Early to rise

Yea, it MIGHT be frosty.

Yes, the warm hug of that doona MIGHT feel irresistible- BUT –  throw back that doona cover (or ‘covers’ if you’re a Melbournian) and give your day the kick-start it deserves.

Waking up earlier is the most effective way to CENTER your day.

Allocating yourself time to establish your priorities will help you to find satisfaction and accomplishment early in your day which assists in stabilising and boosting your mood throughout the rest of the day.

Here are a few tips to get you started:

1. Have a good reason to MOTIVATE you. Look at this as a goal. Make no exceptions, hold yourself accountable, plan and prepare, be persistent and make it a positive experience. Only you can set the tone for your day.

2. Start SLOW. If your alarm is normally set for 8am, don’t start setting the clock to 6 just yet. Simply by going to bed earlier at first for a few nights will help you to sleep better and feel more rested when it comes time to rise. Start waking up just 15 minutes earlier. Go at your own pace and keep it consistent.

3. Before you go to bed, PREPARE for the morning. If there is a book you want to read, put it next to your bed; a breakfast you’d like to have, make it the night before; a project to work on, formulate the notes and set up the workspace.

4. Take advantage of the TIME. It’s important that you do something of value to you. If you feel bright and sparky, by all means jump into that task that’s been bugging you. Don’t forget to notice the little perks as well, the peace and quiet, the possibilities of your day before it even begins or simply seeing the sun rise.

5. REWARD yourself. Getting up early is personal will and determination. Celebrate your success and revel in the experience (A yummy breakfast or your morning latte afterward  is a good one!) 🙂

6. PERSIST. Forming any new habit is hard. It’s not going to stick straight away. We must first push through the initial level of discomfort. Like going to the gym, it’s never easy at first and makes us sore, but after a few sessions we get stronger and it becomes enjoyable.

Stick with it and it will become part of your daily operation. Soon it will feel wrong to wake later than usual 🙂