To accomplish a big goal, such as launching
a new business, writing a novel or starting an exercise regime, productivity
experts will often suggest getting up early. You can get a lot done in a quiet
house with no distractions or interruptions. While this is sound advice, it’s
easier said than done.
“You might think getting up earlier is just
a matter of discipline, but it actually takes much more than that,” says Julie
Morgenstern, time management expert and author of Never Check Email in the Morning
(Touchstone; 2005). “The truth is, your entire ecosystem has been built around
sleeping later.”
When you try to change your morning routine,
several obstacles will stand in your way. It’s possible to overcome them,
however; the key is to start the night before. Morgenstern offers six
strategies to make getting up early work for you:
1. Change your mindset. Many people fight going to sleep because they want to get more done
– they have separation anxiety from the day. But Morgenstern teaches her
clients to think differently.
“Consider sleep the beginning of the next
day,” she says, adding that this mind shift can change the way you look at sleep
and make it exciting. “Sleep becomes an active element; you’re charging up your
battery.”
2. Adjust your bedtime. Many of us are already sleep deprived, and stealing another hour of
sleep will just set you up for failure. The only way to be successful is to go
to bed earlier. Determine how many hours of sleep your body requires and count
backwards from there.
“Getting up earlier requires a fundamental
shift in your neuro-pathways,” she says. “While the change makes total sense to
you the day before, actually doing it the next morning is hard work and
requires you to break a lot of patterns.”
3. Adjust other nighttime
activities. You’ll also have to adjust the
time you eat dinner as well as after-dinner decompression activities, such as
reading, says Morgenstern.
“You’re not being realistic if you say
you’ll get up early but then don’t build everything else into your day"
accordingly, she says. Also, eat dinner no less than two to three hours before
bed, which is optimal for being able to fall asleep and sleep well.
4. Prepare for your morning
activity. Sometimes what keeps us in bed isn’t
fatigue, but the fact the morning task we’ve planned is overwhelming. To make
these activities less daunting, prep the night before and organize your
equipment. Set out your gym clothes, yoga mat or running shoes, if you’re
planning to exercise. If you’re going to be on your computer, tidy your home
office, and preprogram your coffee maker.
“Starting something new can feel
complicated,” says Morgenstern. “Take the time to prepare and you’ll increase
your chances for success.”
5. Turn off electronics. At least 90 minutes before bed pull the plug on electronic
activities, such as watching television, checking email or social media or
reading on an e-reader.
"Science says it’s a source of energy
and over-stimulates us,” she says. “It’s like drinking a Red Bull before bed –
there’s no way you’ll fall asleep.”
She suggests replacing it with something
relaxing, such as listening to music, drawing, or prepping meals for next day.
6. Create a pre-bedtime
routine. Give yourself peace of mind and time
to unwind by creating a calming pre-bedtime routine. For example, make a ritual
of checking the windows and locks. Dim the lights and stretch. Or take a
leisurely walk.
“This routine will help you fall asleep
quickly and easily,” she says. “It will also significantly increase your
chances of getting up in morning.”
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