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It’s not easy to go from night owl to morning person, but it’s simple
Once upon a time, I considered waking up at 8 am “early”. As much as I tried, I couldn’t get myself to wake up earlier. I would wake up tired and just snooze, after all, I wouldn’t start work until 10 am. So, what was the point of even waking up earlier?
Do you feel like that too?
Productivity gurus will tell you that you need to wake up stupid early to be successful. But is that the case?
The answer is: it depends on YOU mostly.
Let’s get into the steps.
Step 1. See the value in it
Often people tell me they want to wake up stupid early like I now do. To that, I generally answer with a single word: “why?”. Most of the time, they can’t answer.
How do you expect to follow through if you don’t see the point?
I wake up at 4 am (5 am this month) because there are many things I want to accomplish at the start of my day. I care about my self-improvement, and if I postpone doing activities that relate to that after work, I simply won’t do it because I’ll be too exhausted.
From 4 am to 9 am, I focus on my self-improvement. That includes:
Writing for 1 hour (I do write somewhat selfishly);
Working out for 1 hour;
Practicing 3 skills for 30 minutes each;
Journaling for up to 30 minutes;
Reading for between 30–60 minutes; and
Sometimes even power nap before starting work.
These are quadrant II activities in the Eisenhower Matrix. These are things that make me feel good, energized, and accomplished. Admiral William McRaven says that if you want to change the world, you have to start by making your bed. The above is my equivalent.
What is your equivalent?
What could you do in the morning that would make you feel good, energized, and accomplished?
Step 2. Drop the negative self-talk
“I can’t wake up early, I’m a night person.” — Procrastinator
No, you’re not. You leave yourself to believe you are.
In your heart, is there really no way you can wake up earlier? Are you sure?
If you went to bed earlier, couldn’t you wake up earlier? If you felt rested, would you need as much sleep? If not, couldn’t you wake up earlier? Aren’t there other night owls who managed to wake up earlier? If they can, why can’t you? What makes you so special?
You CAN wake up earlier. Telling yourself you can’t only reinforces that belief in your mind. That’s all it is — a belief. And beliefs can change. Henry Ford got it right when he said:
“Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right.” — Henry Ford
When you perform the first step well, this step becomes much easier. It doesn’t remain a question of “if you can”, it becomes a question of “I must”. The more you make it a necessity in your brain, the easier it will be to reframe your perspective and say “you know what, I can wake up earlier!”.
Step 3. Make it a habit
This is likely the most important step. Whether you like it or not, you’re a creature of habits. The reason you’re a night owl is that you led yourself to become one through your habits.
Don’t believe me?
Take a moment to think about your evening habits for a moment.
Are they helping you become a morning person, or they’re helping you remain a night owl? The latter, right?
When I was working at the movie theatre years ago, I would finish my shift between midnight and 2 am. I did that for 2 years. Imagine how hard it was for me to switch to becoming a morning person after that!
But I did it. I started waking up a little earlier every week for a month. It’s not instantaneous. No one can create a new habit or do a dramatic shift in a week. Most people give up before seven days.
Don’t be that person.
Accept that it won’t be easy and will demand dedication. If you stick to it for a month, you may achieve it, especially if you followed steps 1 and 2. James Clear reports that it takes on average 66 days to form a new habit, but results show that it can be done between 18 days and 254 days. Talk about a range!
Conclusion
If you want to become a morning person within 30 days or less, make sure to set intentions right. Have the mindset that it’s not only possible, but it’s also crucial. By following the above 3 short steps, you’re on your way to becoming a morning person. Don’t give up.
You can do this!