IT’S NOT EASY TO BUILD A ROUTINE. IT’S DEFINITELY NOT EASY TO FORM NEW ROUTINES.
Last week, I experimented waking up at 4:30am. Everyday I would set my alarm for 4:30am, but when the time came, I would just turn it off and go back to bed.
Now, I am a pretty determined person and have routine of sleeping at 10:30pm and waking up at 5:30am every damn day. So, then why was this so difficult for me? Every morning I would reflect back on what happened and why despite my best efforts I still couldn’t get myself out of the bed, three reasons came to my mind:
- Not having a strong purpose: I realized that I didn’t have a strong reason to get up at 4:30am, expect that I thought it will give me more time to meditate along with my exercises. I didn’t make a schedule of what exactly I would do with the additional 60min and honestly wasn’t fully convinced. I hoped that if I can get up it would be a good but it’s OK if I don’t. No one can wake up early with this attitude! In our half-conscious half-subconscious state when the alarm goes off, its very easy for the subconscious mind to convince the body to take the sheet up and snuggle in the bed
- Not setting an intention: When I would go to bed, I did not told myself that I wanted to get up at 4:30am. I would setup the alarm and hope for the best. Now I have definitely seen myself waking up onetime, even without alarms, without enough sleep. That happened because just before sleeping I told myself I NEED to get up at certain time. It works! The subconscious mind is powerful and trustworthy if you set an honest intention
- Too Big a change without regulating the sleep cycle: I was hoping to get by with 6 hrs of sleep. Sleep at 10:30pm and get up at 4:30am. I know Buddhists monks do it so then why can’t I, right? But that is not how it works. I was extra busy last week, slept at 10:30 / 11. No way I can get up an hour earlier! It would have been easier to start small. 15min ahead, 30min ahead and then 60min ahead..
Next week experiment: Get up at 5:00am