Theory
Breaking the darkness of the night, as the brook of sunlight flows down from the
eastern mountains to flood our villages, hamlets, towns and cities and enters our
home as the most auspicious visitor of the dawn, should we not be out of our
beds to welcome it? When buds bloom into flowering petals, when birds pipe
their hearty melodies, and when the breeze brings the chills for the morn, should
we not savour it all? Should we not be part of the serenity of the wee hours? Or,
should we be in the cradle of indolence, lacking the agility and enthusiasm to get
started to travel a day of excellence?
Yes, the saying still holds true and good, early to bed and early to rise makes a
man healthy, wealthy and wise. We win a day, if we win the battle with the bed.
Yes, we should have enough sleep. Still, what matters most is the quality of sleep
and not the quantity of sleep. Seven hours of quality sleep is more than enough
for an adult person.
Let us get out of our beds as the short clock needle points at 5, in the morn. Usher
the golden hour of the day, for a day well begun is half done. The early hour is to
oil well our mind, body and soul, which has to keep us running for the remaining
hours of the day. It is time to train the mind and strain the body, to gain
impeccable focus with amazing strength and health.
Advantages of getting up early
1. Makes us relaxed and concentrated in the quietness.
2. Makes us feel peaceful to get connected to our creator through prayers and
meditation.
3. Gets us time for physical exercises.
4. Healthy habits of the morn, oxygenates our blood and makes our skin
healthy.
5. Since, we are out of our rush; we can have a healthy breakfast.
6. Having time to recharge our mind, body and soul in the morning keeps us
live, happy and purposeful, the rest of the day.
Story
Madhav at college used to wake up at around 7:30 every day. His reason for the
delay was that his college would begin only by 10 am. Even though he wakes up
by 7:30, that too on account of the calls, pulls and pressures of his mother, he still
had a good wait time before the coffee mug. He usually consumes more than half
an hour to empty his coffee mug. Even after the energy drink, he used to yawn.
The night owl Madhav used to slowly stretch his hands and legs to get himself
fully out of his sleep. He would then start walking from his bed at the slowest
pace of the day. The slouching postures, the facial expressions, the heavy kind of
walk all was indicative of the laziness and sleepiness hanging on with Madhav. His
mother from the kitchen still yells, to get him under the showers for a bath. The
clock was never lazy and time never felt sleepy. It usually runs up to 9:00 clock,
when Madhav comes out of his bath, to get dressed up, once again thanks to his
mother who has ironed it so well. With little time, left for the breakfast, he just
takes a grab of it to catch hold of his college bus. In the college bus, he enjoys the
window seat for another spell of sleep. Finally, he wakes up from his world to
walk up to his class. He often felt sleepy while in class also, and he starts accusing
the professors for their boring sessions. The obese Madhav used to pass the day
sans energy, even though he had lot of fast food. As a night owl, he used to spend
time on social media and watch movies, before he goes to sleep with lights on at
around 1:30 in the night. However, one of his successful classmates Rajesh
shared certain strategies to win the battle with the bed. Madhav was deeply
moved by the strategies of Rajesh and the benefits of waking up early.
Rajesh’s Strategy for Winning the Battle with the Bed
1. Discover Your Why – Find a strong purpose that inspires you to wake up
early each day.
2. Design a Morning Ritual – Plan activities that refresh your body, mind, and
soul, so waking up feels rewarding.
3. Sleep Earlier, Live Better – Cultivate the habit of switching off lights and
going to bed on time.
4. Progress Step by Step – Each month, aim to sleep a little earlier and rise a
little earlier than before.
5. Break the Night-Owl Cycle – Replace late-night distractions with mindful
evening practices that prepare you for rest.
6. Affirm the Habit – Use positive affirmations to build a mindset that
welcomes early rising.
7. Use Alarms Wisely – Start with reminders and alarms to condition your
body into the rhythm of waking up early.
8. Seek Support – If discipline falters, ask parents or loved ones to help keep
you accountable.
9. Strengthen Your Willpower – Take personal responsibility for rising early,
and hold yourself accountable for the outcome.
10. Adjust Gradually – Month by month, fine-tune your wake-up time by
resetting the alarm slightly earlier.
11. Establish Your Standard Time – Within a few months, set a fixed bedtime
and wake-up time that align with your lifestyle.
12. Stay Consistent – Protect the habit by sticking to the schedule, even on
weekends or holidays.
Activity
1. Enlist 3 activities with time schedule that you would like to include as part
of your morning schedule to rejuvenate your mind, body and soul.
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Quote
“I would have it inscribed on the curtains of your bed and the walls of your
chamber: If you do not rise early you can make progress in nothing.”
– Willian Pitt Chatham, British statesman
Take Away
1. Develop the habit of waking up early.
2. Early wakes gets us time to recharge our mind, body and soul, and fill us with
great energy and attitude for the day.