For many years, I was a late riser. I loved to howl at the moon, roam through the cool night air and more than anything it seemed I loved to sleep in! Then things changed early on for me, because I had to wake up between 5:30-6:00 a.m. to unlock the college campus, prepping the school and classroom for the day as maintenance staff.  But once the graduation ceremony took place personally felt entitled more pillow time until the baby factor came into play.  Years later, I decided to add a sprint triathlon training schedule into my week; with the goal of not impacting my time with my family as I needed some personal time accompanied with a stress release element.  Prior to triathlon training, I tried running however I found myself bored and after 6 miles and 12 miles felt mind numbing.

So, I set out to make a personal shift from a night owl to one who enjoys patrol the dawn.  I started by getting up constantly at 6:00 a.m. for a short 1-2 mile run and then as training increased I backed up my alarm clock by the my per mile pace (increments of 5-10 minutes), and then set a limit at 5:15 a.m. because my wife is a night old still.

I’m not going to pretty things up, it’s taking me months of consistently getting out of bed for this to become an enjoyable habit.  Since my primary goal includes family, I’ve also set parameters around my training time and distances.  Some aim to complete full Triathlons, half-Ironmans, Ironmans, or Ultra Ironmans; however, after research and a personal conclusion I’ll be leaving these distances until my wife and I become empty nesters.

Here are my tips for becoming an early riser:

• Know your limits (insert sleep stats)

• Do NOT make drastic changes or unrealistic goals.   Start slowly!  Baby steps!  Set yourself up for both a short and long term win!  How?  Wake just 5-15 minutes earlier than usual Monday – Saturday.  Get used to this for a few 21-30 days .  Then cut back another 5-15 minutes.  Do this gradually until you get to your goal time.

• (Adjusting the your clock at sunset first – hyperlink to article).  You might be used to staying up late with friends or family, or perhaps watching movies, gaming online, surfing the Internet for deals and/or research. WARNING – But if you continue this habit, while trying to get up earlier, sooner or later something is going to give! – WARNING  And for the purpose of this article let’s just say it’s the early rising that gives, then you will crash and return to hold developed habits having to start over making small shifts.  And it that happens know your not alone as I’ve started countless times and come to the conclusion that I’m aiming for a lifestyle shift versus the goal of rising early. Suggestion 1: Start sleeping more on the sunset side of the clock – aka: start going to bed earlier.  How?  How can you go to bed even if your now tired or don’t think you’ll sleep?  Here are three things that helped me in this transition: A) Night time or as my family calls it sleepy time tea just after dinner. B) Reading in bed with a two (2) chapter limit. C) Quite emptying mediation or body relaxation.  And it you are really tired, who know you just might fall asleep sooner than you think.

• Strategically place your alarm away from you bed and have that which you intend to do next to it (work on this). If it’s right next to your bed, you’ll shut it off or hit snooze. If it’s far from your bed, you have to get up out of bed to shut it off. By then, you’re up. Now you just have to stay up or risk getting jabbed from your partner for disturbing their slumber only to return to sandmans land.

• Don’t be pulled back into back.  AKA: All of us do it but don’t allow yourself to rationalize going back to bed.  In order to establish a new routine or habit the old must be broken and overcome.  How?  For me baby steps are key!  I zombie-sih-ly quietly stumble into the bathroom, splash cold water on my face, go pee, and have my training clothing sitting there. By the time I’ve done that I am awake enough to face the next challenge of getting out the door (rain or shine).

• Don’t over think or attempt to rationalize it.  If you allow your brain to talk you out of getting up early in the early stages of this shift, you’ll like me have to then coquear the battle of rationalize before you win.  I wouldn’t say don’t make getting back in bed an option, but make it an option only once a week or on a special occasion.

• Allow yourself to sleep in on the sunrise side of things once in awhile. Despite my previous points, my goal has never been a legal or religious matter.  With that said you need to give yourself the freedom of sleeping in once in awhile as truth be told it’s nice to sleep in once in a while.  Beware, old habits and patterns die hard and well always want you to come back.  I do it maybe once every couple weeks or so.

• Morning rewards.  AKA: Make waking up early a reward. Yes, it might seem at first that you are forcing yourself to do something hard, but if you make it pleasurable, soon you will look forward to waking up early. My reward used to be to enjoy a hot cup of tea and cruise the internet. I’ve since then tried to limit my online time and enjoy the world presently around me.  Other rewards I’ve come to love, slowly cooking a tasty breakfast for myself and family, watching the sunrise from different locations, listing to nature wake up, or exorcising while meditation of life’s situations. What’s important is to find something that’s pleasurable for you, and allow yourself to do it as part of your morning routine so that you feel like you’re achieving a win – win to start your day.

• Make the time count for YOU.  Take advantage the extra peace, quite, and time.  Truth be told it’s TIME that is life’s most precious commodity.  Do not wake up an hour or two early just to read your blogs, start working; unless that’s a major goal of yours. In other words, don’t wake up early and waste that extra time.  Have purpose to getting up!  Some desire to get a jump-start on their day!  Some cherish solitude and peace before the noise begins.  I like to use that time exorcise three (3) days a week and to help prepare my kids’ lunches.  Other things I’ve used that time for: meditating, reading and then by the time 6:30 rolls around, I have done more than many people do the entire day.

• Breathe, enjoy, and allow yourself to fully take in the moment before you!  As much as you can I’d encourage you to, get outside (or at least look outside) and watch the pre dawn sunrise, the sunrise, the sky turn light, and all creation come to life.  It’s beautiful and yet it’s quiet and peaceful.  It’s much like breathe taking music to the soul and now it’s my favorite time of day.

Action step: Leave a comment. Thoughts?  I’d be honored to hear and have you share thoughts.  How? Simply leave or submit a comment below and personally commit take one step forward from where you are at today.