Pre-Dawn Society: Being Awake is…..being awake
I have another blog that focuses on the 5 habits you need right now. One of those habits was to adopt a morning routine. In this blog, we will focus exclusively on why a morning routine is so important.
Own the Day!!
I have always said—if you wake up early, you own the day. And if you own the day, you own the week. And if you own the week, you own the month. And so on. Waking up before the sun is not easy. There are days that I loathe my alarm. I literally wish evil on Alexa for making that horrid noise. But on days I don’t wake up early, I am less productive, less alert, less motivated and way more tired. Yes, I am more tired when I wake up late. I’m grumpy and groggy and it takes longer for me to become awake. And that is what this blog is about. Being physically awake before the sun rises helps you be spiritually and emotionally awake in life.
Greatness is made
It has been said that greatness is not born, it is made. What does this mean? Ever heard of Kobe Bryant? He never stopped working. Never. He never rested on his laurels. He wasn't born a great ball player, he worked hard every single day to be a great ball player. It means that there is greatness in all of us. But self doubt and laziness sometimes stop of from reaching that “greatness”. However, if we work at being great, and tap into our potentials, we can achieve anything. But it takes work. And work is hard. So lots of us stop there. But we don’t have to. Waking up earlier than our bodies would normally or naturally, can help us have more time in the day to achieve what we want and if we make our early morning routines count, we can make BIG things happen every day.
Here is a list of successful people who have early morning routines: Mark Cuban, Jack Dorsey (CEO at Square), Oprah, Arianna Huffington, Ernest Hemingway, Richard Branson (founder and chairman of Virgin Group), Sheryl Sandberg, Mark Zuckerberg, Benjamin Franklin, Bill Gates, Michelle Obama, Jennifer Anniston, Bill McNabb (Chairman of the Vanguard Group), General Stanley McChrystal (retired U.S. Army four-star general), Mellody Hobson (President of Ariel Investments), L. Rafael Reif (President of M.I.T.), Scott Adams (creator of Dilbert), Mary Barra (Chief Executive at GM), Tim Armstrong (CEO at AOL), Indra Nooyi (CEO at PepsiCo), Tim Cook (CEO at Apple), Bob Iger (CEO at Disney), Ursula Burns (CEO at Xerox), Margaret Thatcher, Napoleon, Condoleeza Rice, John Grisham (author), Mozart, and Frank Lloyd Wright.
What should your morning routine consist of?
I believe to achieve maximum benefits, your morning routine should consist of these 5 steps:
1. Move
Exercise. You don’t have to go to the gym or run 15 miles in the early morning hours, but some kind of movement is good for you first thing in the morning. I tend to do a few rounds of sun salutations or simple stretches to get the muscles limber.
Benefits—It enhances your energy levels. It also gives you less ability to make excuses for not exercising. Waiting until the end of the day just postpones it and sometimes makes it more difficult to fit an exercise routine into your day.
2. Be Still
Meditation. Let’s be honest, you will probably never be at the level of a Tibetan monk in your ability to quiet the mind and meditate, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get the benefits of mediation. Even simply being quiet and breathing is helpful. And early in the morning it’s easier for you to be quiet because the rest of the world is still asleep.
Benefits—Mediation has so many benefits for your physical and mental health. To name a few, it helps reduce stress levels. It increases imagination and creativity. It increases self-awareness and decreases anxiety. All of these benefits help you be more productive in the upcoming day.
3. Expand
Everyone has their way of expanding their mind and growing. Reading. Journaling. Listening to podcasts. Try one of these for 15-30 minutes each day.
Benefits-- Neuroplasticity or brain plasticity is the ability of neural networks in the brain to change through growth and reorganization. These changes range from individual neurons making new connections to, systematic adjustments like cortical remapping. Learning new things keeps your brain young and vital and helps your brain make these new connections.
4. Set Intentions
Setting your intentions is different than meditating. This means to plan your day or strategize. I have my clients use their personalized journals to keep themselves on task. But this can mean anything that you need to set your intentions for the day—do you want to be more mindful, or more healthy? Do you need to chart out your chores or tasks for the day? Some people just set their intention for the day with a simple affirmation or mantra. Whatever “speaks” to you, is how you should accomplish setting your intentions. I believe that goal setting is the first step to being successful—the focus is on the future. But setting intentions is about truly living your “awake” life—because the focus is on you and how your values shape your life.
Benefits—setting goals helps you with an overall sense of mental well being. It also gives you long-term and short-term motivation. You organize yourself and keep yourself focused. By outlining your goals, you are more able to achieve them.
5. Be Selfish
All my clients have a section in their journal to write down the one thing they did just for themselves every single day. Sometimes I tell them it’s okay to write “breathe”. But regardless, waking up early and having a morning routine, allows you to be a little selfish and have a little extra time just for yourself. Whether it’s to drink your coffee slowly. Or watch the sunrise. Take a long, hot shower. Or just sit in quiet. Being an early riser allows you to add in some “you” time and check off some much needed self-care.
Benefits—Self care is not self-ish. It’s about making yourself a priority. Being selfish limits your ability to give to others, whereas self-care enhances it. When you are healthier, you are in a better position to help others. In addition, adding in a self-care ritual to your morning routine can boost your emotional and physical health and actually help you become more resilient and more stress-free.
Stay away from your phone
It goes without saying that we do our morning routine without our devices. It’s been said that we can change the world or we can look at our devices. It seems very simple but it’s very profound. Our devices are amazing. They keep us connected to information and people and our lives. But at the same time keep us disconnected from the present. Keep our devices shut off for the first 30 minutes or even better first hour after you wake up, keeps you focused on your morning routine and not run astray of the benefits of your “awake” time.
Did you know that 80% of all smartphone users check their phones within 15 minutes of waking up every morning? This disrupts your chances of starting the day with a calm mind and according to Dr. Nikole Benders-Hadi, a psychiatrist, “immediately turning to your phone when you wake up can start your day off in a way that is more likely to increase stress and leave you feeling overwhelmed.”
So, no one is saying that the ONLY way to be successful in life or in your day is to wake up before the sun, but…..why not try it? There are scientifically proven benefits of waking up early in those dark, pre-dawn hours before most of the world stirs…..so why not take advantage of it? Figure out if being awake (with me) and opening your eyes bright and early helps you see better and be more awake in your life. What do you have to lose (except a few zzzzz’s)?
Other articles to read:
https://www.thegentlemansjournal.com/article/getting-5am-key-success/
https://www.nu.nl/files/IDC-Facebook%20Always%20Connected%20(1).pdf
Allyson Brupbacher was born and raised in New Orleans until she enrolled and then graduated from University of Houston Law School in 1997. She has been practicing family law for over 20 years. She is board certified in family law and a licensed mediator. She lives in Houston, Texas. She describes herself as a lawyer, mother and badass but not necessarily in that order. Her background provides a unique perspective to help parties in the middle of a divorce. If you are in need of a divorce coach, contact her at www.coachingbyallyb.com or email at allyb@coachingbyallyb.com or follow her on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. And visit her blog-- https://coachingbyallyb.blogspot.com
