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10 Benefits of Rising Early, and How to Do It | Zen Habits

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Saved by 46 people (-10 private), first by anonymouse user on 2007-05-25


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Do not rationalize. If you allow your brain to talk you out of getting up early, you’ll never do it. Don’t make getting back in bed an option.

Highlighted by nightinhales

Do not rationalize. If you allow your brain to talk you out of getting up early, you’ll never do it. Don’t make getting back in bed an option.

Highlighted by nightinhales

Do not rationalize. If you allow your brain to talk you out of getting up early, you’ll never do it. Don’t make getting back in bed an option.

Highlighted by nightinhales

Recently, reader Rob asked me about my habit of waking at 4:30 a.m. each day, and asked me to write about the health benefits of rising early, which I thought was an excellent question. Unfortunately, there are none, that I know of. However, there are a ton of other great benefits.

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Do not rationalize. If you allow your brain to talk you out of getting up early, you’ll never do it. Don’t make getting back in bed an option.

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10 Benefits of Rising Early, and How to Do It

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10 Benefits of Rising Early

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10 Benefits of Rising Early, and How to Do It

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“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise” - Ben Franklin, famously

Highlighted by chenzhiyuan

“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise”

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waking at 4:30 a.m. each day

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health benefits of rising early

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Unfortunately, there are none, that I know of.

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However, there are a ton of other great benefits.

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let me first say that if you are a night owl, and that works for you, I think that’s great

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switching from being a night owl to an early riser (and yes, it is possible) has been a godsend

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get up, and greet a wonderful new day. I suggest creating a morning ritual that includes saying thanks for your blessings

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Greet the day.

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Dalai Lama, who said, ” Everyday, think as you wake up, ‘today I am fortunate to have woken up, I am alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others, to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings, I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others, I am going to benefit others as much as I can.’ “

Highlighted by cssoares2007

I used to start my day by jumping out of bed, late as usual, and rushing to get myself and the kids ready, and rushing to drop them to school and come in to work late. I would walk into work, looking rumpled and barely awake, grumpy and behind everyone else. Not a great start to your day.

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rushing to get myself and the kids ready

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Amazing start

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used to start my day by jumping out of bed, late as usual

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rushing to drop them to school and come in to work late

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Now, I have a renewing morning ritual, I’ve gotten so much done before 8 a.m., my kids are early and so am I, and by the time everyone else gets in to work, I’ve already gotten a head start.

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Quietude

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early morning hours are so peaceful

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Sunrise

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Rise early and you actually have time for breakfast.

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Breakfast

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one of the most important meals of the day

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Rise early and you actually have time for breakfast

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Plus, eating breakfast while reading my book and drinking my coffee in the quiet of the morning is eminently more enjoyable than scarfing something down on the way to work, or at your desk

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Exercise

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Morning exercise is virtually never canceled

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Morning exercise is virtually never canceled

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Productivity. Mornings, for me at least, are the most productive time of day.

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do some writing in the morning, when there are no distractions, before I check my email or blog stats

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Then, when evening rolls around, I have no work that I need to do, and I can spend it with family

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Goal time.

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And there’s no better time to review them and plan for them and do your goal tasks than first thing

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You should have one goal that you want to accomplish this week.

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every morning, you should decide what one thing you can do today to move yourself further towards that goal

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do that first thing in the morning.

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Commute

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Commute early, and the traffic is much lighter, and you get to work faster, and thus save yourself more time

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commute by bike

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Appointments

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easier to make those early appointments on time

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Showing up early will impress them

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late for those appointments is a bad signal to the person you’re meeting

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How to Become an Early Riser

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waking just 15-30 minutes earlier than usual

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Don’t make drastic changes

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Start slowly

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Don’t make drastic changes. Start slowly, by waking just 15-30 minutes earlier than usual. Get used to this for a few days. Then cut back another 15 minutes. Do this gradually until you get to your goal time.

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gradually until you get to your goal time.

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Get used to this for a few days. Then cut back another 15 minutes

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Don’t make drastic changes. Start slowly, by waking just 15-30 minutes earlier than usual. Get used to this for a few days. Then cut back another 15 minutes. Do this gradually until you get to your goal time.

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Allow yourself to sleep earlier

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I suggest going to bed earlier, even if you don’t think you’ll sleep, and read while in bed

Highlighted by cssoares2007

I suggest going to bed earlier, even if you don’t think you’ll sleep, and read while in bed.

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Put your alarm clock far from you bed

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Never hit snooze

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Put your alarm clock far from you bed.

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Go out of the bedroom as soon as you shut off the alarm

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My habit is to stumble into the bathroom and go pee

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Go out of the bedroom as soon as you shut off the alarm. Don’t allow yourself to rationalize going back to bed. Just force yourself to go out of the room. My habit is to stumble into the bathroom and go pee. By the time I’ve done that, and flushed the toilet and washed my hands and looked at my ugly mug in the mirror, I’m awake enough to face the day.

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Do not rationalize. If you allow your brain to talk you out of getting up early, you’ll never do it.

Highlighted by cssoares2007

Have a good reason. Set something to do early in the morning that’s important

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I like to write in the morning, so that’s my reason.

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Don’t make getting back in bed an option.

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Make waking up early a reward.

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if you make it pleasurable, soon you will look forward to waking up early

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A good reward is to make a hot cup of coffee or tea and read a book

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Find something that’s pleasurable for you, and allow yourself to do it as part of your morning routine.

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Take advantage of all that extra time.

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Don’t wake up an hour or two early just to read your blogs, unless that’s a major goal of yours.

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Get a jump start on your day!

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get a head start on preparing my kids’ lunches, on planning for the rest of the day

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exercising or meditating, and on reading

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when I set my MITs

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By the time 6:30 rolls around, I’ve done more than many people do the entire day.

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