Tips to Wake Up Early and Get More Done

Are you trying to wake up early in the morning, but struggling to actually make it happen? Don’t worry I’m right there with ya. If you have always struggled with getting up in the morning, you’re not alone. It seems as if people are born one of two ways.

You’re either a morning person or a night owl. But what if you wanted to change that and reset your internal clock? Maybe you want to start waking up earlier so you can get more done during the day and be more productive. Or maybe you’re starting a new job and have to get up earlier than normal in the mornings.

If you’re looking for ways to set goals and achieve them this year, check ideas from our doable Goal Setting for Moms blog post.

My husband and I are such opposites. He wakes up every day between 4:00 and 5:00 am without an alarm clock. His body just knows to wake up. I’m so jealous! Just think all the stuff he can get done before anyone else is awake. But for me, as long as I can remember I have always been a late sleeper.

I could sleep 12 or more hours and it never bothered me. But, dang it, I have goals! I have stuff that needs to get done. I need to wake up earlier!  

It can be a real struggle to just wake up when an alarm goes off, and sometimes it’s too easy to hit snooze 2 or 3 or 10 times. But there is so much new technology out there that can help turn us late sleepers into early risers! Here are some ideas to try if nothing has seemed to work so far. These tips may seem a little obvious, but if you’re not a morning person, then you may not be doing them in your normal routine. Give them a try and get yourself up early tomorrow, you have stuff to do!

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Make a plan the night before to wake up early

If you want to be more productive with your time, you need a plan. Plan your day out the night before so you know what needs to get done. Write out your to-do list with all the tasks you would like to get done the next day. If you realize how much you need to do and how much time you have to do it in, you will have a reason to get up earlier.

Get a Nokia Steel smartwatch

The Withings Steel smartwatch is a watch and activity tracker. Not only does it track your steps and calories, but it also tracks your sleep patterns. Now, this is the coolest part of the watch and something I haven’t seen before. The smartwatch has a vibrating alarm feature that will keep vibrating until you wake up. It is able to track when you are in your lightest sleep and will wake up within that time frame.

This is perfect for someone who has a hard time waking up! The smartwatch syncs to your the HealthMate app on your phone so you can track your progress and set goals. It includes a sleep smarter coaching program so you can learn about better sleep habits and how sleep affects your health. 

Try a smart lighting system

Program your lights to turn on automatically with a system such as the Philips Hue smart lighting system. You can get a starter kit for less than $100. Starter kits include the smart bulbs and a hue bridge control center. Set the timer to turn your lights on in the morning for a bright wake up call.

Ditch the blackout curtains

Having blackout curtains in the bedroom may be a great way to help you fall asleep, but not so good for waking up in the morning. If it’s constantly dark in your bedroom, your body won’t know it’s time to get up. Let the light shine in so you’re body will respond accordingly.

Take a shower in the morning

To wake up easier in the morning, sometimes you have to switch up your routine. If you normally take showers at night, it’s time to switch it up. There’s nothing like a blast of cold water to the face to wake you right up. Getting your shower in the morning will energize and invigorate you.

Put “real” clothes on

If your to-do list includes being home to get your tasks done, don’t stay in your pajamas all day. And don’t change into clothes that you normally lounge around the house in either. Basically, don’t wear anything that is comfy enough that you would want to crawl back in bed. Put on real clothes that you would actually go out in public in.

Some people may never understand the struggles of a night owl. But you can turn it around! Once you master these tips they will become part of your new morning routine. It will seem like you are adding hours to your day and you will be amazed at how much you can accomplish in one day.

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