How to get up earlier in the mornings.
Every Monday morning I am up early (like 5.40ish) - not always bright eyed and bushy tailed - but I'm up! The reason I get up on Monday is that I host a co-working session that starts at 6am on Zoom, which is part of my monthly membership. Most other mornings, I'm up around 6.30ish (sometimes 7 on the weekend!) so that I can have some time to myself before kids and work/life. You can read about my morning ritual here.
Hitting the snooze button!
I used to be terrible at getting up in the mornings though! I was known to hit snooze multiple times before actually getting out of bed, and invariably when the kids were little I'd stay in bed as long as I possibly could rising only when they woke me. Pre-kids I'd literally give myself 7 minutes to shower + dress, grab my stuff and run out the door before driving to work!!
Eight tips for getting up earlier in the mornings
Getting up in the morning, especially now that the mornings are getting darker, has been a topic of discussion this week and so I thought I'd share a few tips on how you can wake up earlier.
Become more consistent with your sleep schedule. I tend to go to bed at a similar time most nights, even if it's the weekend!
Create a nurturing evening routine (including setting an intention for getting up early the next day - plant that seed!), and get off of screens at least an hour before you want to sleep. Easier said than done, I know… but with practice you can break your technology habits! Here’s an older blog post on how to reduce time on screens.
Place your alarm clock across your bedroom, forcing you to get up to switch it off.
Don't use your phone as your alarm clock, instead use an alarm that you can't snooze…again, forcing you to get up.
Try a wake-up light / body clock, like Lumi, which creates an artificial sunrise or I have smart lightbulbs that are set to turn on in the morning. The light signals to your brain that it's time to wake up.
Have a plan for your morning, something that you enjoy that will help rouse you. I like to have breakfast in bed with my book and my journal. Or get outside and watch the sunrise (the photo below was of a sunrise during lockdown, that I took from an upstairs window!)
Get yourself an accountability buddy; it could be that you schedule to meet a friend for an early coffee & walk, or sign up to join a group that meet online in the mornings - there are a number of options here.
Lastly, know that it is possible to change your habits. It takes practice, but if this is something you are keen to do… know that you can do it. You can rewire your brain.
