Now, Justin Cobb recognizes the idea of waking up any earlier than we absolutely have to doesn’t sound like a good time, however, once you do it, you will be surprised how much better you feel for it — when it’s your choice. That’s the key element right there — it has to be your decision, instead of a chore. For example, rolling out of bed at the last minute, so you have to get dressed, get ready, and run versus choosing to rise out of bed an hour before you have to get ready for work and spending the start of your day, the way you want to.
When we have a function in the evening or a long night ahead, most of us will usually gift ourselves with an hour of deserved rest time before we get busy again right? So doesn’t it make sense to do this before our day really gets going? Why don’t more of us do this? Usually, because we need to adjust our mindset. Many people see waking up as having to – get up. Instead of being happy to start the new day, people feel resentful for the sleep they’ve had taken away from them, leaving them to clutch to every last minute of shut-eye, when actually this has a reverse effect, and you become restless because your mind is stressing, instead of resting. Switch up your mindset and tell yourself it’s because you want to, you’re the one in control of your time, and you’ll see just how much easier getting out of bed can be.
Rising before the sun can actually feel like quite the accomplishment, especially if you have a competitive nature! You’ll start every morning having already bagged a win! Justin Cobb shares with us just a few things we can do to get a head start over our busy schedules.
Exercise
However you choose to do it, your better doing some rather than none. A light stretch even suffices, but exercise is proven to wake the brain, adrenaline is an instant high, causing heightened attention and faster information processing.
Take a longer shower
We’re not promoting water waste, but perhaps you rush your morning shower because you always wake up minutes before you have to rush out the front door. So soak a little longer as a reward.
Catch up on reading
Your extra time in the mornings gives you a good opportunity to get your daily reading out the way, or at least half of it perhaps, depending on your reading schedule. Justin Cob advises reading your first half first thing and the second lot before you sleep. Otherwise, read your newspaper, having time to read it in the comfort of your home and not on the subway, is a real pleasure.
Social Media
Justin Cobb, like Most professionals, will advise not using social media during work time as it only becomes a distraction, even scrolling for 3 or 4 minutes may seem like nothing, but it interrupts your flow and damages productivity. So do your scrolling and your messaging first thing, and you won’t have to worry about it till your back home again or on lunch.
Emails
Not as soon as you wake up, but checking your emails while you enjoy your morning brew (because now you have time to enjoy one) can be a real time saver. Not only this, but you can get to work prepared for what’s to come, your up to date on everything before you’ve stepped through the door.
Justin Cobb says, “Alongside being prepared and having time to do the things you usually miss out on, you will notice your stress levels almost disappear! You will have a lot more time to move at a normal human pace and no longer feel like you are rapidly tossed into your hectic life right when you wake up.”
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