Waking up early can be hard; And after an evening out with friends, or staying up to finish that last-minute assignment, it can be nearly impossible. For years, I wouldn’t wake up until my fourth alarm went off, and I’d find myself with just fifteen minutes to get ready for class, which naturally left me looking like a hot mess. Every morning I’d find myself running out the door, coffee in-hand, with a convincingly purposeful messy bun. That was the daily routine until one year when I made it my New Year’s Resolution to start getting up early to go to the gym before classes. Somehow, I managed to pull myself from the comfort of my bed morning after morning, and eventually I was able to wake up without even setting the alarm. I found myself getting excited before going to bed because of my morning routine, and actually having energy before I’d even had my first cup of coffee.
After a while, I started to notice that I wasn’t just more productive in the morning, but I actually got more done throughout the day. Here are some reasons waking up early is key for having a productive day.
- You’ll literally have more hours to get stuff done.
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Waking up at 6:00 instead of 10:00 gives you an extra 4 hours in the day! That’s time to go to the gym, finish the homework you’ve been putting off, do some laundry, and actually enjoy your coffee for once. You’d be surprised how much longer the day feels (in a good way).
- You’ll have time to make yourself look good.
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When you look good, you feel good, and when you feel good you’re more likely to do things that are good for you! When you step out of the house with last night’s makeup on and the sweatshirt from what’s-his-name you stole 4 years ago, it’s no wonder you rush back from class with your head down and watch Netflix for the rest of the day. But by waking up early, you’ll have time to take a shower, do your makeup (if you like wearing makeup), and choose an outfit you actually feel good about wearing. Now after class you might want to go to a coffee shop with some friends, go to the library, or just go on a walk!
- You’ll be well-rested.
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Of course, if you’re getting up early you probably won’t be able to stay up as late as you used to. You might be thinking you don’t want to be left out of all the *after-hours* fun, but honestly, how much of it is really fun and not just endless scrolling on social media. Now, you can use this time to get some much-needed beauty sleep.
- You’ll probably see improvements in your physical health.
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By waking up early, you’ll have time to have breakfast and possibly go to the gym. This will start your day on a healthy note, and you’ll most likely continue the trend throughout the day. This can help your confidence, and give you motivation to go through the day with a positive attitude.
- You’ll feel more inspired.
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Getting up early is an opportunity to connect with yourself. In my experience, the mornings are a peaceful time to reflect on your goals for the day and plan the steps to get there. Not only that, but sunrises have a tendency to make you feel pretty dang inspired.