Waking Up At 5am?

Boosting productivity, discipline and confidence with an early morning routine. 

The sky is still dark, the birds still sleep, and the familiar ring of my iPhone forces me up and across my bedroom. When learning of my morning routine, many friends are puzzled why I would choose, with my own free will, to rise at such an hour. Before trying it, I questioned the concept too, seeing a workday of 0500-2200 as insane; Surely I would be too tired at 5am to do anything even remotely productive anyway? But now, I see this as more than just a morning routine. It is a lifestyle and one that is constantly pushing me to work harder, be more productive with each day, and become a better version of myself. Waking up at 5am is only the beginning.

In this blog, I wanted to share some of the reasons I personally choose this morning routine, with the hope that some of you will be inspired to try it for a day, or a week. And for those of you already considering it, the second part of this blog will give you an easy to follow action-plan to help you get out of bed and make the most of every day. 

Mental Edge

Waking up at 5am is difficult, especially the first time you try. As you stumble over to your alarm you start to wonder why you are even doing it, and if you really need those extra hours to your day. The brilliance of it is when you actually manage to get up at 5am, the small feeling of victory it brings gives you a small sense of achievement that will push you to do more throughout your day. Our brains can very easily distinguish a good day from a bad day simply from the first acts we engage in, and by achieving something as small as getting up early, you gain a small feeling of accomplishment that will drive you. Personally, I get up and immediately head to the gym - finding exercise is a fantastic way to wake myself up and gain an even further sense of achievement. Some of my friends simply start the day by making their bed, or even cooking a healthy breakfast. 

It doesn't matter what you do, but these small accomplishments will stack up and continually encourage you to do more with your day. By mid-day, you will be feeling positive and optimistic, eager to take on the challenges of work/study as you have already accomplished 3x more than most of your friends!

Reliable Routine

What is your sleep schedule like right now? What time did you go to bed yesterday, and how does this differ from the day before where you stayed up all night watching Netflix? A lack of sleep can have hugely detrimental effects on your health, with NHS England claiming it can be responsible for obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, food cravings and fatigued performance (to name just a few). We all know this stuff, but with student nights out and long study hours, it is easy to slip into a poor routine. 

This is another reason the 5am start is so brilliant. Getting up at 5am isn't possible without good sleep beforehand (of about 7-8 hours) and the routine forces you to plan ahead and think about when you will be in bed. Not only will it be easier to get up with proper sleep, but your performance in almost all aspects of your life will be greatly enhanced too, finding it easier to focus, stick to diets, and exercise, whilst also enjoying life a whole lot more! 

Most People Don't.

Like many things in life, it is difficult. Most of us want an A*, want a fit physique and want to be the best in our hobbies/sports. Some of us don't have the time to achieve all of our dreams, but most of us simply don't commit to them and put in the extra effort!

Having said this, most people will not get up early out of pure laziness or lack of drive, and this is the exact reason I do get up early. Most people don't! By getting up early, I have managed to find a teeny edge over most of my friends. Yet, this tiny edge spans across almost all aspects of my life and provides me with more time to pursue my goals (be it study, blog, eat clean, go to the gym, meditate or even socialise). Simply knowing most people are not doing this is another reason to do it! This is likely a reason why top CEO's like Apple's Tim Cook adopt an early morning routine.

So, How Do I Do It?

Having read the points listed above, you can probably see a few of the benefits to this routine. While it might sound tough, here are a few tips to help you get going before the sun comes up:

Plan Ahead - Planning ahead is a vital part of this routine. First, you need to ensure you are getting sufficient sleep of 7/8 hours (I have already mentioned what NHS England links to lack of sleep, so don't disadvantage yourself by making this mistake). Also, think about what you will do in the morning when you wake up. By knowing you are going to get up, then shower, then do X, it provides a purpose to your routine which ends the temptation to dive back under those warm sheets.

Move The Alarm - By moving your alarm outside of your bedroom, you can force yourself to get moving; a vital part of waking up. Personally, I put my alarm in the bathroom on a high shelf, and by the time I've zombie-walked out of my room and fumbled about on the top shelf, I'm feeling pretty awake.

Tell Others - No-one likes to look a fool. By telling your friends and family of your plans to start this routine, you are committing to it on a small scale. Failing to get up will make you look a bit silly after all those Tweets about it, so this is another simple way to get yourself up in the morning!

Just Do It - The concept really is quite simple: "get up early", so why should the action be any different. When it comes to the morning, just do it, and the benefits will quickly come your way.


Christian Hughes.