I had a mix of waking up as a very young child. I used to Wake up early at 5 am or sometimes at 4.30 to get ready for school. In an African home as a child, you have little chores to carry out. When I got into university after my freshman year I became a blogger and things started changing.
I was never a morning person and news flash I write better at night. I would stay up till 2 am blogging then read for about an hour before going to bed and by 6 am if I am not up, my mum would call me.
My mum’s call always jerks me out of sleep. I always made it loud and clear “I am not a morning person” because I am more productive with work at night and did I forget to add that I write better at night.
Well, I never knew all that was about to change, and l know somehow deep inside you, yours may not exactly be the same but you also have a fair story to share.
How I moved From Being a Night Crooner to a Morning Person
I noticed after I graduated from university, I could barely hold my phone up once it’s past 10 pm.
At first, I thought I was reacting to stress, but I guess my body was adjusting to the right way of life. It continued for a while and I knew it was time for a proper change.
Why You Should Consider Adjusting Yourself to Rising in the morning with More Sleep at Night
Health Benefits: There is this saying that “Excessive sleep is for only the poor”.
But medically, it is advised we should have at least 8-hours of rest and when you sit up working into the night you may not be able to practice the act of sleeping early.
I remember as a student when I don’t have proper sleep at night, I tend to have a headache throughout the day unless I find time to have a few hours of nap. Sometimes, it leads to fatigue and unproductiveness during the day.
Now I want you to think about this:
We have 18-hours, from 6 am-6 pm and 8-hours from 10 pm-6 am. Let’s assume a two case scenario. This is one of my favourite parts of writing, bringing ideas to life cases.
Two case Scenario explaining Why you need to sleep early
Mo is a fashion blogger, she works during the day from the hour of 6 am to 6 pm. Mo considers her health very important and tries her best to rest. She watches Netflix, read, meditate and sleep properly. She gets up at 4 am without struggling, gets her things done before the day is over.
Lola is a Personal development blogger, she blogs better at night and spends the best of her time putting things together from the hour of 10 pm but never lasts beyond 3 am and she sleeps off.
Who do you think had a better time to work?
Who do you think is likely to be healthier?
That’s a fix for you and you alone. You figure it out.
I have come to realize no matter how long you sleep during the day, your sleep at night counts and it has a way of making one feel fresh and healthy.
Don’t get me wrong, how long you have been working doesn’t matter but how productive you have been counts (Read this Post on How to Kill Distractions and Become a more productive Blogger).
How to Wake Up Early by 5 am without Snoozing the Alarm
1- Practice peace of mind before going to bed: I know most times we do not have control over things that happens, but you should learn to practice Peace of mind. You need to learn to make peace with things that hurt you and things that exude negative energy.
The mind is one of the most important parts of the body which cannot be felt but yet controls our behavioural pattern. Have you ever been so hurt that when you wake up in the morning you feel like there is a stone on your chest?
How can you be productive after that experience?
You may end up having a messed up day. So, if you are going to wake up early and have a productive day, you have to control the energy around you.
2- Early to bed to rise: I am sure ever since your Kindergarten days, you’ve been told countless times that the key to waking up early is going to bed early.
To become productive, you need to reduce the amount of time you spend watching Netflix. You need to create the perfect night routine and stick with it.
Because, for every successful morning, the night before is perfect. Your night routine is built around your normal day-to-day lifestyle.
How Poor Night Routine stops you from waking at 5 am
3- Avoid late-night dinner: If you are in this part of the world, where heavy carbohydrate foods may be served for dinner.
The best way is to eat early and avoid eating dinner after 7-pm. This will give your body the time to carry out all necessary processes before you retire to bed.
If I must be honest with you, you will not automatically become a morning person, you need to take your time to walk your body through this process.
It is just like mixing your dough. You don’t automatically get a dough, it is a process.
How to make this process easier.
4- Do not Snooze the Alarm: While trying to walk your body through the processes of waking up at 5 am. You will be needing an alarm.
Set your alarm to 5.00 am. The basic rule that will help you overcome tiredness and wake up early at 5 am here is DON’T SNOOZE your alarm.
If you must get used to waking up by 5.am, you need to avoid snoozing the alarm. It is not going to be an easy ride but to achieve this, you should discipline your mind.
5- Practise Positive Affirmations: If you need a list of positive affirmations that can help you, Download this worksheet which contains positive affirmations.
One of the things I learned from the movie ‘Little’ is the power of positive affirmations.
No matter how lazy I may be feeling about my work at that point, when I say these words “Faith it’s time to be a Girlboss” I gain a new source of motivation.
It feels like it triggers something in me, bringing a new form of energy and I find myself doing all I’m supposed to do.
Yours may not be these word, it may be a song that inspires you, it may be a quote, it may be a picture, but there is something that will trigger the positive and creative aspect of you.
I think my friend, that you should take advantage of it and bring it into the list of things you say to yourself in the morning, the list of songs you listen to. If its a song, you can use it as an alarm tone on your mobile phone.
Practice this my friend, and smile way into a more productive morning routine.
6- Have an Inspiring Morning Routine:
The morning hours are usually the best aspects of the productivity block. It is easier to have a productive morning, and you may experience the same energy throughout the day than having a messed up morning, before forcing yourself into having a better evening.
The energy level is easier when it flows from the top (Morning) to other parts of your day.
Somethings to add to your morning routine:
- Pray: I believe everyone should be able to pray in the morning no matter your religion
- Meditate
- Exercise: I cannot start emphasizing, why you need to exercise at least once a week. Because on the internet, you see people advising you hit the gym. You could check out other types of exercise you could do from your house
- Drink enough water and maybe add a fruit juice or supplement
- Journal
- Plan your day and make your to-do list according to your priority.
- Speak to your self: I wrote on this up there. The power of positive affirmations, listening to great songs should not be downplayed. Here is a list of positive affirmations that could help you build self-confidence. You can make your list using this editable worksheet.
Why you need to have an Inspiring Morning Routine to wake up early at 5 am
You can never feel motivated to get up from your bed early when you have a horrible morning routine or a long list of to do’s that drives you into a rut or creative block.
In a statement by Melyssa Griffin, she stated that a long list of to do’s normally make one feel unproductive and drags you into a place of pressure.
This, I can accept because lately, I have stopped using a to-do list on a daily. To be accountable, I make a long list of all I want to do in a month and I have them by heart.
Each day, I allocate a fraction of my time to each I want to work on, but based on priority.
Now, with this, I don’t feel pressured, I to do things at my pace, I don’t feel overwhelmed and I find myself feeling grateful for any of the to-do’s I have done. This makes me feel creative, active and positive.
7- Allow your body to get into the Process:
I will tell you something, during the week when I started adjusting, from being an all-night person to a morning person.
I would sleep early yet wake up late. How can someone go to bed by 10 pm and still wouldn’t wake until a few minutes to 7 or after 7 am?
That was a problem for me. I am telling you categorically, that you may experience these changes.
Practice all that is mentioned above don’t forget these changes takes time. Avoid overworking yourself and enjoy your process.
What are those songs or positive affirmations you tell yourself that ignites your creativity or drags you from a shallow place to a place of light?
Best Picks For You- Related Blog Post
Best Ways to Love Yourself and Build Self Confidence
How to Kill Distractions and Become a More Productive Blogger
How to Achieve Carried Over Goals Before The Second Half of the Year is Over
Pin this for Later
