5 Ways Waking Up Earlier Will Change Your Life

By Nicole Tinkham

I hear the excuses all the time. You’re simply not a morning person and I get that. Guess what? Most of us aren’t. Even the ones who are morning people now most likely weren’t always that way. I know I wasn’t until I discovered the major benefits to waking up early and getting things done. Now there’s no way I could ever go back to sleeping in. I understand that it’s not for everyone but I want you to give it a try for 30 days just to see how you like it. Trust me when I say it will be totally worth it. You may be wondering “but why??”. I have the answer to that! Read on for 5 ways waking up earlier will change your life.

1.    It helps you be more productive

First of all, rising early can add HOURS onto your day in which you can get so much done. Aside from that, getting an early start and focusing on yourself gets your mind right so you’re ready to take on the day. I find this to be true in my personal life. During the week I wake up early and I’m able to get more done than on the weekends when I sleep in a little. Even waking up an hour later on Sundays will put me in a lazy mood and it’s difficult to get going.

One thing I want to mention before we move on is once you get into the early morning habit, do it every single day even on the weekends. This is something I recently changed in my routine and it helps when Monday morning rolls around and you’re already used to the early morning alarm.

2.    It’s better for your health

Of course this all depends on how you spend your morning time but I’ve found that as people begin to wake up earlier they also start making healthier choices. This allows more time to get in some exercise and a nice breakfast. Another thing I recommend is drinking a glass of water as soon as you wake up. It will help you feel refreshed. If all of these habits are too much to change at once, just start with the habit of waking up earlier and you can always work on your healthy habits later on.

3.    It relieves your stress

There are two ways waking up early can relieve your stress. First of all, you won’t be rushing around running late for whatever it is you have to wake up for. Secondly, many people practice meditation, prayer, yoga, reflecting or journaling in their morning hours which also helps reduce stress. I really enjoy reading my book with a nice cup of coffee before getting ready for the day.

4.    It helps you get in touch with yourself

When you practice the things mentioned in point #3 (journaling, reflecting, etc.) you’re working on yourself. You’re discovering who you are and what you want to do with your life. Why are these things great to do first thing in the morning? Because most other people are still sleeping and everything seems to be super quiet and peaceful so you can really focus and get in touch with yourself.

5.    It helps you sleep better at night

Think you can’t possibly wake up any earlier simply because you’ll be too tired throughout the day? Think again! Waking up earlier has actually helped me sleep better. It regulates my sleep pattern so I naturally wake up at the same time every morning without feeling groggy. Read more about the shocking dangers of hitting snooze

I’ll admit, waking up an hour or even a half hour earlier is a drastic change. That’s why I always recommend baby steps. Wake up just 10 minutes early and do something that you truly enjoy. Once you’re comfortable with that, increase the time. Every little bit makes a difference!

I’ve talked a lot about why you should wake up early and how doing so can change your life in so many ways. By now you’re probably wondering how to become a morning person. Here are some quick tips.

•    Wake up just a little earlier at a time and work your way up
•    Focus on yourself and things you enjoy doing in the morning
•    Drink a full glass of water when you wake up
•    Brush your teeth right when waking up
•    Jump in the shower first thing
•    Enjoy some morning exercise
•    Place your alarm clock at the other side of the room and don’t hit snooze!
•    Eliminate screen time before bed to help you fall asleep quicker
•    Stick it out for 30 days to get into a routine of doing it

Many people I hear from, artists in particular, say they just work better at night. I completely understand that and agree that you should get the important tasks done when you’re most alert and creative. However, I was also like that and I’ve seen an incredible change when I started waking up earlier to get things done. It feels good to start the day with a clear mind and vision of what you want to accomplish for the day. You don’t have to become a morning person forever but I want you to consider these 5 ways waking up earlier can change your life and take on the 30 day challenge. Can you wake up just a little earlier every day for a month? Comment below if you plan to give it a try and let us know how it goes!

How to act like a morning person even if you aren’t one

By Nicole Tinkham

If you haven’t noticed by now, there are two types of people in the office; the early birds and the morning zombies. The first group is full of people with energy pouring out of every inch of their being. They sometimes skip around the office and are always ready to start a conversation first thing. Then there are the zombies; the ones dragging their feet into work, serious expression on their face, and so not in the mood to talk until they’ve had their 5th cup of coffee. We have the feeling you know all too well the differences between the two personality types. Which category would you fall into? If you’re the zombie-like worker, there’s nothing wrong with that. Everyone has their peaks at different times of the day. But if it drives you nuts seeing the rest of the office in a cheerful mood when it’s just way too early, we’ve put together a few things you can do to act like a morning person even when you aren’t one.

1.    Be prepared
We understand that you’re not all there upon first waking up, but there are some things you can do to prepare yourself for the day that don’t require much effort on your part. Quickly check the news and weather forecast. You’ll be informed of any breaking news and you’ll know whether or not to grab an umbrella on your way out. Also read over your to do list so you know what’s on your agenda when you get into the office. Surprises first thing are never fun!

2.    Get ready the night before
We don’t expect you to sleep in your office attire, but you can lay out your clothes the night before. This allows you to just roll out of bed and throw it on without having to think. You can also prepare your lunch the night before and set your keys and anything else you need to take with you conveniently by the door. While you’re at it, set the timer on your coffee pot to start brewing automatically when you awake and have an easy breakfast ready that you can grab on the go. You’re basically setting yourself up so you have no thinking to do in the morning whatsoever!

3.    Reward yourself
If the only thing you have to look forward to is heading to work, there’s no wonder it’s so difficult to get out of that comfy bed. Reward yourself for getting up by doing something you enjoy but rarely have time for. Maybe it’s reading a book, watching TV, or playing games on your phone. Whatever it is, it has to be good in order to get your butt out of bed!

4.    Get into a routine
A nightly routine is just as important as a morning one when it comes to getting your act together in the AM. You’ll most likely have to train yourself to fall asleep earlier to feel refreshed in the morning. Practice shutting off all electronics at least 15 minutes before you plan to fall asleep, avoid caffeine late in the afternoon, and turn off your brain as it gets closer to bedtime. Aim to reach 7 hours of sleep per night as most people consider this the perfect amount of sleep to feel refreshed. As for your morning routine, we recommend waking up at the same time every single day- even on the weekends if possible!

5.     Wake up peacefully
Wouldn’t it be magical to wake up to the sunrise every morning? Unfortunately, most of us are expected to be up way before the sun rises. The thing about alarm clocks is they tend to wake you at the worst possible time in your sleep cycle which can leave you feeling groggy. To start waking up refreshed, we recommend getting an app (Sleep Cycle is one) or other device that is able to measure your sleep cycle. This type of alarm clock will wait until you’re out of that deep sleep before going off.

Now that you have some great tips, try practicing them to become a morning person for real. That’s a scary thought, isn’t it? There are some people who believe a component of success is rising early but others believe it doesn’t make a difference. We’re not sure which is accurate but we’d like to hear from you! Are you more productive in the morning? Do you tend to make more life changes at this time? Let us know in the comments!