7 TIPS to Wake Up as EARLY as You Want

January 20, 2021 Ebonie Hyland

Last week, I shared with you my cacao ceremony. Waking early with cacao is my absolute favourite way to start my day, but as I mentioned in my cacao ceremony video, some mornings it is a bit of a struggle to get up early. Even when I’m rewarded with a delicious pure hot chocolate when I do!

So, I’ve discovered that there are a few tips and tricks that really help me get up early, and I thought I’d share them with you all today! I hope that they help you get the best start to your day, too!

Get yourself a cuppa (a necessity when talking about mornings), and let’s get started!

Hey everyone! Welcome back, or if you’re here for the first time, nice to meet you! My name is Ebonie and this blog (and the YouTube channel) is here to help you reconnect to your intuition, so you can manifest in the real world! If you’re interested in all things self-development and mindset, I hope you’ll enjoy today’s blog post (and/or watch the video), and consider subscribing to my YouTube channel linked above!

It can take a while to start a new habit, even one as rewarding as waking up early. The tips I’d like to share with you today have helped me so much. If I follow all this advice for myself, I wake up bright and early every time without fail.

Naturally, it’s all easier said than done right? Yet like with everything in life, it gets easier with time and practice. I’m only human, so of course, there are some days when it’s a bit of a struggle to wake up early, no matter how much sleep I get.

Though I never regret getting up early! Waking before everyone else, feeling super productive because of how much I can get done without interruptions – it’s such a great feeling!

Whether you’re getting up for cacao, or you just want to get a head start on the day, whatever your reason for getting up early, I hope these tips help make it not only possible for you, but enjoyable, too! If you don’t find something fun to do, you’ll be far less likely to want to do it again. Which leads me to my first point…

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Tip #1. Know WHY you’re getting up early and make it FUN

What is your purpose for getting up early? Have a clear reason why you want to get up early. Maybe it’s to spend some time on a project you’re working on, to study, to exercise – whatever it may be, know exactly what you’re setting out to accomplish when you get up early.

Also have at least a rough idea of what your plan is in the morning. What are the first things you’ll do once you’re up?

First thing in the morning, still in a sleepy state, you can easily just stumble straight back to bed unless you have a solid reason for staying awake.

It shouldn’t feel like a chore – or you won’t want to repeat it.

I make cacao, as I shared in last week’s post. I didn’t mention I also go to the bathroom and splash my face with cold water before I start making cacao, and I drink some water while I wait for the coconut milk to heat, too. These little tasks happen without thought but make a world of difference to waking me up.

Maybe the first thing you do is make your bed or do your skincare. Maybe you jump straight into the shower. Maybe you fill the kettle and switch it on.

How do you make these little tasks fun? By paying attention to every little detail. It may not sound fun but trust me on this – being mindful will allow you to enjoy every moment.

Take your time and mindfully go about your morning. Take notice of the birds chirping, slowly massage your face with your cleanser. Relish and savour the time you have for yourself and don’t rush.

Another way to make it fun is by listening to music – through headphones if other people are still sleeping in your house! Music will help you wake up, and shift your mood, though be mindful of the music that you choose. Keep it chill and upbeat!

By knowing why you’re bothering to get up early in the first place, having set tasks that will help you wake up, and by making it an enjoyable experience, you’re creating a morning routine that you’ll look forward to and appreciate!

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Tip #2. Get organised the night before!

The less resistance it takes to do a task, the more likely you are to do it.

Make your morning that much easier by being as prepared as possible. If the mornings are cold, which they are here, make sure you have a cosy dressing gown and blanket within reach when you wake up.

I also place my container of cacao with my phone, on the other side of the room. This means when the alarm rings, I have to get up to turn it off, and I see the cacao sitting right there, waiting for me! This means it’s simple to turn off the alarm, grab the cacao and head straight into the kitchen.

Another great thing to do is have your outfit for the next day at the ready. This will save you time figuring out what to wear in the morning!

All of these little things that prepare you for your morning also act as visual cues. When you first wake up and see everything laid out in front of you, it reminds you of what you want to do.

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Tip #3. Have a calm night-time routine

We can’t talk about getting up early without stating the obvious – you need to go to bed early, too. Yet I’ve realised that it’s not enough to just get into bed early.

If you’ve been watching Netflix and scrolling Instagram right before bed, you’re likely going to toss and turn for some time before you actually fall asleep… At least, in my experience that’s the case!

Switching off from technology long before you switch off the light makes a world of difference!

Here is my favourite way to wind down at the end of the day, and well, essentially my night-time routine in a quick summary: I turn off the computer, set my alarms, and get organised for the morning (as per the previous point), have a shower or a bubble bath listening to an audiobook, podcast or music, do my skincare routine, place my phone on the other side of the room, then read in bed until it’s time for sleep!

One thing to note is this: I try not to scroll social media or watch any videos on my phone at night. Once I’ve turned off the computer, I’ll only reply to messages on my phone if that – but once I’m in bed reading, I do my best to have the phone on the other side of the room by then.

I’m definitely not perfect at this and it’s something I’m trying to work on getting better at!

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Tip #4. Set the right alarm, in the right place!

Now unless you’re able to just wake up naturally at a good time, you’re going to need the help of an alarm to wake up! I’m definitely able to oversleep, so I definitely need an alarm. I’m also very good at hitting snooze or turning alarms off without even really waking up… So, I have to place my alarm on the other side of the room!

When it comes to the sound of an alarm, I always used to have the most annoying beeping sound because I assumed that would be the most effective.

Recently though, I’ve changed it to more of a gentle ringtone – enough to wake me up, and loud enough that I have to turn it off quickly unless I want to wake everyone else up in the house!

It’s so much nicer to wake up to, less headache-inducing, and more of a peaceful start to the day. I recommend you give it a try!

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Tip #5. Write a to-do list or journal before bed

If there’s a lot on your mind, it can be hard to sleep. This is my biggest struggle to be honest! One thing that I’ve done on and off over the years is to write before bed.

I’ll scribble down all the random things that are bugging me, and roughly plan out the next day, what I need to get done, and so on.

Pen and paper are the best if you’re leaving it until right before bed, and I love using my Dreamy Moons planner and Year of Growth book for this at the end of each day!

It’s amazing how much more in control you feel once you’ve got it out of your head and written down. Plus having a to-do list or plan will help you out the next day too!

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Tip #6. Practice Gratitude

Once you’ve switched off the light and you’re all cosy and warm in your bed, right before you go to sleep, think of at least 3 things you’re grateful for and why. Focusing on even the littlest of things that you’re grateful for will take your mind off any stresses from your day, and instead remind you to focus on the good things.

You don’t always have to write down what you’re grateful for – it’s a practice that can be done anywhere, any time. There’s nothing quite like reflecting on the things, moments, people, and places you’re grateful for, at the end of the day.

This practice works well in the morning too! If you wake up with gratitude, you’re starting your day with a much more positive mindset.

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Tip #7. Meditate

My final tip for you today (or is it…) is to meditate. Meditate before you go to sleep and meditate in the morning. I seriously can’t recommend meditating enough! It will help you with focus, it will help you sleep better, it will help you wake up in a calmer state of mind.

That’s not to say it’s always easy. Yet like getting up early in general, when I do it, it’s worth it every time.

I have a blog post and video on meditating that you can click here to check out - if you’re curious to learn more about it!

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Bonus Tip! Essential Oils

Surprise, there’s a bonus tip!

Holy moly, essential oils can make such a difference! At night I choose scents that are calming such as lavender, in the morning I choose scents that are invigorating such as orange or rosemary.

I just love essential oils. I recommend getting a diffuser, placing it near your bed, and making it part of your routine to use it every night as you wind down to go to sleep, and every morning as you wake up. It may seem so simple and not worth it, but trust me, it makes a difference – in my experience at least!

I also have a blog post and video on my favourite essential oils for focus and productivity that you can click here to check out if you like! If you sign up for my newsletter through this website you can also receive a free Essential Oils for Focus PDF guide too!

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I hope these tips are helpful for you! Now, I’d love to know - how do you want to start your day? What is your ideal morning? Comment below why you want to start waking up earlier!

I used to think I’m not a morning person, but I’m really starting to appreciate my mornings!

Back when I was working full time in Melbourne, I used to rush out of bed. Every. Single. Morning. I'd hit snooze until the last minute, run around madly getting ready, then run to catch the train. It was stressful, it was a struggle, and yet the reason I kept doing it, over and over again, was because it became a habit. I knew I could wait until the last minute to get out of bed, and still get to work on time!

It was a ridiculous and stressful way to start the day, but no matter how early I'd go to bed the night before, I'd still push the limits on how quickly I could get ready!

All of that is to say, I certainly haven't always had this beautiful, spiritual morning routine that I have now. Even now, I choose to sleep in sometimes! I don't have cacao every single day, every single morning. Sometimes meditation is a battle with my thoughts, other times I practically fall back asleep!

As much as I encourage everyone to get up early and start their day with mindfulness, I know how hard it can be.

Some days it’s a struggle to get out of bed, no matter how much sleep you’ve had - and that’s okay.

As much as I love my morning routine, it often starts later than I’d like it to - and that’s okay.

It’s often interrupted by others coming and going - and that’s okay.

It’s often the sound of the microwave I hear as I meditate, rather than birdsong - and that's okay, too.

However you start your morning, find those moments of peace, even if they’re fleeting. Find a routine that is healthy and mindful and do your best to stick to it, whenever you can.

I love my mornings now, and cacao is definitely a great incentive to getting up early! I truly can’t recommend it enough! It’s definitely a much better way to start the day, than running for a train!

Waking early is a habit that can be developed by anyone, but like all habits, it can shift to suit you. It has to fit into your life, you have to truly know why you’re waking up early, and you have to be able to enjoy it.

Don’t push yourself to wake up early, in order to be more productive, if it means you’re not getting enough sleep. That can only lead to burn out, and therefore, you’ll be less productive!

Start going to bed a little earlier, and waking up a little earlier, gradually setting the alarm earlier, and earlier, until you reach the perfect amount of time for you. Experiment with it, and have fun! Enjoy the process. You’ll get so much more out of it that way, and most importantly, you’ll actually want to do it.

You’ll wake up to the alarm and instead of hitting snooze, you’ll be excited that you get to wake up early and start your day how you want to.

And on days when you simply need a little more sleep, let yourself sleep. Listen to your body, your intuition, and know that getting up a little later is not the end of the world. You haven’t broken the habit completely – just start again when you can.

Every morning is an opportunity. No matter how early you wake up. It’s not a competition on who can wake up the earliest, on who can get the most done before 9am. The most important thing is the quality of life that you live and making the most of every moment.

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If you’d like to learn more about this topic, I have a list of resources and recommendations for you below!

Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions or requests, or find me over on Instagram @eboniehyland, I’d love to see you there too!

I truly hope you found today’s blog post and video helpful, and if you haven’t already, I hope you’ll consider subscribing to my YouTube channel! I post a new video every Thursday, all about self-development, spirituality, manifesting, the Law of Attraction, and divination. If that’s something you’re curious to learn more about, be sure to ring the little bell too so that you’re notified when I post a new video every Thursday!

Thank you so much for being here today. Your support means the absolute world to me! I hope you’re having a wonderful day, wherever you are in the world, and I can’t wait to see you here again, next week!

So much love,

Ebonie xx

Resources and Recommendations