5 Steps To Waking Up Earlier
Anyone else still going through phase 9871790 of the quarantine where you stayed in bed until noon? It’s time to kick that habit’s booty and get into some good routines that will help us feel productive and happy. Especially as things start to open back up around the world and our real lives starts to resume.
Here are some tips for everyone wanting to be an early bird (especially me).
1. Establish a bedtime routine
You might be thinking, “I’m grown, I don’t need a bedtime routine.” First of all: yes you do! Second of all: bedtime routines are the best especially for adults.
Try using the “bedtime” feature on your phone (if you have an iPhone) and set a bedtime AND a time for your phone to go on “do not disturb” mode. It will happen automatically every day so you don’t have to think about it. Because we all know that if we had to manually go on do not disturb every night, we’d tell ourselves, “Just a few more minutes scrolling Instagram” and then your good habit is officially out the window.
Now that your phone is out of the picture, wind down with some activities that bring you joy. Maybe it’s journaling, maybe it’s reading, maybe it’s taking a bath. When your phone isn’t right up in your face moments before you try to fall asleep, you’ll be able to fall asleep faster and then waking up early won’t feel like the end of the world.
2. figure out an alarm clock system that works for you
Maybe you’re the type of person who needs to set a million alarms in order to wake up (raises both hands). Or maybe you’re the type of person who needs just one alarm because the safety net of the next alarm makes it too easy for you to rationalize snoozing the first one (this would be my husband and obviously he’s annoyed but my preference).
Learn what works best for you. If setting an alarm on your phone just leads to you sitting in bed for a few hours scrolling social media before actually getting out of bed, maybe get yourself an alarm clock so the first thing you do in the morning isn’t grabbing your phone. If you’re constantly pressing the snooze button no matter what, maybe make sure your alarm is unreachable from your bed. You’ll hate yourself in the moment, but you’ll forgive yourself once you’re out of bed and on with your day.
3. Establish a morning routine
Do you let your morning routine slide because you woke up too late? Do you not have a morning routine? Does your morning routine feel like a massive dreaded chore? It’s time to give your morning routine an upgrade so you’ll spring out of bed in excitement to practice these daily rituals.
Maybe you like starting your day with a calm walk around the neighborhood before the world has woken up fully. Or maybe you have been wanting to find a killer skincare routine. And there’s nothing quite like having a delicious breakfast to wake up to. If cooking first thing in the morning feels like a massive chore, get yourself some quick options or meal prep for the week ahead of time. Give yourself the time to make yourself a cup of coffee or tea.
Make your early morning hours something you cherish and look forward to.
4. be active during the day
Daily activity doesn’t have to be anything crazy. You could go for a walk if that’s what feels best for your body right now. Maybe you have busy days and don’t have time for anything but a quick 10-minute workout video on YouTube. That’s fine! It doesn’t have to be an intense workout to be worthwhile. Just as long as you get your body moving.
Not only will you get a good night’s sleep after being active during the day, that good night’s sleep will allow you to wake up earlier without feeling like a zombie.
5. keep at it
The key for all of this to work is consistency and grace! The more you learn what works for you and the more you get comfortable in the routine, the easier it will be to wake up earlier. Maybe have your bae or roomie or neighbor hold you accountable on some of the habits that are harder for you to maintain on your own. Maybe you need your bae to remind you to not snooze that alarm. Maybe you need to have a scheduled morning walk with your neighbor to help you get out of bed and get moving. Create realistic systems so that it doesn’t feel like a chore to wake up early.
Are you an early bird? What helps you to wake up earlier? Share on social media and tag me @tyalexander on Instagram and @lovetyalexander on Twitter.
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