As I lay in bed, darkness cloaking the world outside my window, I heard a faint rustling next to my ear. Is it just a dream? A trick of the mind? But then, the whisper returned. This time, accompanied by soft laughter. It was the whisper of a child, full of energy and excitement. As I struggled to make sense of the sound, I couldn’t help but feel grateful that I could doze back to sleep.
But the whispers persisted, and soon, I found myself wide awake, my senses homed in on the sounds coming from the other side of the door.
Footsteps. Snickers. And then, a small silhouette appeared, one that I knew all too well. It was my nephew: a Pokémon-loving, Squirtle-obsessed, wise-beyond-his-years, 4-year-old with a mischievous streak.
As I checked the time, bleary-eyed and exhausted, I realized that it was only 5:29 a.m. And while I adored my nephew with all my heart, I simply couldn’t find the motivation to get out of bed and play with him. It was a moment of clarity, a realization that I wasn’t ready to be a mom just yet.
Although I felt guilty for my lack of enthusiasm, I knew that it was simply a part of who I was.
And it goes far beyond “I love sleep so much.” To be honest, I feel guilty even writing this. I hear the critics in the back of my mind already, saying “you can’t wake up just a few hours earlier to spend time with your nephew?”
My short answer is “No, I cannot.”
The Benefits of Waking Up Early: Is It Worth the Struggle?
For me, the real challenge wasn’t waking up at 5 in the morning, it was physically getting out of bed, putting my feet on the floor, and lifting my body up to start the day. I think you’ll agree with me that this is the hardest part of becoming an early riser.
As someone who has never identified as an early riser, I struggled to find the motivation to push myself to get up before dawn. Though I recognized the benefits of joining the 6 a.m. club – the feeling that you’re ahead of the rest of the world – it simply wasn’t for me. Moreover, I wished that the feeling of spending quality time with my nephew were enough to make me jump out of bed.
But it wasn’t that day… nor the day after… nor the day after that.
I find that when the sun doesn’t rise until 7 o’clock it’s really difficult for me to feel motivated or to find the energy to do anything. Can you relate?
Why I Don’t Identify as an Early Riser: Understanding the Importance of Habits and Identity
If you’ve read this guide, it might come as a surprise to you that I’m not an early riser. I mean, I can wake up early and have joined the 5 a.m. club before, but not for the past year and half.
Ultimately, I think it’s important to understand why we want to build or break a habit, and to tie our identity to that change. And for me, waking up early simply isn’t a part of who I am. I don’t need to wake up to get more work done, to accomplish things I couldn’t have if I had more time during the day, and I don’t believe that there’s any value in waking up early for bragging rights.
If you find joy waking up when it’s still dark outside, I envy you. (The only time you might find me waking up at 5 a.m. is to catch a flight, and the destination had better be worth it).
But who knows? Maybe one day, when I have a little one of my own, I’ll find the motivation to rise with the sun. For now, I’m content to be a member of the 7-7:30 club on weekdays and the 8-8:30 crowd on weekends.
What do you think?
If you’re struggling to become an early riser, remember that it’s okay if it’s not for you. It’s important to build habits that align with your values and identity. So, take the time to reflect on why you want to wake up early and decide whether it’s a habit that you truly want to cultivate. And if you do want to give it a try, start small and be patient with yourself. With time and consistency, you may find that waking up early becomes a part of who you are.
Do you consider yourself to be an early riser, or do you struggle to get out of bed in the morning? What motivates you to wake up early, and what benefits have you noticed? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!
