I am currently writing this blog on my balcony, quietly sipping my coffee and enjoying a nice breakfast of freshly squeezed OJ with smashed avo’ and vegemite on toast. I’ve just completed a 40 minute workout and now I’m catching up on the previous night’s tennis action. Sounds like a nice Saturday morning doesn’t it? It’s actually approaching 7am on a Monday. This is because of my new commitment to waking up extra early, warming up my body and brain, and trying to catch that elusive worm that all the early birds are talking about.
Before I go on, I should mention that my daily commute isn’t a very long one. I also cycle to work and complete my shower and grooming regime upon arrival. This awards me a very luxurious wake up time of 7.30am should I choose to be lazy. As a result, the moment I first sit down at my desk is less than one hour after I wake up. I was struggling to gain momentum, even with the help of a very large caffeine hit. Whether it was lack of sleep, oversleep, lack of breakfast or exercise – something wasn’t working in my morning routine.
I decided to lengthen the period between waking up and starting work – a sort of buffer zone – about an hour and a half in my case. I get it – a luxury not all can afford, but I’m reminded that some of the world’s most successful people wake up as early as 3.30am – and they have inspired me to maximise my personal time before work. So I exercise, read, eat a nice breakfast – I even meal prep for the week. Has it worked? Absolutely. There’s been a noticeable improvement, and it’s now something I really look forward to. It’s invigorating and I’ve welcomed the newfound pep in my step.
Being a serial alarm snoozer, at first it was far from easy. But after committing to the routine, it’s become a bit of a life changer. Some of the immediate changes I’ve noticed after two months:
- I’m more attentive and have more creative energy (in marketing, this is vital)
- My morning period has become my most productive
- It has become easier to say no to unhealthy foods, although this could be attributed to eating a proper, non-portable breakfast
- I’m sleeping less, but it seems to be better quality ‘deep’ sleep, and now I’m less tired
- I really, really enjoy my Saturday sleep ins
Maybe it’s not for you, but if you’re a serial snoozer like I was – why not get up early and go get the worm!
Full disclosure though – I am yet to practice this in the cold months of winter.
Ben Giltrap
Group Marketing Coordinator
