The 5 AM Wake-Up
It’s Sunday morning, and while the rest of the house sleeps I’m sitting here sipping my coffee and getting my thoughts in order.
I’ve been waking up at 5 AM by choice for the last 2 years and it has allowed me to change my life in a few different areas.
The 5 AM wake-up is not something I created and it’s not some revolutionary idea - just get up earlier so that you have more time and focus to do the things you want or need to get done.
Simple.
But putting it into practice is where things become difficult.
The “5 AM Club” is a book written by Robin Sharma, where I’m sure he goes into the hows and whys, but I honestly couldn’t tell you because I never read it. I know I heard the idea referenced somewhere some time ago and thought it made enough sense.
Why did I find the 5 AM wake-up to be an intriguing strategy for life? Well, I wanted to train for ultramarathons, but where would I find the time while juggling a family and a full-time job? Also, I wanted to get back to writing more, but again - where’s the time? And what about reading more, could I squeeze that in at the end of the day when my brain is exhausted and unfocused?
The decision was easy enough to make.
I needed to start getting up earlier so that I could gain some more focused time in my life to work on the things I wanted to do.
But, I tried to overhaul my routine all at once and it was a recipe for disaster.
I would hit the snooze, I struggled to find my energy in the mornings and I was half-assing the plan altogether. Some days I’d set my alarm, other days I wouldn’t. Some days I’d be productive, other mornings I’d just sit there scrolling on my phone. No structure and no plan for success.
Don’t be like me - learn from my mistakes.
If you’re interested in implementing an earlier wake-up strategy, here are my top 3 keys for success:
Eat The Elephant
This is a lifestyle, not a temporary program. You need to approach it like you would with an exercise program or dietary change. You need to commit to small bites, not the whole thing at one time. This means, start with setting your 5 AM alarm for one day the first week, 2 days the second week, 3 days the third, and so on. Now, don’t hinder your progress by allowing yourself to sleep in every other day during those initial start-up weeks. Try getting up 15-30 minutes earlier than usual on the other days. You’re trying to get your body and mind accustomed to shifting to an earlier schedule.
Lay Your Clothes Out The Night Before
Prepare for your mornings the night before. Whether it’s reading, writing, exercising, cooking, etc - have a plan for the morning so that you don’t squander your new-found-you-time. For me, it’s extremely aggravating to wake up early and waste the morning because I didn’t plan the night before, and now I’m losing precious time trying to gather my head. When preparing for your mornings, you could start by writing things down. Create a schedule and write down the things you will work on executing during your initial 5 AM wake-ups. Or, quite literally, lay your clothes out so that you can get up and get to work on your exercise goals without wasting time.
In It For The Long Haul
As I stated before, this is a lifestyle. Once you’ve phased out of the initial start-up weeks and you are now waking up earlier daily, you need to remain consistent. The purpose is to train your internal clock and develop your discipline. By programming yourself to wake up at 5 AM daily - regardless of what day it is or what you’re doing - your body and brain will adapt. This adaptation is acquired through self-discipline, and that is a transferable skill. If you can accomplish the 5 AM wakeup through consistency and discipline, what else can you take on with this newfound gift (and time)?
