Can the person who naturally functions best later in the day become the one who prefers early morning? The answer is “yes.” Here are three ways to make it happen:

1. Have a strong “why.” If you have a good reason for wanting to change, then you can. The reason may be a change in work schedule, relationship changes or just the desire to improve yourself and your life. A mother may choose to get up early, before her family, so she can have some quiet time to herself. A Christian may desire to have their devotion time early so that it positively impacts their day. Whatever the reason, understanding the benefit will provide the impetus for change.

2. Transform willpower to habit. Research has proven that willpower is similar to physical strength in that it lessens with use. You may have a lot of energy early in the day, however, after exerting yourself to do physical labor, you begin to feel tired and may even be unable to continue working after awhile. It is the same with willpower. We may wake up in the morning with the determination to do what we know we should, such as exercise or have our daily quiet time. But if we postpone it to later in the day, it becomes much less likely to be done.

When we hard wire an activity so it becomes a habit, then willpower is no longer required. Take brushing your teeth, for example. We don’t get up in the morning trying to decide if we will put forth the effort to brush our teeth. No, we simply do it as a part of our routine. It takes doing something consistently for 21 days for it to become a habit.

3. Go to bed earlier. This may seem like a very basic suggestion, but it is key to getting up earlier. Measure the amount of sleep you need each night to feel your best the next day. I need to get my full eight hours in order to be alert and energized for the day. However, I have some friends who require much less sleep. When you know your optimum requirement, then count back from the time you wish to arise in the morning and make sure you go to bed at the appropriate time. Keeping a regular schedule and going to bed and getting up near the same time each day helps us to feel our best.

Have you considered making this change in your life? What is your “why”? Share with us so that we can learn from each other and live . . . life to the fullest.