Much has been written about successful people starting their days early to be more productive and healthy. Those few extra hours are spent to get more work done, get in touch more with the self, and plan ahead of everyone. But how do you actually get into that habit of getting up early every day? Here are a few tips to get you started:

1. Go to bed with positive thoughts.

• One of the secrets to waking up feeling refreshed is to think happy thoughts before going to sleep. If you look forward to a good day before sleeping, you will wake up feeling energized to start early and conquer the day. As they say, your first thoughts in the morning often reflect the last thoughts before you sleep. ^[1]

2. Keep your phone away from your bedside.

• This is difficult in this day and age, but you will see that it is worth it. Before going to sleep, allow yourself to unplug and decongest. Avoid social media and stop working a few minutes before bedtime. This will help prevent stressors and help keep your peace before sleeping.

3. Don’t hit the snooze button.

• There are two types of people: those who get up once their alarms ring and those who hit the snooze button and linger on the bed a little bit longer. To develop a habit of waking up early, try to be one of the first type. Yes, the bed may feel very inviting and a few more minutes of sleep won’t hurt anyone but going back to sleep will make you feel lazy, and that’s not a good way to start your day.

4. Have a morning ritual.

• Meditating, journaling, or even cooking - these are some things that you can do in the morning that will help you reflect and plan the day. Develop a morning ritual that you enjoy will make you more excited to start the day early.

5. Wake up at the same time every day.

• Train your body clock. Develop a habit of getting up at the same time every day. This will definitely challenge your self-discipline, but once you get the hang of it, eventually, you won’t even need an alarm. ^[2]

6. Make your bed.

• When you are just starting on waking up earlier, it is inevitable to fall into your previous habit of climbing back to the bed and get a few more z’s before getting up for real. However, there is one simple trick on how to stay awake and avoid the temptation of sleeping again. And this is to make your bed. This way, you will think twice as getting back to sleep will also mean double effort on your part to make the bed again.

7. Start with a workout.

• What you do first thing in the morning will set the tone for the rest of the day. A quick workout will boost your endorphins.^[3] And what better way to start the day with happy hormones, right? Plus, working out in the morning increases your metabolism and energy, hence increasing your productivity throughout the day.

8. Eat a healthy breakfast.

• Make it a habit to prepare a quick and healthy breakfast to jumpstart your day. This is part of setting the mood for the day, a day that starts with good food will most likely be a good day.

9. Keep the same sleeping schedule on weekends

• Yes, it’s very tempting to sleep all day on weekends after a week of working hard. However, this may disrupt the sleeping schedule you are trying to develop. It’s best to wake up at the same time every day for an effective change of routine.^[4]

10. Have something to look forward to.

• It’s always easier to wake up early when you have something exciting to do. It can be as big as a birthday party or as small as a task you want so badly to finish. Before going to sleep, find motivation or a compelling reason to start the next day early. Having something to look forward to helps you “rise and shine” to a new day.

References:

1. https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/333297
2. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/morning-person_b_5502768
3. https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/324699
4. https://www.everydayhealth.com/sleep/insomnia/resetting-your-clock.aspx