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LAZY GIRL’S GUIDE TO GETTING UP EARLY

I’m a natural Night Owl. But I also want to be an Early Bird. And as I get older, it’s getting harder and harder for me to stay up late. The struggle is real, wanting to be at both ends of the sleepy spectrum. I start to burn the candle from both ends. Being in your 30’s with little kids might have sealed my fate for being perpetually tired–but I know how getting up early affects my life. In fact, getting up early even saves my sanity, so I’ve had to make it priority in my life.

I hate to call myselfย lazy.ย I get a lot done. I do work hard and have a lot to juggle in my life. BUT I have to be honest with myself in my sleep routines–I am completely lazy when it comes to getting up early. Honesty is the first step right?? So, I got honest, dissected what prevents me from getting my butt outta bed, and put together this guide–for the other lazy girls out there.
Ever feel like there HAS to be an easier way to get up early? Here's my lazy girl's guide to getting up early.

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My morning challenges

Two things. I’m completely distractable and completely lazy from alarm till about 10 am. That’s a huge chunk of time I’m missing in the productivity department. Figuring out where my challenges lay was the first step in solving the problem so here’s my solutions.

No more distractions

  • My phone can’t be my alarm. My “alarm” will quickly become my reason for staying in bed another 20 minutes checking Instagram. Which leads to Facebook. Which lead to eternal damnation of morning disasters.
  • I use a straight-up old-school radio alarm. I wake up to Minnesota Public Radio.

Fixing my lazy

  • Doingย anythingย I can to make my morning easier is such a must for me. So naturally this starts the night before.
  • I fill my water bottle and have it in the fridge waiting for me.
  • Prep breakfast for myself and the kids–mix up pancakes, set out the egg pan, bowls/spoons/cereal to the counter, wash berries–whatever I can do to make preparing that first meal easier.
  • Make a list! I learned this tip from Make Over Your Mornings course (which is the best $$ I’ve spent for shaping up my routine, by the way). Each night I look over my weekly list and plug things into my list for tomorrow. I also look over my calendar to see if I need to prepare anything else ahead of time.
  • Setting out our school work the night before also realllllly helps us to hop right in and get going. I fill in the kids’ assignment notebooks and tidy up the school room so it’s ready to go.
  • Make the coffee and set the timer! (my life’s blood)ย Extra wake-up incentive: have something fun to add to your coffee. I’ve been using this milk frother for almost two years and it never fails to trick me into thinking I’m at my local coffee shop.
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Clearly, one of us is not a morning person. (@aliciaahutchinson)

Early bedtime incentives and helps

My biggest issue with getting up early is being so tired. And obviously, that’s because I’m staying up too late. I’ve been learning the hard way that for me, nothing very productive is happening after about 9pm. (or earlier if I’m really honest) I have just startedย shutting everything downย around that time. Phone, computer, TV–anything else that isย notย helping me get to bed at a decent time, all gone for the night. Here’s some other things that make me itch to get into bed early.

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But eating all the muffin tops helps. (@aliciaahutchinson)

Why I have to get up early

For me, it’s because pretty clear that if I want to have a successful day where I’m not falling apart by 11am, I need to get up early(ish). My kids get up around 8, so if I’m not planning on working out, my ideal wake-up would be 6-6:30. What I’ve learned from getting up early isย this:

  • I need calm. I need that first hour of my day to be quiet, peaceful and calm. The rest of the day might be crazy and chaotic, but I know I have that little window I can read a daily reading (I usually read from Simple Abundance or A Gracious Space), drink my coffee, and write a few lines in my journal.
  • I need to get a start on the day! If I want to create margin in my day, lazing around till 10 is not the answer. If I get up and get going on some little tasks, it sets my whole day in motion.
  • As hard as it may be to take some days, I do set the tone for our days. If I am unmotivated, you can bet everyone else will be too. I want to have good mornings! I don’t want to be rushing because I hit my snooze button four times.

This time of year, more than ever, we’ve got to be on our game, Mamas. Are you a lazy morning girl too?


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19 Comments

  1. This was so helpful! Thank you! I need to write my โ€œwhyโ€ next to my bed of why I need to get up! Cos thereโ€™s no motivation that early! thanks for your honesty x x x

  2. Fellow MNer here and the dark cold mornings are HARD. We found a fancy alarm clock lamp that simulates a sunrise in your room. It slowly brightens your room so we can start to wake up naturally. We saved a few bucks and bought a damaged box on amazon.

  3. I feel like you are describing me in this post! Itโ€™s so helpful. Currently, my biggest challenge to making all of this happen is a baby that is not sleeping well and has decided to wake up several times throughout early morning. Itโ€™s frustrating, but I also know it will pass.

  4. Getting up early is HARD! I went through a phase where I wasn’t sleeping well and then it was even more brutal to wake up in the morning. I’m sleeping much better since I’ve started taking chelated magnesium, valerian root, and melatonin before going to bed each night. They help me fall asleep and stay asleep. Definitely a good combination!

  5. Were you in my brain lately? I have been staying up way too late blogging & reading. Thanks for these reminders & tips:)

  6. Such a great, helpful post! I find it much easier to stay up late than to get up early. ๐Ÿ™ However, even if all I do is get a shower in before the kids are up I feel WAY ahead. I really need to listen to your advice because I truly need that calm time before the three boys are up. Thanks, Alicia!

  7. I love this post Alicia!! I’m a Night Owl too and have to drag myself out of bed every morning. But after I took Make Over Your Mornings I realized how much more productive my days go when I’m up early. I get so much more done. ๐Ÿ™‚

  8. Oh mama. When babies aren’t sleeping, that is the hardest. Give yourself grace and do what you can to make your mornings smoother. Set out clothes ahead of time, give yourself some great incentive for getting up earlier…like that milk frother!!

  9. I have been struggle getting up early for sometime. I have never been a morning person. But lately it has really been bugging me! I need to do better. I literly was just talking to myself (haha!!) about ways to help me get up early and not be lazy. I get on facebook being lazy and Bam this post pops up. Thanks for sharing!! Im not alone.

  10. Totally am! Partially has to do with having a 10 month old who still doesn’t sleep through the night. I still haven’t figured out how to create a routine that carries across pregnancy, babies, repeat.

  11. Great post Alicia! I so agree and I have taken some of these to add to my list. I need to buy that frother!

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