Hearing my alarm clock go off in the morning used to be the bane of my life.
I absolutely hated it. I would feel a cloud of discomfort come over me, and I’d hit snooze.
The snooze was pointless really. It would give me an extra five minutes of rest. We can’t get anything productive out of those five minutes, so why do we do it?
For me it was just putting off the inevitable. Which can’t be avoided. I have to get up, start my day, go to work, etc
I’d lay there for those five minutes. I’d try to get back to sleep, thinking I’d feel way better for it. Or procrastinate, thinking about reasons why I can’t get up.
It was all a vicious circle of negative output. So I started wondering why I didn’t have the willpower or energy to spring out of bed.
There must be a reason for it. I was getting enough sleep, my bed was comfy, I wanted to get on with my day productively. So why the big sigh when I hear my alarm.
Well, I no longer have this problem. When I hear my alarm now, my mind and body responds and I just simply get out of bed.
Further more, I wake up around the same time as my alarm is going to go off anyway. Making it even easier.
I feel fresh, energized, happier, and I am way more productive throughout the day.
If you also want to conquer the alarm clock, read on and all will be revealed. You can do it too, it just takes some practice and patience as I will explain.
Step 1 – It’s Not a Test of Willpower or Discipline
I used to think it was a mental challenge. I assumed it took mental fortitude to get up early when you don’t feel like it.
How wrong I was. Relying on strong willpower to pop up out of bed is a very shortsighted solution. It can be done, but it will drain you.
Think about how you feel and think first thing in the morning after you wake. You’re not functioning how you would be at say midday, with peak alertness.
Take into account what you were thinking the night before when you were fully awake for example. You set your alarm to a specific time for a reason. Why do you think your early morning hazy decision to snooze it is a good one?
It’s not. You should be getting up effortlessly when your alarm goes off.
We also have a subconscious mind. The part of our mind that pushes us to have the habits that we do. Like smoking, over-thinking, and ignoring that wake up call.
So the first step to this process is to understand the difference between your awake conscious-self, your subconscious-self, and your hazy half-awake self. Stop listening to your half-awake self that has just awoken, you cannot trust that side of you!
Step 2 – Tap into Your Subconscious Thought Process
Believe it or not, this can become easy if you tap into your subconscious mind – sounds easy, right?
We all do many things through our subconscious minds daily without realizing it. Because they are exactly that, subconscious. Habits, ways we do things, how we’re wired, starting to realize what this means?
We have habits because we did something over and over. Whether by choice, or just because we felt compelled to. But this is how you formed those habits, by repetition.
This next part is going to sound crazy to some of you at first. It did to me actually. But don’t just pass on it, actually do as I say – it works.
Basically you need to practice getting up when you hear your alarm. Think about this from the end, back to the start. If you train yourself to get up when you hear your alarm, you will do so with greater ease.
There are a few different ways I recommend you do this, these are:
- Replicate your morning conditions as closely as possible while not being so tired. So pick an early evening. Darken your room, get into bed dressed the same as you would were it morning. Then set the alarm for 10 minutes ahead and try to sleep.
- If you have sleep habits to help you sleep. Carry out these before getting into bed. Set your alarm for 10 or so minutes ahead, then try and sleep, and
- Go to bed a lot earlier than normal so you will be very fresh when the alarm goes off.
In all of these instances, when the alarm goes off it’s important you jump up and turn it off. It should be easy to do, as these are just simulations and you’re not so tired.
Next do as you would if it were really the morning. Stand up, stretch, take a deep breath of air and head to the bathroom. Take 10 minutes, and repeat the exercise.
If you still think this sounds a little crazy, push those thoughts aside. You are training yourself to do something, just as you would an exercise at the gym, a repetition at work, or memorizing something.
Step 3 – Set the Scene and Make It Happen!
This will take a few weeks practicing on and off every few days for most. You should notice your early mornings becoming easier all the time.
You will start waking up naturally at a time around that of your alarm if you’re consistent with your timing. Another key to this being successful is to make it easier on you while your practicing.
Don’t have late nights, drink heavily, and revert to your old ways. Breaking bad habits isn’t easy, but once they are broken it’s easy to keep to your new habits.
Have a positive mindset throughout. Reassure yourself what you are doing is going to work, and why you’re doing it. Work out how much more productive you will be when you’re getting up 30 minutes earlier a day.
Finally, good luck! It made a massive impact on my life when I conquered my battle with the alarm clock. It will do the same for you too.
Phil lives in England, UK, and has around 20 years experience as a professional life, career and executive coach. He started this blog to help others find and define their own self development journey. Blogging about a wide range of topics to help facilitate a better future.
Great post Phil!
with positive mindset and will to develop new habit, one can easily overcome challenges and change resistance. Nice blogs and very well written posts! Keep it up!
Absolutely, Bharat.
Thanks for the kind comments, and for stopping by.