</p><p id="f278">Perhaps there are the few of us who can incredulously manage with barely any sleep — but I think it is safe to say that most of us need to clock in that 7 to 9 hours of sleep. So retire into bed early, sometimes this requires some discipline and saying ‘no’ to social activities (and this is why the previous point is so important!) or resisting watching the last two episodes on Netflix.</p><h1 id="4f74">Don’t hit the snooze button. (However tempting it may be!)</h1><p id="9e20">This is the hardest part every morning: when your alarm goes off.</p><p id="6236">Once you hear that cacophonous beeping in your ear, the next immediate thing you must do is to <b>jump straight out of bed</b>. Don’t let yourself hesitate for a second, and most definitely do not entertain the thoughts of “<i>oh just another minute…</i>”.</p><p id="0fe3">If you’re snoozing for onl

Options

y that additional five minutes, the truth is that that extra five minutes of sleep is hardly going to go a long way in making you feel any more rested. On the contrary, you would find it even harder to get up after that snooze. Chances are, you would hit that snooze button once if not twice over. In fact, it is less likely for you to feel like you need to catch the extra winks once you’ve got yourself out of bed.</p><h1 id="086f">Get your body moving.</h1><p id="afbb">Your body needs a physical jump start. A jolt so that you force your brain out of that morning drowsy daze. Even if you were making “snow angels” on your bed, I reckon you would feel less groggy than just laying flat on your bed contemplating whether you should get up right this minute.</p><p id="884a">Alternatively, this could mean a couple of push-ups, sit-ups, squats in your room. Or going outside for a short jaunt to get in some fresh air. It might even be heading off to your kitchen to do your washing up, or to throw in your laundry.</p><p id="8935">I switch things up between going for a walk outside (even if it just means a short five minutes walk) and doing some stretches that helps soften my stiffen morning body.</p><h1 id="43df">Stick to it for at least thirty days</h1><p id="fa2c">Consistency is key to creating any new habits. Find an accountability partner if you like, and send pictures that show the time you’ve woken up: do whatever you have to do to just show up.</p><p id="4a05">What would also be a timely reminder is to know that it is okay to have lapses, a day or two where you find it impossible to stick to waking up. Whether it’s because you had an unusually bad sleep that night, or that you were out late etc. Nothing is entirely foiled just because you haven’t stuck to it for the two days and you don’t want to beat yourself over this.</p><p id="27c2">All you need to do is a quick reset, and start all over again.</p><p id="a79d">P.S All of the tips above have been a little bit of a trial and error on my part — what works for me might well not work for you so am keen to hear your comments. Feel free to give me a shout!</p></article></body>

How I Made Waking Up Early A Habit: 5 Easy Tips to Get Out of Bed

I even threw in a Stoic quote for an extra persuasion factor!

I’ve just been reading this article by Michael Thompson (one of my favourite writers on Medium!) on topics to write not least because whilst writing is something that I am keen to dive further into: there is this idea of an “imposter syndrome” and me second-guessing whether I am in any position to give any sort of advice / or tips.

So back to the point on this article, Michael Thompson very helpfully suggested that the topics that I could write about can be gleaned from what I am often ask for advice on: the most common one is how I wake up at 7 a.m. everyday and keep to my strict routine of going to bed not later than 12 a.m.

Know why you’re waking up.

One of my favourite Stoic quotes from Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations is:

“At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself: “I have to go to work — as a human being. What do I have to complain of, if I’m going to do what I was born for — the things I was brought into the world to do? Or is this what I was created for? To huddle under the blankets and stay warm.”

One of the first things you should ask yourself is why, what or who are you doing this for?

There could be a myriad of reasons including: wanting to set aside uninterrupted time for yourself because getting up early before the world gives you time that is free of distractions; thinking that you might want to start optimising the 24 hours that you have daily rather than spend time in snoozing in bed.

For me, waking up early was a deliberate change that I wanted to introduce into my life, initially for the reasons that well, “successful people wake up early”. But, later on I discovered that I quite enjoy the additional two or three hours I get a day. I tend to get most clarity in my mind in the mornings. Which is amazing especially because I think we spend too much of our lives at work.

You may have your own reasons, but whatever the reason may be, have it clear in your mind.

Sleep enough.

Obviously, waking up early isn’t quite going to work for you if you had only managed to get in that few hours of sleep.

Yet I’m often surprised by how many people tell me how it’s impossible to get up as early as I do (and hand to heart, I do not think that waking up at 7 a.m. is too much of a feat). When I ask them well what time do you go to bed then? More than half the time, their responses are that oh just about half past 1 in the morning (or the likes!).

Your body needs sleep.

Perhaps there are the few of us who can incredulously manage with barely any sleep — but I think it is safe to say that most of us need to clock in that 7 to 9 hours of sleep. So retire into bed early, sometimes this requires some discipline and saying ‘no’ to social activities (and this is why the previous point is so important!) or resisting watching the last two episodes on Netflix.

Don’t hit the snooze button. (However tempting it may be!)

This is the hardest part every morning: when your alarm goes off.

Once you hear that cacophonous beeping in your ear, the next immediate thing you must do is to jump straight out of bed. Don’t let yourself hesitate for a second, and most definitely do not entertain the thoughts of “oh just another minute…”.

If you’re snoozing for only that additional five minutes, the truth is that that extra five minutes of sleep is hardly going to go a long way in making you feel any more rested. On the contrary, you would find it even harder to get up after that snooze. Chances are, you would hit that snooze button once if not twice over. In fact, it is less likely for you to feel like you need to catch the extra winks once you’ve got yourself out of bed.

Get your body moving.

Your body needs a physical jump start. A jolt so that you force your brain out of that morning drowsy daze. Even if you were making “snow angels” on your bed, I reckon you would feel less groggy than just laying flat on your bed contemplating whether you should get up right this minute.

Alternatively, this could mean a couple of push-ups, sit-ups, squats in your room. Or going outside for a short jaunt to get in some fresh air. It might even be heading off to your kitchen to do your washing up, or to throw in your laundry.

I switch things up between going for a walk outside (even if it just means a short five minutes walk) and doing some stretches that helps soften my stiffen morning body.

Stick to it for at least thirty days

Consistency is key to creating any new habits. Find an accountability partner if you like, and send pictures that show the time you’ve woken up: do whatever you have to do to just show up.

What would also be a timely reminder is to know that it is okay to have lapses, a day or two where you find it impossible to stick to waking up. Whether it’s because you had an unusually bad sleep that night, or that you were out late etc. Nothing is entirely foiled just because you haven’t stuck to it for the two days and you don’t want to beat yourself over this.

All you need to do is a quick reset, and start all over again.

P.S All of the tips above have been a little bit of a trial and error on my part — what works for me might well not work for you so am keen to hear your comments. Feel free to give me a shout!