How To Become An Early Riser: 3 Simple Steps

Being an early riser has never really been one of my fortes. On the odd day that I have to wake up early, I find myself feeling sluggish and getting rather cranky just after lunch. But here's the catch 22 for people like me, starting your day early (as early as 6:00 AM) is known to have way more benefits than starting your day late (I think of anything post 10:00 AM as late). Obviously, a lot of how much and when you sleep has got to do with your lifestyle and the kind of work you do. Consequently, your idea of 'early' and 'late' may differ from mine too. Either way, it has been proven, over and over again, that most successful people start their days rather early. And that seems to make sense too, don't you think? Starting your morning earlier than usual means you get more of the day to run your errands, do you work, and even squeeze in a relaxed sit down breakfast. Besides, feeling constantly rushed and in a hurry to get to places because you wake up late can be rather stressful.

Which is why, I've been trying the much recommended waking up early routine of late - and I have to say, it really does work. I feel like my time is spent more productively and I definitely feel less stressed out about completing my daily chores. Everything is done in a timely manner and I even get to have a social life. Having said that, waking up early, which is at the moment 6:00 AM for me, can be a rather daunting task. There are little ways to get yourself accustomed to the idea of waking up early and getting your body up and moving earlier than usual.

(Also Read: 5 Ways To Fight A Lazy Morning)

Here are a few ways to break your late sleeping pattern and become an early riser.

1. Know what you need to do with your morning

Having to wake up at 6:00 AM becomes a lot easier when you know what you need or want to do with your morning. Do you need to get in a workout before hitting office? Would you like some time to meditate, drink your morning tea or just read the newspaper? Will you miss out on doing these things if you wake up an hour later? Knowing just why you need to wake up and how it'll help shape your day can make all the difference.

2. Place your alarm far away

Outside your bedroom if it's loud enough and will still bother you and force you awake. Having your alarm clock or phone right next to your bed makes it too easy to hit snooze and fall right back to sleep. Instead, place the alarm somewhere that'll make it impossible for you to reach it without getting out of bed and going through some trouble. The more you have to move and the longer you hear the alarm, the more likely you are to wake up.

3. Get into a set routine

Waking up at an earlier time everyday is much easier when you're regular about it. Choosing to wake up early sporadically rather than on consecutive days breaks your routine and makes it feel much harder. Instead, set an alarm for the same time everyday during the week and also try and go to bed around the same time every night. Figure out how much sleep your body needs in order not to feel tired and set your sleep time from there.