In the last couple of months, I’ve conducted a personal experiment: I woke up (almost) daily at 5 a.m. You might ask yourself why a normal person would go through such an ordeal. Well, first of all, I just felt I didn’t have enough time, and that I sometimes wasted it. But besides that, I wanted to find out what kind of an impact it would have on me. Luckily, it turned out to be quite a good decision, and I am still committed to it.
As you may guess, I don’t wake up this early to watch the new episode of Game of Thrones or any other brain-killing television series. I usually work on Waldo or go for a run or swim. If I’m working, I prefer to do the more difficult tasks that require more focus and determination.
Before trying it yourself, you should find a strong, inner reason. Ask yourself: “Why do I want to do this?” And if you can’t find a bulletproof answer, don’t do it. Internal motivation is the one that will keep you going, even if at times you’ll feel like you just want to bang the alarm clock against the wall.
If you do decide to give it a go, here are some of the benefits that come from following such a schedule.
- You’ll be way more productive
In the early morning, no one is bothering you. There are no phone calls, emails, or unexpected interruptions. It’s just you and the universe. Being aware of that that makes you more focused and willing to get things done. Moreover, you feel somewhat guilty for waking up that early and wasting time. For this reasons, you are also less prone to procrastinate. Your newsfeed on Facebook is the same as the evening before, or just filled with commercials, so there’s be no reason to check it every five minutes. However, if you do have that annoying habit, you should try a website blocker for your browser. It worked for me.
- You’ll feel more energised
One thing that I expected to happen was to lose focus throughout the day. I figured that if I wake up so early I’m going to feel tired in the afternoon. Fortunately, that was not the case. Quite the opposite; I felt more energised than I did before adopting this schedule, especially if I did some sort of physical activity in the morning.
- You’ll have more time for yourself
Recently, I came across a quote from Tom Ford: Time and silence are the most luxurious things today. I couldn’t agree more. If you wake up early, you instantly become a rich man. Not in money, but in other currencies that I find more valuable. Talk about overnight wealth…
- You’ll gain more self-esteem
Like all things related to health and personal development, a well-organised routine, especially if it starts at 5 a.m., has an aspirational halo around it. Although most people aspire to achieve this, a few actually succeed. If you’re one of them, you should feel proud. Really. You’re part of the 10% or so of people that set a goal (and not an easy one!) and actually achieve it. Congratulations!
And one more thing: don’t use the snooze button. Those ten extra minutes will do you more harm than good. You’ll feel more tired throughout the day and you’ll have a harder time waking up. It’s better to set the alarm clock ten minutes later than to deceive yourself.
Have you ever tried to wake up at 5 a.m.? How did that work our for you? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
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