Have you ever set your morning alarm incorrectly? For example, 7 pm instead of 7 am. Maybe you accidentally pressed stop, instead of snooze when it was going off. Or maybe your alarm simply didn’t go off?
Eventually, your subconscious starts nudging you through your sleep, “Alright, my friend, you have been asleep way too long…”. You agree, and suddenly you wake in an absolute panic.
You have 15 minutes to properly wake up, get ready for the day, and be out the door.
I know you’ve been there. We all have. I think we can agree, it is a horrible feeling, and makes for a nightmare of a morning. Anytime this has happened to me, I’ve had a really bad day.
The world has risen before me, and I am reactive to anything that happens during the day. Like the day owns me, instead of me owning it.
The reality is, some people start their day like this, every day! Maybe those people are night-owls, and aren’t fussed on starting the day any other way. But if you’re looking for some ideas on how to get out of this routine, stick with me.
There is an abundance of literature out there that supports early rising for productivity, mental clarity, and general efficiency. So, rather than rehash that, I want to talk about three simple tips, that can help you win your morning, to win your day, every day.
#1 – Prepare for a Successful Morning
What is the very first thing that you’d like to do in the morning?
For me, it’s exercise. If I don’t get exercise in first thing in the morning, it’s not happening. So, every evening, I prepare my workout clothes, gym bag, pre-workout, and whatever else I may need the next morning.
When 5:30 am rolls around, I can sleepily (and sometimes grumpily, if I’m honest) roll out of bed, and get dressed before sleepy me can argue.
#2 – Plan your Mornings for the Week
What’s your why? Aside from aiming for a more productive day, why do you want to start your day earlier?
It might be that you want to start a new exercise regime, or it’s the only time you’ll find to meditate each day. You might want to work on your side-hustle, before going to your 9-5 job.
On Sunday night, write yourself a schedule for the week. It doesn’t need to be the same every single morning. Switch it up a bit.
For example, I set my workouts for certain days, but allow at least two days a week for whatever I feel like the night before. It could be a swim, a coffee with a friend, or an extra work out if I’m up to it.
It’s okay to have a little flexibility to your mornings, as long as you commit to getting up and winning that morning, every day.
#3 – Make Sleep a Priority
You can’t expect to be up by 6 am, and winning your morning, if you didn’t get to bed until 1 am… it’s just not going to work.
At first, it may be hard to get used to going to bed by 9:30 pm, but you will get used to it. And, once waking up earlier becomes easier for you, you will find falling asleep earlier comes naturally.
I find limiting my caffeine after 2 pm, and switching my phone to Do Not Disturb by 9 pm, helps me to wind down nicely for a decent nights sleep.
Rising early is not for everyone, and your idea of early, can be different from someone else’s. The mindset behind this post, is to encourage you to think about how you can take control of your day.
These simple steps have helped me start each day with a positive mindset, and great mental clarity, to make sure that I own each day, rather than it owning me. Are you ready to start winning the morning, to win the day?