The first time I woke up early, I felt like crying at the sound of my alarm clock. The incessant noise drilling its way into my ears literally brought tears to my bleary eyes, but I forced myself out of bed and took a quick, warm shower. The rest of the day was a blur—sleeping around 1:00 am, wasn’t the brightest of ideas. As I kept going, waking early got a bit easier, more routine, and by the time noon arrived, I felt fresher and happier than I ever did before.

So the question remains, how can you do it?

Here are 10 quick tips to follow:

1. Do something enjoyable right when you wake up. ¹

By doing something you enjoy in the morning (meditating, reading, listening to music, etc.), you can wipe away the feeling of sleep deprivation. By concentrating on what you enjoy, your productivity level will increase and you can be rid of any morning anxiety.

2. Keep your hands off the snooze button! ⁶

Procrastinating in the morning won’t help, and condemning yourself to wake up more than once is just cruel.

3. Make a “To Do” list the night before and read it in the morning.⁶

By creating a list of things to do the night before, you are goal-setting and motivating yourself to get a head start during the day. The list may also lessen stress and anxiety, as you will have organized your day and will know what you have to do accordingly.

4. Eat a good breakfast.²

“A hearty breakfast in the morn, keeps your health in the norm.” By eating a healthy breakfast, you are energizing yourself for the day. Your productivity level and health will benefit, not just during the morning but also for life, if you keep your new habit up.

5. Set an alarm for waking up and sleeping.³

Having a set bedtime and waking time will help maintain a proper schedule that you can follow. It is harder to steer off track with a blaring alarm reminding you to keep going.

6. Turn off your electronics. ⁶

The usage of electronics 45-60 minutes before falling asleep actually tricks your brain into thinking it’s daytime. By using electronics before you fall asleep, you will actually be ruining your sleeping patterns, which will affect you when waking up the next morning.

7. Drink caffeine.¹

This may be common knowledge, but caffeine does work and will help wake you up in the morning if need be.

8. “Fake it ‘til you make it.” ³

Even if waking up feels tiring and difficult, pretending that it’s easy and that you are happy in the morning will help you maintain routine. Try to put yourself in the shoes of your “3 o’clock” self. Like an actor, by pretending to be someone else, you can pretend to be a morning person until it truly happens.

9. Think positive! ¹

By seeing the beauty in your routine, you will feel more content and satisfied with the decision you are making. Have no regrets, just determination.

10. Just do it. ¹

Lying in bed after the alarm will make you feel worse about getting up. Don’t give yourself the opportunity to change your mind!

 

Waking up early may seem like a daunting task, but just like every other obstacle hurtling your way, it can be easy to overcome. You are the only one who can decide what it is that’s stopping you. It’s time to open your eyes to a longer, brighter and happier day.

Good luck!

(Want to know the benefits of becoming a morning person? Check out Part 1!)

 

 

Sources:

1. http://www.chriswinfield.com/waking-up-early-secrets/
2. https://open.buffer.com/morning-routines-of-successful-people/
3. http://www.rantchic.com/2014/08/28/20-life-hacks-for-getting-your-butt-out-of-bed/#slide_6
4. http://www.oprah.com/health/How-to-Wake-Up-More-Refreshed
5. http://podjam.tv/2014/09/23/how-to-wake-up-your-inner-morning-person-infographic/
6. https://assets.entrepreneur.com/static/1424893848-morning-person.jpg
7. http://www.oprah.com/omagazine/7-Ways-to-Restart-a-Day