Look, before we dive into the tips, let’s start by saying this — you don’t have to wake up early. You’re not destined for failure if you wake up early. We’re not going to look down on you if you don’t wake up early.
That being said, the benefits of waking up early can’t be overstated as long as you do it for the right reasons. A consistent increase in daily productivity when you wake up early and begin your day with focused, clear intentions, you are more likely to actually achieve those goals throughout the day. Think about those days when you let yourself sleep in and wake up late, in a fog, and feel as though you’re trying to catch up, or floundering, throughout the entire day. It’s enough to derail pretty much anything you planned to do. If you begin your day with a set, purposeful plan, chances are you’ll end it that way, too.
Here are some of the benefits from waking up early
A more positive outlook
Generally, if you are a night owl, then having to deal with morning people generally annoy you to no end. Their perky, chattering, occasionally singing selves need to understand that morning should be a time of quiet- in order for you to fully wake yourself up. But it might be worth thinking about how it is that morning people manage to be so chipper all the time. Since people who rise earlier often get to bed earlier, they are more likely to have received the seven to nine hours of sleep suggested for an adult’s night’s sleep. Since sleeping the full amount of what is needed to a healthier body and mind, it makes sense that their morning positivity is directly related to their rest.
Improved mental clarity, better focus & creativity
It’s a no brainer. Wake up earlier, and you get a jump start on tackling everything you have to do that day. Assuming you are alone for a few moments in the morning, you’ll have the opportunity to hone in on what your goals are for the day. Distractions are only there if you allow them to, so when you wake up, hold off on turning on the TV, listening to music, or immediately hopping onto your email, explains Sanders. For many people, their best work is done earlier in the day. When your brain is tired, and you try to knock out a bunch of tasks at night, you’re typically fighting against a mental fog and won’t see much success, anyway, which is not only going to make you feel even worse, but your work is probably going to suffer for it too.
A sexier healthy body
If you focus on health and fitness in the morning, you could be seeing massive benefits and cut your early evening fatigue out of the equation. Not to mention it is also super healthy for you! It burns more calories and continues to do so at a higher rate after you have finished, plus it helps you sleep better at night. Not only that, but exercise releases endorphins too, which are a feel good hormone, making sure that you start your day out in a good mood as well.
Perfect for quite time
Begin your day with a quiet meditation, yoga practice, or simply take the time to just be. There are very few times more peaceful than a few hours in the morning. Whether you’re up to watch the sunrise or you want to enjoy the sound of birds around you before the rest of the world wakes up and starts making noise, there are few things better than the peace of first thing in the morning. Not only does this give you a break from the noise and stress of the day, but it makes you far readier to deal with it too. Allowing yourself the early morning hours to mentally and physically prepare for the day will help you focus, and you’ll be happy you’re not being rushed out the door.
Early risers are more motivated
Early to bed, early to rise makes a man or women healthy, wealthy wise and much more. And the saying holds true for some of the most successful people around the world. Rising early gets the day rolling with clarity, helping these successful to finish out tasks much before the world has even risen.
If you start rising early, you’ll be joining the ranks of power players such as Howard Shultz, CEO of Starbucks, Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, Anna Wintour, E-I-C at Vogue, and Tim Cook, CEO of Apple.
You're more likely to have good habits
Starting your day earlier can help you conquer those goals you dream of accomplishing or even developing good habits, just think how all the extra time each morning can help? Whether that’s having more time to put together a healthy meal, or enjoying that cup of coffee with no interruptions! Having more time on your hands will help reduce those rushed decisions and bring a new clarity in your life!
More family time
When you aren’t focused each night on everything you didn’t get done during the day, or how to best fit in a quick workout, you can better enjoy the time you have with your family before bedtimes. You might still be tired from your day’s work, but mentally you can unwind surrounded by those you love in a relaxed setting. Some unseen early morning habits can also include uninterrupted quiet time with your significant other. Morning sex has been linked to a variety of health benefits as well, and you should take advantage of them!
Benefit spiritually
If you are religious, you may find it easier to pray and read holy literature during the early morning peace. It’s easier to withdraw from the noise and distractions. There’s no need to scroll through your social media feed. Your friends probably aren’t up yet anyway. And instead, focus yourself entirely into your prayers. If you’re not religious, you can still do some introspective thinking. This is extremely helpful for self-care and self-improvement.
Less traffic / easier commutes
If you live in a city, your commutes are most likely going to be much shorter and less stressfull.
How to wake up earlier
So we know the benefits that come with waking up earlier, but where do you make the change? The toughest part to begin to make the change to wake up earlier is the first step! So we’ve put together a few tips to get you started.
Get enough sleep
Adequate sleep is the most important part of the equation, both in terms of your ability to get up when your alarm goes off as well as its effect on your overall energy levels and cognitive abilities. If every inch of your body is begging you to go back to sleep, then that’s probably a good sign that you needed more sleep than you got.
Give yourself a compelling reason to wake up
If you think back, you can probably remember a time in your life when you were extra super motivated to get out of bed. It could have been for a good reason, like getting up to open presents on your birthday or for a bad one, like realizing you’re late for a test. The point is that when there’s something sufficiently motivating thrown into the mix, getting up early is a heck of a lot easier. That’s why you need to establish a compelling reason to wake up in the morning – something that gets you excited.
Builld a automatic wake up response
Condition yourself to wake up and get out of bed as your alarm goes off will go a long way toward helping you build that consistent wake-up habit. The reason that this works so well is because it gets you out of the soft, warm confines of the bed right away, which makes your sleepy brain’s inevitable excuses for going back to sleep far, far less tempting.
Bolster your efforts with tools and help from other people
This last step is simple but seriously effective. Whether you get a gym partner to meet you at the gym in the morning, join an online peloton class at a specific time, or maybe do yoga in the morning with your significant other. Making your early start a less solitary experience can not only keep you motivated to wake up but give you a real reason to get up as well!
