7 Tips For Becoming An Early Riser

6 months ago, I made one of the best decisions in my career. It wasn’t starting a new company or quitting a job. Instead, it was making a minor adjustment in my daily schedule.

Normally, I had been waking up around 8:30 to 9:00 AM and going to bed around 1:00 AM or so. Instead, I decided to wake up every morning at 6:00 AM and go to bed around 11:30 PM.

Initially, I made this change simply because I was beginning to invest in the stock market and being that I was in California, I had to be up when the market opened. However, this small change in my lifestyle started creating dramatic results.

Not only was I getting far more work done each day, but I felt really good. By becoming an early riser, I was more productive and efficient throughout the day.

In this article, I share 7 tips for becoming an early riser:

1. Get The Most Annoying Alarm Clock Money Can Buy

I’m a very deep sleeper, which made it a tough challenge for me to wake up early each morning. My brain started getting really smart over time. It had the amazing ability to tune out all of the alarm clocks I had previously used.

I tried really hard to wake up at 6 AM the first few times, but I still woke up at 8 AM. I decided to invest in a new alarm clock that was ridiculously annoying. It was frustrating at first, but now I’m used to it. Find an alarm clock that annoys you to death and use it.

2. Have A Reason For Rising Early

My big reason for getting up early was that I really needed to get in on all of the early morning action within the stock market. I had tried waking up early for many years before that, but it simply wouldn’t happen for me.

When I had a reason to do it, it became a lot easier. Whether it’s creating an exercise or work routine, find a solid reason to get up early each morning.

3. Kill The Snooze Button

Another horrible habit I had was hitting the snooze button every chance I got. The snooze button is literally the worst invention ever.

Find a way to disable the snooze button or buy an alarm clock that doesn’t feature it. You’ll be much happier that you killed the snooze button since you won’t have a choice but to get out of bed.

4. Tune Out Distractions Before Bed

The longer it takes you to fall asleep, the less sleep you get each night. It’s a basic mathematical equation that many seem to forget. I decided to completely tune out distractions when I got into bed.

Instead of watching television, finishing up some emails or doing something else that will keep my mind running, I completely tune out all distractions when hopping in my bed. The results were amazing. I was falling asleep much quicker, which made it a lot easier to wake up early.

5. Make The Most Of Your Extra Time

Lately, I’ve been so happy with the extra time I get each morning, I’ve set up a little routine for myself. Between 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM, I’m reaching inbox zero, managing my social media profiles and taking care of all other non-income generating tasks.

Then, I utilize my time between 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM to do interviews, press requests and other media related inquiries. Thus, I’m able to start working on income generating tasks by 10:00 AM every morning, which was a luxury I never had before.

6. Reward Yourself

When I was a kid, I’d wake up super early on Saturdays. Why? Well, I got an amazing reward every morning for doing so. I got to eat cereal and watch new episodes of my favorite cartoons.

My reward nowadays for rising early throughout the week is having the opportunity to sleep in on Sundays. I turn off all of the alarms and allow my body to wake me up when it’s ready.

7. Be Consistent

Consistency is key when trying to become an early riser. I had some patches a few years ago where I woke up at 6 AM for a day or two, but it never lasted.

However, I set my mind to it this time around. The results have simply been amazing. Once you get into the habit of waking up early, it feels unnatural to wake up late. If you’re consistent with your schedule and build it into a routine, you’ll adapt to it within no time at all.

Conclusion

I know many successful individuals who wake up far earlier than I even do. I eventually want to wake up at 5:00 AM and use that additional hour each day for working out. What are some tips and tricks you have found useful for becoming an early riser?

photo credit: Lars Plougmann via photopin cc