Waking up early doesn't sound appealing, especially for those who love to sleep in and lay in bed. But, here's a list of reasons you might want to think about waking up early-even if it is just a few days a week.
1 Focus on Today
It can be very overwhelming when we start to think about all we have to do tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that...it's pretty exhausting and causes us to feel incredibly stressed with our own lives. Stop this pattern of thinking by only focusing on today. If you need help doing this, buy a diary which has the days and dates already included and write down those same ideas in the space for today.
Frequently asked questions
2 Have Specific Goals
Make sure you have specific goals for each day and that are they are reasonably small, achievable and realistic. This could be anything from 'I'm going to clean my entire room today and get all the clutter out' to 'I'm going to get the groceries today so that I don't have to do it later on in the week'. Remember, these goals need to get you out of bed, so don't make a goal like 'I'm going to stay on my laptop all day and watch movies' because that will give you an excuse to stay in bed (and defeats the whole purpose, really).
3 Keep Your Dreams Close
Write all your big dreams, hopes and aspirations on a big board and have it close to your bed, so that it's the first thing you see when you wake up. This will remind you that your dreams are not going to come to you...but you have to go to them. Nothing is given to us for free in life because we have to learn to make things happen for ourselves so we can feel successful and proud when it does.
4 Plan Something Exciting
Plan an exciting aspect for each and every day. It doesn't have to be anything expensive or extravagant. Instead, think of something small which excites you that you will look forward to doing during the day. If you love baking, your exciting aspect could be that you're going to make a yummy batch of chocolate brownies or berry and banana muffins!
5 Win Mental Battles
Sometimes we have that inner voice which tells us we should stay in bed today because there's no point getting up. Don't listen to this for one second! It's nothing but a defeatist voice that is the master at making us feel down about ourselves and like we should just stop now and give up. Win your mental battle by fighting back, and fight back by proving it wrong. By not doing anything or going anywhere you are playing into that voice's hands (that's if a voice can have hands...) and letting it win. You're better and stronger than this!
6 You Can Squeeze More into the Day
Getting up early can be tricky for those who like to sleep late, but once you get yourself into the habit of getting up earlier than usual, you'll soon realise how much more you can squeeze into your day! Set your alarm for the same early time each morning so that you can be consist and make it into a daily routine.
7 Quietude
What is quietude? It's that time of day moms talk about-when no kids are awake, no sporting events need to be attended, no cartoons. It's the time of day to enjoy coffee, reflect, read, or breathe. It's the calm before the storm and it's so very important for your mental health.
8 Breakfast
The most important meal of the day--and the most overlooked by those who don't wake up early enough to have it. Breakfast will give you the energy to make it through the day full speed ahead.
9 Commute
No one likes rush hour. Waking up early gives you the time to get ready and be out the door before traffic begins. This actually saves you time and money from not wasting gas sitting in rush hour.
10 Appointments
It's much easier to make the early appointments if you're already up early. Thus, starting your day and not needing to leave work and lose money to go to an afternoon appointment.
Remember that you're the only one responsible for making good decisions for yourself, so what are you waiting for?!
