I used to be a night owl, so switching to becoming an early riser has been a bit of a process, but surely one of the best things ever. Feeling better physically and mentally are just some of the benefits of getting up early, so here I will list some of the positives it has given me.
Get a head start. I used to always be in a rush in the mornings, everything would be exactly like clock work, with no time to spare. So if the toast was burnt, there would be no time to putting another one in. And even on the days where I didn’t need to be somewhere at a certain time, I would still be stressed and upset, feeling that the entire day was gone before I was even out of bed. So get up early and get a head start. You’ll feel so much more motivated, and have time to properly plan the day, and maybe fit in a walk or other exercise.
Depending on your work arrangements (unless you work from home), you may also be able to start and finish early, so the afternoon is free to do other things. By doing this the day feels so much longer. If your hours are fixed, you’ll still enjoy the benefit of the free time you have when you come home, as everything has already been done before you left for work in the morning.
Breakfast. By getting up early, there will actually be time for breakfast. Not just a quick bagel, but a nice healthy fresh breakfast or maybe even a freshly squeezed Juice or smoothie.
Exercise. Exercising in the morning is a great way to start the day. If fitness is not a morning thing for you, get some other of your goals done, so you have time to exercise later that day.
Be productive. Mornings have the least amount of distractions and are for many people the most productive part of the day. So focus on getting as much done as possible, so time is freed up, and you can focus on the things you truly enjoy. Basically take advantage of the extra hours you have gained.
Sunrise. Everything is quiet and calm in the mornings. Enjoy the peacefulness of the early mornings and watch the beautiful sunrise.
Avoid traffic (or at least partly if you live in a city). Leave early and avoid bad traffic. You’ll get there much faster, have time to plan and you’ll avoid stress of being late for appointments etc.
How to get up early
Becoming an early riser isn’t an easy task, so don’t expect to comfortably make the switch in a couple of days.
- Start out by going to bed earlier. Instead of watching tv or surfing the net go to bed. You may not initially be tired, but go to bed anyway and read a book. Set the alarm clock 30 mins earlier than usual, and do this for a few days. Then increase it to 45 mins, and over time increase it to the exact time you want to get up (e.g. 5 am). If you have been up since early morning you’ll naturally be tired in the evening, and things will slowly start to match up.
- Alarm clock: Don’t allow yourself to press snooze, so place the alarm clock as far away from the bed as possible. Get out of the bed room straight away, so you don’t get tempted to hop back into bed.
- Have a plan: Have a good reason to get up and start the day doing something enjoyable. Always have a plan so you know what to do the next day. This will work as a great incentive to get up, and take advantage of the extra hours.
I’m sure there are lots of other benefits of waking up early, but these were just a few things which currently makes me happy. Enjoy the sunrise
