The start of the new year is a perfect time to instil new habits and enforce behaviour change. You probably have many exciting goals for yourself this year, most people do. You might have also pondered over the idea of having an early morning routine because most motivational speakers and successful people swear by it – the so-called “5AM Club”.
I’ve been a member of this club for over two years now and I can attest to it. Of course, waking up at or before 5AM is no easy task. Today I’m going to share a few tips that will make it a little easier for you, and make it stick.
What is the 5AM Club?
‘The 5am Club’ is a name coined by Robin Sharma in his book with the same name. It is a group of people that wake up at 5AM. The reasoning behind the club is that starting your day at 5AM gives you extra time in your day and gives you a distraction free time window that you can use to work on yourself.
In his book, Robin Sharma introduced the 20/20/20 formula by which you should structure the first hour of your day.
- Move (20 minutes): Workout or do some physical activity.
- Reflect (20 minutes): Spend time with your mind.
- Grow (20 minutes): Learn or work on a new skill.
Plan Ahead
a) Your Nighttime Routine
Your morning starts the night before. You need to start prioritising quality sleep, aim for 7-9 hours of sleep. Creating a wind-down routine without stimulation before bedtime can improve the quality of your sleep.
b) Go Cold Turkey or Start Slowly
If you’re used to waking up late, jumping straight to a 5AM morning may not be a good idea. Start by setting your alarm 30 minutes earlier each day until it’s set for 5AM. If you dare, you can go cold turkey and set a 5AM alarm for tomorrow morning.
Build Your Morning Routine
a) The 20/20/20 Formula
Build a morning routine based on the 20/20/20 formula.
- Move: Pick a physical activity that you enjoy, or at least, don’t hate. This could be yoga, jogging, pilates, or weight lifting.
- Reflect: Some ways to spend time with your mind are through journaling, meditation, praying, or breath work.
- Grow: Learn a new skill or practice an existing one, consume educational content through reading, taking an online course, or listening to a podcast.
b) Make It Your Own
The 20/20/20 formula is a great starting point, but you should structure your morning in a way that works for you and your goals. For example, if fitness is your main goal, spend more time exercising. If education is your main goal, spend more time learning or studying.
Conclusion
Becoming a member of the 5AM Club is one of the best things you can do for yourself this year. It helps you prioritize your goals while giving you extra time in your day. It allows you to have a calm and intentional start to your day.
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