“Opportunities are like sunrises. If you wait too long, you miss them”
Everyone loves their bed and what’s not to love? Spending your morning in comfort, peace and warmth seems a lot better than anything else – no wonder its easy to stay! For most people rising is quite difficult and it turns out that starting a new habit after a long day is even harder, especially when that habit is exercise.
According to two decades of research done at the University of Florida human willpower diminishes throughout the day, something they call “ego-depletion”. It only makes sense that after a busy day you’ll be less inclined to have a go at something new rather than collapse into the cosy platform you call bed.
According to the research, the more time you spend willing yourself to do something, or resist something, the more likely it is that you won’t be able to do any more once evening comes around. It also says that the only way to really come back from your “ego-depletion” is to have a solid night of sleep to leave you refreshed and full of willpower.
You probably already have a morning routine and your routine is made up of various habits, like making a cup of coffee or checking your email, that you do at the same time, in the same sequence, everyday and without even thinking about it. So how does one start a new habit in the morning? Most people would say that they don’t have enough time but the reality is that you have to train yourself to maximise your time. Here are nine simple rules to get your habit going:
1. Choose just ONE habit that takes less than two minutes. No one can really say that they don’t have two minutes to spare.
2. Exercise your commitment by purchasing everything you need for your habit for the next two weeks.Â
3. Prepare everything you need to do your habit in less than two minutes! This could involve making space for a workout or chopping fruit the night before. You shouldn’t spend time looking for things or creating the space you need for your habit.
4. Stack them. Choose an existing morning habit and do the new habit after it but make sure it’s the same every morning.
5. Put the habit in the way. If you want to eat a healthier breakfast put your fresh fruit in your coffee mug or in the way of your coffee. If you want to do yoga put your mat in front of your bedroom door.
6. Be accountable to yourself. Tell people that you are going to do it.
7. Doing the habit everyday is important. Sundays aren’t a day off.
8. Give yourself a pat on the back! Congratulate yourself or do anything that makes you happy and motivated (dancing is permitted).
9. Keep a record. You won’t believe what you have accomplished until you can see it. Your record can be marks on a mirror or ticks on a sheet, it really doesn’t matter as long as you can see it!
This is probably going to work but beware not overdo it after a couple of days of success or it might just end up in failure. Be consistent within the first two-weeks before you start to add time or get up earlier.
If you like the idea of making exercise your morning habit, you should try The 7 Minute Workout or the 7 Minute Alternate Workout.
