Day 96 - DO MORNINGS DRAIN YOU?
I hope you’re following along as we countdown the final 100 days of 2022 - you can join us anytime. Learn more about the program HERE.
Today’s topic is perfect for a Monday morning - Did you have a hard time getting going this morning?
If mornings drain you, you have to change it. If you are already stressed or exhausted by the time you start working, you’re headed for a very long day. I spent a number of years as a single mother, balancing a very active and inquisitive little girl, a home, and a very large team of bankers at work. If my day started off poorly, there was no easy recovery. Let’s make things easier on you, starting today.
You’ve no doubt heard of people who start their day at 5:00 AM…and…they find it very beneficial. I’m here raising my hand as one of those people. I understand that there are so many of you who are quickly saying…” nope, not happening.” All I can say to that is how do you know unless you try it? Like anything, it’s a habit and requires a behavioral change. If you’re willing to give it a go, then here are some things to consider:
The first week is the “toughest.” I believe this is only true for those who believe they are not a morning person. If getting up early doesn’t faze you, then you’re golden! While there is quite a bit of research on people who do better in the mornings while others do better in the evenings, I also believe we can adjust our thoughts and behaviors to adopt early morning routines if it is important to us.
With that said, there are people who have small children and family members whose care may prohibit them from adjusting their schedules. There may also be people with medical conditions which would not allow for this type of change.
However, if you do have the flexibility to make this change, at least try it.
There’s so much to gain with shifting to the 5:00 AM wake-up time. Why? Because you can make it into whatever you want it to be. Time for walking, reading, meditating, praying, getting to the gym, and preparing your planner with the day’s events…most likely in peace and quiet.
Change your bedtime routine. Most people require about 7-8 hours of sleep. Some need more and some less. You need to sleep as many hours as your body needs to remain healthy. Simply adjusting your bedtime and the routines prior to turning in is all it takes. At first, moving bedtime to 9:00 PM may not seem possible, you think you won’t be tired. This too is just developing a new habit. It may require eating a little earlier so you don’t go to bed with a full stomach, stopping drinking caffeinated drinks after dinner, and turning the tv or other devices off at least one hour beforehand so you start to wind down. None of these changes are bad for you if you really want to make the shift.
Early mornings is my time. In my last corporate position, I traveled 75-80% of the time. The majority of the time I booked flights that departed around 6:00 AM which meant boarding at 5:30 AM. When I landed at my destination, I hadn’t lost almost half of a day just getting there. So, backing into that boarding time: have to get up and get ready, commute to the airport, park/TSA, etc., I had a wake-up alarm for no later than 3:00 AM. When people would find out they would always ask “that has to be terrible, how do you do that every week?” The answer… “it wasn’t so bad.” Once it became a habit, I easily kept it up for almost 6 years. It’s all about the mindset and a behavioral shift. I looked at what I gained, not what I lost. While I drove the 35+ miles to/from plus time in the airports, I listen to Audible books and Podcasts. If I can do it, you can!
Grab your notebook! If you want to commit to at least one full week of giving the early morning routine a chance, let’s walk through the changes you’ll need to make.
Bedtime will need to be adjusted to __________.
Things I will need to get done earlier in the evening to be ready for morning ________.
Bedtime routines I need to change/adopt _________________________.
The things that I want to use the morning time for _________________.
Here’s the bottom line. To change a behavior and develop a new habit, you have to decide that what you gain outweighs anything you perceive to lose. What I gain from getting up at 5:00 AM far outweighs a perceived loss of sleep that doesn’t actually exist. Adjusting bedtime and the routine beforehand ensures that I get the sleep I need so sleep time is not lost. It’s simple.
Let’s see who is willing to try it for a week. Comment below - what will you use that morning time for?
