For the first "fan submitted" challenge I was tasked with rising each morning at 5AM and adhering to a strict schedule including a workout, a healthy breakfast, a shower, reading and meditation. Going into this challenge I knew that it would be essential that I go to bed at an early hour. On the second night of my challenge, I laid in bed staring at the ceiling unable to sleep. Don't get me wrong, I was tired and ready for bed. I did everything the experts tell you to do to ensure a great nights sleep. Avoid eating and electronic screens at least an hour before bed, read a book, keep the noise level down, and keep the room dark and cool, around 65° F or 18° C.
It was like the night before the first day of school, I couldn't wait to get up and continue this challenge which was going to change my life forever. I went to bed at a healthy hour, surely I'll fall asleep soon. Even if the clock said I wouldn't get enough sleep, I'd wake up and knock this challenge out of the park. Right?
Anyone that has lived or visited LA in the past year knows one of my favorite hang outs is the Dresden Restaurant, which features the live entertainment of Marty & Elayne. I had been looking forward to attending the 30th Anniversary of said performers for some time, and lucky for me it fell in the month of April. Surely, I could see friends, pay tribute, have one drink and be back home to answer my 5AM wake up call. Right?
Challenge Result:
FAILED
Analysis:
Let me first start by thanking Ben O for suggesting this challenge. Not only was it timely, it was definitely challenging. This was the perfect challenge for April and if the 14th of Nisan means anything to you, you'd understand why. Every day I didn't get up at 5, it really hurt. Or when I'd get up at 5 but sluggishly move through the tasks, or not even try, it hurt. It hurt even more when people would ask how the challenge was going on days that I hadn't gotten up on time, but the days I completed the challenge, were the best days I've had in a long time. I got so much work done, I felt great, and my energy level was up. Unfortunately, this didn't happen every day.
But why didn't it happen every day? Burning the candle at both ends didn't help. I'm still noticing a lack of commitment. This was the month that I needed to push myself and that didn't happen enough. My sleeping behavior was too inconsistent. There was no strong habit of waking up at 5 established, and I confused my body with the irregular sleeping pattern. Even though I failed to complete the task every day, or even more often than not, I noticed some positive changes.
Every day my alarm went off at 5AM. The days I hit the snooze, I still woke up hours earlier than I had previous months, essentially giving myself more hours in the day to get the things done I seek, which was half of the allure to this challenge. I've changed my internal body clock. Naturally, I've begun to wake up before my alarm clock goes off and not only am I awake, I'm ready to start the day with a bang. Overall, my sleep habits have improved, so in that sense, I look at this month as a success. Will I try this again? Definitely. I'm going to try this challenge again, and the results will be different. I suggest you do the same. Here are some tips:
- Set a schedule - will be much easier to wake up earlier if you have a reason to
- Tell a friend - Being held accountable by friends/family is a very strong motivator
- Keep a calendar - Tracking your habits, which days you get up earlier, which days you sleep in, is a good way to see if you need improvement, or where changes need to be made. (Credit Amy O)
I didn't wake up every day at 5AM, I didn't read as much as I wanted to, but I got up earlier, I read more than last month, and I had a great time at The Dresden supporting my friends.
