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I take a little pride in telling people I wake up early everyday at 4:30am. It sounds insanely early, right? I never thought I’d be THAT early of a bird —  but apparently I am.

I often hear, “I don’t know how you do that” or “You’re crazy” or “I could never do that.”

It’s not easy but, it works. I am kind of worthless after work and so, it’s in those before-work hours that I cram in all of my productivity. That’s how I juggle my many hats!

By 9am, I’ve exercised, meditated, blogged, started dinner, done some writing, eaten breakfast and caught up on the news. No, I don’t have kids — yet 🙂

So, how do I drag my tired butt out of bed at such an ungodly hour every weekday morning? Here ya go :

  • Set ONE alarm. I do NOT hit snooze. Snooze is the enemy of getting up early. You have to train your body to get up when your alarm goes off — no excuses. Determine in your head that you only get one shot. 30 days to make a habit folks!
  • Ignore the pain. It’s painful to leave a warm, comfy bed, I know. That’s where you need perspective. The benefits of getting up far outweigh the luxury of staying in bed (most of the time!). If you have stuff to get done, you have a much better chance of doing it in the morning.
    • Tip for ignoring the pain: Mantras! Just do it!
  • Pre-made coffee. My coffee pot is ready to go the night before so all I have to do is press a button to get some. You can even pre-set it to start running so it’s done when you get up. I’m just too lazy to figure out the timer thing on my pot 🙂
  • Cold water. Your body needs hydration in the AM. One way to naturally wake yourself up is with a big glass of cold water first thing. I recommend the chug method — it works for me in more ways than one.
  • Morning routine. The very first thing I do when I get up is brush teeth — telling my  mouth to wake up! Then, I splash water on my face until I feel slightly more alive. By that time, I’m ready to go grab that cup of coffee.
  • No immediate pressure. While my workout is an early morning priority, 5am is too early for all that action. Instead, I grab my Bible and notebook (could be any kind of motivational book for you of course) and read passages, write down things I’m thankful for — and my prayers. My brain starts working and by the end of my quiet time, I’m feel much more awake.
  • Split second decision making. I know for a fact that my best writing is done with a fresh mind in the morning. I know that if I don’t do something in the morning, it’s much less likely to get done. I’ve learned that priorities are best taken care of with the morning light. All of those things float through my mind in the split second I open my eyes and make the decision whether to stay in bed or get up. I nearly always choose to get up.

Not everyone is an early bird — and you certainly don’t have to be. But, busy lives call for a little discipline and getting up at 4:30 could be your new best friend. I never would have been able to study enough for my recent CPT certification or get all my extra freelance work done or make great strides in CrossFit without making myself get up early.

You will find me in bed by 10pm every night. It all depends on how much sleep YOU need. But if you’re looking for a way to change your life for the better and get more things done, I recommend trying my proven methodology 🙂

What tips and tricks do you have for getting up early? What concerns do you have? Any questions I can address?

FREE: Simple Faith Practices for Busy MomsYes, please!
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