I don’t know about you Mudder Nation, but I love hitting the snooze alarm.
I have this habit of telling myself I’m going to wake up early, make some coffee, workout, and start my day with forward momentum. Yet, I continually struggle with the mental challenge of forcing myself out of bed in the morning and starting the day with exercise. Here’s the funny thing though: as soon as I am out of bed with coffee in my hand, I’m immediately glad I did it. I have never once regretted getting up early to exercise. Not. One Time. The hardest part is getting out of bed. Everything after that feels good.
Completing a workout first thing in the morning is amazing. Accomplishing a physical feat early in the day always sets me up for a good day. When I start my day accomplishing something, I always feel motivated to carry that momentum forward. Eating healthy, accomplishing a to-do list, and taking care of my mental health naturally follow throughout the rest of my day.
Still not convinced, here are 4 more reasons to wake up early.
1. Mindset
As mentioned earlier, when you wake up early you put yourself in a healthy mindset. If you wake up earlier than you need to, you’re creating a feel-good factor, which creates a psychological mindset of being prepared, ready, and efficient.
This momentum carries throughout the day and creates a “head start” that can be applied to work and life and all the tasks we accomplish throughout the day.
By comparison, if you wake up late and are in a rush, you are starting your day with a scarcity mindset in which you don’t have enough time. This leads us to feel that we need to accomplish urgent, but less important tasks with our day.
2. Discipline
Discipline is so important for mental health and wellness. Not only does it allow you to accomplish the goals you want to achieve, it is also great for your overall well-being.
When you push yourself to do something unpleasant in the morning, like getting out of bed to workout, you’re telling your mind that you are worth doing something hard for the benefit of your future self.
Discipline carries throughout the day and contributes to a worthiness of self. What better way to start your day than with that affirmation?
3. Peace and quiet
The quiet that comes with early mornings is one of my favorite things about waking up early. The hectic bustle of traffic has not yet started. I can just hear the early birds chirping, the wind blowing through the trees, and the silence being emitted from my phone.
Often I take a few moments to sit in the quiet tranquility of the morning, meditate a little, and find myself at peace, if only for a few moments.
4. Breakfast
For those of us who enjoy hitting the snooze alarm, breakfast is often the first thing to get cut when you’re running short on time.
We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Starting the day with fruit, veggies, an egg, or something as simple as oatmeal is like providing a car with fuel.
Skipping breakfast, when your last meal was 6-8 hours before, is like running a car down to near empty and then driving with very little fuel in the tank.
Making breakfast guarantees a healthy meal to start the day.
In conclusion, waking up early and starting your day with exercise is good for you not just because of the benefits of doing it, but also because of what follows after you start your day early with exercise. Having a friend hold you accountable makes it easier and more fun.
And one more thing…once you’re up, it’s important to have a plan. Don’t wait for inspiration to strike in the morning. Get up and tackle your day with the promise to follow a specific plan you laid out the night before. Even better, join the Tough Mudder Challenge and challenge yourself to make that your exercise plan.
With a Facebook group to hold you accountable, weekly activities to keep things interesting, and a trackable app to pair with your workouts, you’ll find yourself motivated to wake up early and surrounded by people near and far who are working toward the same goal as you.
Challenges are live now. Sign up and start pushing yourself today.
Michelle LaFiura works for TMHQ. She enjoys writing, practicing yoga, climbing mountains, and taking naps. She can often be hitting the snooze button twice, but rarely more than three times. Follow her on Instagram here.
