How I Mastered the Art of Waking Up Early
The forgotten first step of every successful morning routine
My husband wakes up at 5:20 AM for work.
For the first three months, I tried to rise early with him. That lasted about as long as any New Year’s Resolution.
On the quest to build the perfect morning routine, I discovered this:
Finding what works for YOU — not anyone else — is the key to a successful morning routine. But you can’t…until you’ve mastered the art of waking up.
I realized what so many people were missing: the very first (and most important) step. But how do you “master” opening your eyes? I’ve broken my process into three questions, based on my experience.
When do I wake up?
I woke up at 5:30 every day in grade school. After seven years, I still hated every minute of it.
Waking up before the sun rises clearly isn’t for me. Instead, I aim to get out of bed between 6:00 and 7:00 AM. Some days, I’ll stay in bed until 8:00 AM. Scandalous.
Contrary to popular belief, not all successful billionaires wake up at 4:00 AM. Oprah doesn’t even set an alarm. She relies on her body’s natural clock to wake her up between 6:00 and 6:30 AM.
Your needs should determine what time you wake up.
In college, I wanted to wake up by 9:00 AM. But most days, even that was too difficult for me. As an actress, I had many late night rehearsals and shows. So I adjusted my schedule (no more 8:00 AM classes for me).
I still consider myself a night owl. I feel energized when the sun goes down, and I find it easier to focus around bedtime. But now that my husband is working full time, I prefer to free up my evenings for quality time.
Choosing what time to hit the hay is as important as picking your wake up time. Getting enough sleep to function the next day is a good place to start.
Why do I wake up?
Since I work from home now, I have the freedom to choose what time I wake up. I recognize not everyone is so fortunate. Choosing when to wind down in the evening is the next best thing.
When I wake up earlier, I feel ready for bed earlier too. But not always. It takes discipline to go to bed on time.
I’ve been tracking my mood and sleep schedule for almost two years. I noticed a trend. Staying up past 11:00 PM correlated with an increase in depression symptoms and poor mood.
My mental health journey is closely tied to my quality of rest. Some days I am fatigued despite sleeping eight hours.
Having a consistent morning routine keeps me going. Waking up early tricks my brain into thinking I have more time. I don’t feel as guilty taking much needed breaks throughout the day.
Motivation is hard to come by. I find myself more motivated when I have plenty of time to get ready in the mornings.
Finding a reason to wake up that’s more meaningful than “because I have to” changes the tone for the entire day.
How do I wake up?
My husband’s alarm goes off at 5:20 AM. I say good morning and stay in bed.
Yes, you read that right. I “snooze” after the alarm goes off. It’s a frowned upon practice that actually improves my mornings.
I take an intuitive approach to my daily routine. What I do depends on how energized I am feeling. When I first wake up, I feel very dizzy and disoriented, so I wait.
As I wake up, I assess how I’m feeling. Is it a high or low energy day — or somewhere between? I used to rely on Christine Miserandino’s Spoon Theory to estimate how much activity I could handle in a day.
There is value in pushing your limits to be more productive…if that works for you. For me, overestimating my availability causes me to crash.
Every morning requires grace. If I need to sleep in, I let myself. When I do rise, I’m more focused and able than I would have been.
When I must wake up at an ungodly hour, I make sure I have time later in the day to rest. I am honest about what my needs are.
Your Turn
Ready to give it a try? Ask yourself:
When do you need to wake up?
Choose a time that allows you to get enough sleep AND have plenty of time to get ready in the mornings.
Why are you waking up?
Beyond obligations (school, work, etc.) what inspires you to get out of bed every day? What do you live for?
How are you going to wake up?
What does your ideal morning feel like? Your inner dialogue starts after you open your eyes and sets the tone for your day.
