Among the top benefits of waking up early are having enough time to complete your daily tasks, reducing stress, and setting aside time for morning exercise, which boosts your metabolism and gives you energy for the rest of the day. When you wake up early, you get enough time for yourself and others. But you have to be committed and mentally prepared to see results.
Facts About Waking Up Early
Waking up early has been a well-kept secret of successful people for decades. Athletes, CEOs, leaders, and fitness fanatics around the globe rise early to get the most out of their day, and you should begin to do the same. Militaries are famed for the early start times to gain more working time from each day.
Getting the upper hand on your day can make a huge difference in your life. Many sayings have been generated throughout history relating to waking up early; “Winning the morning is winning the day” and “The early bird catches the worm” are two of the most common. There is something to getting up early!
Waking up early gives you more time and can make the stressful, busy mornings a thing of the past. Get yourself and your younger ones ready. Being the first up will give you the head start you need to get organized and a small amount of time for yourself.
Increase Your Organization
The more time you give yourself to plan or do specific tasks, the more organized you’ll be, and for most of us, finding the time is tricky. We have commitments each day and feel like time slips away from us quicker than we would like. Getting up early will allow you to become organized and put you in the driving seat.
Being organized does not mean you need a detailed plan, leading to another calendar. It can be simple actions such as waking up at a set time or preparing meals for the next day’s meals. Most people are reactive when managing their day. Rather than planning, they tackle things as they come.
The 5 am Club
Robin Sharma discusses how vital the morning can be in “The 5am Club,” which requires no membership fees or sign-up forms, is completely free, and gives you access to the famed “Golden Hour.” The philosophy is, “If time is money and health is wealth,” what would you do? It’s hard to imagine rising from the warmth of your bed to participate in the “Golden Hour” when you’re fully locked into your routines. The real treasure within the “Golden Hour” is what it gives you in return, time.
He describes how it gives you time to plan, exercise, reflect, learn, time for yourself, and time for others; the list is endless. Having a spare hour each day will improve the quality of your life. Robin Sharma describes the benefits of waking up at 5 am and how a positive morning routine can make significant differences in your life.
Reduce Stress
So, what are the mental benefits of waking up early? We all experience stress in different ways and to different extremes. Stress is a bi-product of human life. If you feel constantly stressed due to work commitments or family issues, waking up early can help.
Giving yourself time to reflect on past events, focusing on the moment or planning each morning will make you feel more in control and, in turn, reduce stress. Start by waking up 10 to 15 minutes earlier than normal each day, and slowly increase this time month by month until you’re waking a full hour earlier than usual.
Morning Exercise
Exercising in the morning is one of the best ways to energize you for the rest of the day and is vital for your physical and mental health. Not all of us have the luxury of working out every day, but we can find time to make a change.
How to Get Up Early
Ok. You’re ready to start getting up early but fall short at the sound of your alarm clock every morning. Here are a few tips to help you create your new morning routine:
1) Be sensible. Setting achievable wake-up times at first is vital; your body needs time to adjust just like it would if you travel to a different time zone. Start small, 5 to 10 minutes earlier each week (not per day), and give yourself a fighting chance!
2) You must move away from your bed. Staying in your comfy warm bed will not allow your body to begin its internal wake-up procedures. Standing up and moving to another room will be difficult at first but will help you adjust quicker.
3) An old classic technique. Move your alarm clock out of your arm’s reach. Deliberately moving the alarm clock to the other side of your room may work.
4) Ask a friend for help. Find a family member or friend to join you on your get-up early mission. You can hold each other accountable and call each other to check up.
5) While energy drinks and coffee may provide the extra boost you need, consuming excessive caffeine and sugar before bed might make falling and staying asleep more difficult. Limiting sugary drinks and coffee consumption can have positive results on sleeping habits. Switch to water or tea to keep your body hydrated.
6) Leave your curtains or blinds slightly open. This allows sunlight to filter in and can help you wake naturally. It’s a good technique on sunny days.
7) Before going to bed, turn off your phone’s ringer or set it to “do not disturb.” Notifications might wake you up in the middle of the night and encourage you to check your phone, causing your sleep pattern to be disrupted. That text message will still be there when you wake up, so disconnect entirely before bed.
Final Thoughts
To reap the benefits of waking up early in the morning, you must be committed, organized, and have the willpower to program your mind. It’s not hard. Just implement the changes one at a time.
