Hi Reader!

If you’ve followed me for any amount of time, you’ve probably heard me say that I’m not much of a morning person.

I’ve always struggled to get up early, and I usually tell people who try to schedule early morning meetings that I simply won’t be a functioning human being at that time.

Despite knowing the benefits of getting up earlier, I’ve been a chronic alarm snoozer for years. It’s the one habit I just can’t seem to quit.

But this month, I’ve set a goal to commit to waking up at 7 am without snoozing my alarm. So far, I’ve done this every single day.

(Of course, I realize that 7 is not early for most people, but it is early-ish for me)

It’s still the early days of the month, but I wanted to share what’s been helping me avoid the snooze button so far.

Step One: Finding motivation

The first step was finding my motivation for waking up earlier. I often feel anxious in the mornings, and I think part of this comes from waking up late and feeling as if I’m always rushing to get started with the day.

I’ve been working on creating a more mindful morning routine (I’ll share more about that another time) that doesn’t involve rushing or letting my thoughts get ahead of me.

Step Two: Making it simple (and enjoyable)

Once I knew my motivation, the next thing I brainstormed was a simple and enjoyable action I could take when my alarm goes off. I decided my first action would be to read 10 pages of a book.

This is part of another habit I’ve developed to read 20 pages a day. I read 10 in the morning and 10 before bed. Stacking these two habits together is a win-win.

Since the snooze habit is so deeply ingrained, I set two alarms to make sure I don’t fall back asleep: one at 6:55 am and another at 7:00 am. I sort of snooze for those five minutes, but it’s not enough for me to fall back into a deep sleep.

Then when the 7:00 am alarm goes off, I grab my Kindle from my bedside table, make a mental note of what page I’m on, and read 10 pages.

I know reading in bed could easily put some people back to sleep, but it seems to wake my mind up slowly.

Without snoozing, I’ve been feeling less stressed in the mornings, and I feel satisfied knowing that I’m following through on my commitments to myself. Sometimes doing what you say you’re going to do is the best confidence booster.

If you’re a snoozer, I hope this gives you some ideas to break the habit (if you want to, that is). And if you’re already a morning person who never snoozes their alarm, you have my admiration.

Now that I’ve told you about this habit, I feel more inclined to do it for the whole of August. Sharing goals is a good way to hold yourself accountable 😉

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Join the August Reset Challenge

Want to hit the reset button and get a fresh start in September? I’m hosting a free 3-day reset challenge to help you reflect on 2022 so far, align with what you want moving forward, and create habits and routines that will get you there. Get the details and sign up below!

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Thanks for reading! I’d love to know if there are any habits or goals you’re working on in August.

Catherine