Have you ever wondered about the benefits of going to bed early, getting a good night's sleep, and having an early morning the next day?
Join me as I explore the benefits I've experienced as a result of my new early morning routine.
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Journal entry from my "Whatever Happens, Happens" journal on May 10, 2015
I've recently been experimenting with a new early morning routine which includes going to bed and getting up early. It's been over a week since I started. Good news: I've stuck with it every day! In bed by 10:30 p.m. and up at 5 a.m.
I know it's going to take longer than just a week to become fully adjusted and see the complete benefits of this new routine, but I can already see a real difference in my daily life.
So for now, here are 7 HUGE benefits I've discovered from my new early morning routine.
Early Morning Benefit #1: Quality Quiet Time
I can't remember the last time I experimented with quite time before starting my day. It was because of Michael Hyatt that I originally started it; that must've been around a year ago.
I also don't remember why I stopped. I guess I just wasn't disciplined enough and never really gave the early morning lifestyle a chance to shine.
Now it's becoming one of the best parts of my day, and as a result, I get...
Early Morning Benefit #2: More "Quantity" Time
Not only do I now have more hours in the day to accomplish my tasks and goals, but I have more "punch" in my hours. The best way I can describe this comes from a quote I read by Sam Ewing (who was also a writer)...
"It's not the hours you put in your work that counts, it's the work you put in the hours." Sam Ewing
Early Morning Benefit #3: More "Slow Down" Time
Now that I have more time to get things done, I don't feel as rushed to get them all done right away. The urgent has virtually disappeared, I'm in control of what I want to do, and I'm actually more productive because of it.
As a result of my new early morning routine, I no longer come to the end of my day wondering if I've done "enough" or feeling guilty if I feel I haven't.
Early Morning Benefit #4: A More Reliable Perspective
Since time has actually "slowed down," I have a much clearer perspective on what priorities are actually important.
Without the hustle and bustle due to the "crunched" hours from my old "late to bed, late to rise" routine, I've found that I'm better able to discern what should get done and what I should be doing to infuse the most impact into my hours.
Also, I can think more clearly, and the results I achieve are a lot better for it. Sort of like multiplying my progress instead of merely adding to it.
Early Morning Benefit #5: More Time for the Things that Matter
Getting up in the early morning has actually reduced any stress over what I haven't gotten done in a day. Consequently, I haven't been cooped up in my office at the expense of spending quality time with my wife.
Lately, we've been able to enjoy eating breakfast together as well as some nice conversation before she heads off to work in the morning. Before my new early morning routine, all I would get was a goodbye kiss—which, half the time, I was too groggy to remember hours later when I rolled out of bed around 10 a.m.
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Early Morning Benefit #6: A Better Night's Sleep
With the exception of only a couple of days to adjust this past week, I've felt more refreshed, more energetic, and less tired or distracted throughout the day. I believe this is a direct result of a better night's sleep.
Now, instead of going to bed high-strung at 12:30 or 1:00 in the morning, feeling unproductive, and wondering if I've forgotten to do yet another task equally as "important," I find myself going to bed at 10:30 p.m. as a result of being genuinely tired due to being awake for 17+ hours. It's only natural to feel ready for bed after being alert for that length of time!
Because of this, I no longer feel stressed and guilty for not having achieved "enough" throughout the day; instead, I simply think to myself, "It can wait 'til tomorrow," and I'm off to bed without a care in the world!
Early Morning Benefit #7: A Healthier Lifestyle
Nearly every successful person I know of—including writers like Charles Dickens and Stephen King—attributes a great portion of their success to their exercise routine.
Charles Dickens was reported to have walked around 3-5 hours a day (according to one source, he walked a distance of more than 30 miles in one night), and he was one of the most prolific, productive writers of all time!
Even though I've got a long way to go when it comes to my health, exercising every day has directly affected not just my physical health, but I believe it to be the single-most factor of my increased concentration, focus, and overall mental and emotional health over the past week as well.
Summary
No doubt countless other benefits could be named and numbered here, but if this evidence is not convincing enough to stick with it, no other number of benefits will suffice.
Now here it is, Sunday morning—Mother's Day, in fact—I've got plenty of time before getting ready for and heading off to church, and that's even after I've been writing this entry for nearly an hour!
There is simply no price tag you could put on a peaceful life. It's benefits outweigh the "perceived" sacrifices 100 to 1.
I can't wait to see who I've become after sticking with this new early morning routine a year from now. No matter what happens, no matter how hard it may sometimes seem, I know I'll be a much better person—not only for myself but to everyone I come in contact with—for it.
P.S. This entry was actually written from 6:25 a.m. to 7:17 a.m.!
P.P.S. It's been nearly two weeks of my new early morning routine, and I'm still going strong! Getting more done, feeling less stressed, and feeling much more complete and satisfied at the end of each day...priceless.
P.P.P.S. (Last one, I promise) To learn about the daily rituals and routines of geniuses, check out this insightful article by Sarah Green.
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Question: Have you ever experimented with an early morning routine? What results did you achieve?
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