How I Tricked Myself into Becoming a Morning Person
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Mornings are the worst. Especially after a hard night with the kids. But after 32 years as a night-owl, I figured out this simple way to trick myself into becoming a morning person!
It’s 4am, the baby was awake for 2 hours in the middle of the night, and I’m wide awake. I sit here at my computer typing away happily, knowing that this day will be productive and energetic!
Just a few months ago, the idea of getting up before 8am was repulsive to me. In fact, given my own way, I would be up until 2am and not wake up for the day until sometime around 10am!
But having a baby changes things. Suddenly I found myself dragging myself out of bed every day, barely keeping my eyes open, and having to summon the energy to play with the baby. It was a pretty crappy existence!
And forget about having the energy to keep up with my businesses…
Finally, I decided something needed to change.
How I Tricked Myself into Becoming a Morning Person
Now, after 32 years as a serious night owl I had given up on ever “enjoying” getting up early. But I knew I needed to find a way to up my energy level and become more productive during the day.
This simple method starting working so well for me that my husband is doing it now too!
I saw “simple” because while the trick is simple, it’s not easy in the beginning.
I get up at WHATEVER TIME I wake up and am wide awake
That’s seriously it. But you may be wondering what in the heck I’m talking about!
Do you ever wake up at 4am and feel wide awake? Get up!
That’s what I’m talking about! As soon as I wake up and am wide awake, I get up for the day.
At first I thought it was a fluke. That my body was going to crash at any moment. But after months of functioning in this way, the only side effects are massive amounts of energy and crazy amounts of stuff getting done each day!
Before this method
Before I started waking up as soon as I was wide awake, I would let the baby wake me up in the morning. Which meant I was having to wake up and immediately be “on duty”.
It was causing me to be super burned out and exhausted.
Now, I have at least 2 hours every morning of quite time to do a bible study, cook breakfast, and get a jump start (or even complete) my business activities for the day!
Questions about this method
You may have a few questions, so let me answer a few common questions I get.
Q: What time do you go to bed?
A: I’m usually in bed by midnight, but as early as 10pm some nights. It depends on how much I’m trying to get done after the baby goes to sleep around 8pm.
Q: What if I wake up at 3:30am and am wide awake, but don’t have to be up until 7am?
A: Get up anyway! Even if I’ve gone to bed at midnight, if I wake up wide awake at 3:30am I get up. I have never regretted it once. I still have plenty of energy all day long and am able to have even more quiet time because I got up a little earlier!
Q: What if I don’t wake up wide awake?
A: Then don’t get up. Simple. If you wake up and are very groggy and can go back to sleep in less than 1 minute, the do so. Getting up when you are not wide awake will do you no good!
Have more questions? Let me know in the comments!
I’ll have to try this! I am such a night owl, in the worst way possible, and have always wanted to be a morning person. Hope it works 🙂
I looooove being a night owl! But with a baby who is up and at ’em by 7am every morning… something had to give! I’m so glad I starting doing this. Let me know how it goes for you!
I have been in a 4am-1pm Tuesday thru Thursday and a 6am-3 pm Saturday and Sunday work week. I am usually in bed by 9 pm and up 2 hours prior to workday for coffee and time to wake up. Have a 10 month old girl and on days off have am alarm set for 4 am to keep a regulated sleep schedule. How do I do a “wake up and am wide awake” when my work schedule us as it is? I am usually groggy and lack energy for work and am 38yrs old.
Wow Yolanda! That’s rough! Honestly, if you’re not waking up wide a wake at some point in the night, then you’re not getting enough sleep as it is. I feel your pain on this front! The last 3 weeks have been teething hell and I haven’t been able to get up early because I’m just so exhausted.
Basically, when I can get about 3 hours of sleep in a row, then I have a moment in the early morning when I wake up wide awake and can get up or go back to sleep. I choose to get up and have that alone time… but on days when I am asleep until the baby cries, that means I needed the sleep.
It sounds like that’s where you are too! I’m sorry! <3
What if you don’t wake up until 11 or noon on your own and still feel groggy? That’s me. Lol
Lol! I’ve had those days too! But on days when I wake up at 3am wide awake, I take advantage of it! ?
Glad you found something that works for you. Not sure this will ever work for me because I’m always tired no matter when I wake up or how many hours of sleep I’ve gotten. 🙁
Hey Jenny, I know how you feel! It took me a while to get into the rhythm, but it finally started to become possible in a (mostly) daily basis!
Our son has never slept in increments longer than 4 hours his whole life! And he’s getting ready to be two! ?
But I had to start working again, so I gave this a try and it worked! Hopefully you will find something that works for you too…
I did find that if I went back to sleep after waking up earlier, I was actually MORE tired than before ?
hey!!! Thats ana amazing trick…earlier i wake up early but spend the entire time lazying around this is great stuff.but yes one thing even i follow i get up whenever my eyes open and don’t check the time 🙂 Landed here through Pinterest, do check my profile https://in.pinterest.com/allthatsmomblog/
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Thanks for stopping by Richa! I’ll be sure to check out your site!
I agree, sometimes I’m up but just enjoy the peace of early morning and don’t get anything done ?❤