Have you ever read any of those articles about the morning routines of successful people and their tips for having productive days? If you have then you’ll know that one of the tips is always to get up earlier in the morning.
And in theory it sounds perfect doesn’t it.
Getting up nice and early in the morning so you have some quiet time to yourself. Time to exercise or just have a coffee and plan your day before the children wake up and the school day chaos begins.
The thing is though, when your alarm goes off and it’s still not quite light outside it can be really hard to actually get yourself up and out of bed.
If you do want to try and get up earlier in the morning, here are some tips that might help.
Go to bed earlier
I know. It sounds really obvious, but getting to bed at a decent hour is key to being able to get up earlier in the morning.
Start a routine of getting everything ready for the next day, writing a to-do list so your mind is clear, and winding down in bed with a book instead of your phone.
This can help you fall asleep more easily, especially if you’re used to staying up late and need to adjust to an earlier bedtime.
Shift your wake up time gradually
Suddenly going from a 7am wake up time to 5am will be a huge shock to your system, and chances are you won’t be able to do it for more than a few days.
Instead try waking up 15 minutes earlier than normal for a few days. Once you’re used to that, move it another 15 minutes earlier, until you get to your target wake up time.
It might take a while to get to the time you really want to be up, but it’ll be more sustainable than suddenly trying to jump to a much earlier wake up time.
Don’t snooze your alarm
Fight the temptation to hit snooze and close your eyes for another 5 minutes.
Instead make a decision to open your eyes and get straight out of bed when the alarm goes off. If you struggle with this then try putting your alarm clock (or phone) on the other side of the room, so you have to get up to turn it off.
But if jumping straight out of bed is too jarring a way to start your day, try the 2 alarm set up instead. Have 1 alarm that goes off about 10 minutes before you need to get up, then another for your actual get up time.
Just make sure not to snooze either of them.
Use light to help
Exposure to light helps our circadian rhythms and regulates our sleep patterns.
So in the summer months try sleeping with curtains open so the natural light wakes you up. If you don’t want to disturb your partner then try and open the curtains as soon as you can once you’re downstairs to get some light in.
In the darker months, or if you’re trying not to wake your partner, then try a sunrise alarm clock on your side of the bed.
Be consistent with your sleep times
Don’t stay up late and sleep on the weekends.
Keep your new routine going as much as you can so your body adjusts and you always get the sleep you need.
Know why you’re doing it
If you don’t have a solid reason for getting up earlier, there’s a good chance you won’t end up sticking with it.
So think about why exactly you’re doing it.
Is it to have some peace and quiet before the day with your family starts?
Is it to exercise so that’s ticked off your list first thing?
Is it to be up with the children so you can all have a more relaxed start to the day instead of rushing off to school?
Whatever your reasons, keep them in mind on the mornings that you struggle and really feel like curling back up in bed.
