Going to bed early enough that your actually awake before your alarm really makes mornings easy. I didn’t used to be a morning person but I kinda am now!
The next question does then become - how do I make myself go to bed at a sensible time?
This is good advice. I used to really push how late I’d stay up and then get jolted awake by my alarm. Felt like trash.
Now I go to bed like 9.5 hours before I have to get up (midnight -> 930) and usually wake up before the alarm. Feels great.
I set alarms for my bedtime to train myself into it. Like, alarm goes off at 11pm and I start winding down whatever I’m doing (video games, usually). Now I just do it naturally.
But as you said, how do you actually do the thing?
I’ve luckily never had problems with executive function, so I can’t really imagine clearly what it’s like to not be able to just make a decision and execute. One of my friends swears by medication, because they got diagnosed as an adult with ADHD.
Coffee, morning sunlight, rituals with my dog like treat time. More coffee. Gotta love coffee.
I’ve got young kids. Waking up early is the best time for me to be productive and enjoy solitude.
it’s a lie
discipline beats motivation. make it just something you do, not something to be considered and decided.
you don’t need a pep talk for every little thing.
Not to fully disagree here, because sometimes we all need to do things we don’t want, but I don’t want to live a life where everyday requires unyielding discipline just to get up.
Maybe you’re talking more about habits, than forcing yourself to live through another awful day.
What makes you able to do this?
I’m not who you asked, but for me it’s that I have a person and several animals who depend on me. I’d never succeed if I had to do it for myself.
C+++
I actually remind myself this is the worst moment of the day. It gets better and better.
I wake up with rather dark, pessimistic thoughts. They tend to fade toward mid-day.
So, again, I say “this is the literal worst moment of the entire day” (Its very rarely not true)
I put my alarm far enough away that I need to get up to turn it off. By then I’m already out of bed, which is otherwise the hardest part for me by far.
I used to do this but I learned to sleepwalk. I got an evening job and no longer need an alarm.
Wake up 15 minutes before I have to leave.
Don’t, but not starving to death is a good motivator! You can also remove barrier to entry to the thing you want to do. Remove one barrier at a time. Want to go on a trip? Save the money, then prep a suitcase, then prep the car, then you suddenly just go, no barriers left.
Motivation is a big word… I just get up at some point and follow my routine. Lying in bed for too long without sleeping feels like a waste of time to me.
Coffee. I mean, high quality Specialty Coffee. Grind the beans by yourself, feel that aroma, complete the ritual by sipping the black nectar of productivity. It will be the best moment of your entire day.
It doesn’t need to be coffee, or even high quality coffee, but I agree that having a routine you devote a small amount of time to every morning for a reward at the end is a great way to start the day. It combines meditation and achievement, which are both great boosts to your mental health. Like you, I do the coffee thing but I know other people like to start their day with a run or a workout which has additional health benefits and leaves them feeling more upbeat about the day ahead.
I like having a roof over my head and food on the table, therefore I need to work.
Panic, mostly.
ephedrine
