Tip #42: Start Your New Early Riser Habit Today — Happy Early Bird Day!

Congratulations! If you’re reading this on July 1st, then today is Early Bird Day, and there is genuinely no better morning in the entire year to begin your new life as an early riser. I mean it.

So many of us keep waiting for the “right time” to start — next Monday, next month, after the holidays, once things calm down at work. But things never really calm down, do they? The right time is a myth. What actually works is picking a date that feels like a fresh start and simply beginning. And here you are, with a date that was practically made for this: Early Bird Day, July 1st, the exact middle of the year — the perfect line in the sand to say, from today, I get up early.

First, Let Me Congratulate You

Deciding to become an early riser is not a small thing. You’ve chosen more quiet morning time, more control over your day, less rushing, and that wonderful feeling of being ahead before the rest of the world has even opened its eyes. That deserves a pat on the back before you’ve even set your first alarm.

How to Make Today the Day It Sticks

Here is my tip for making today the day it actually sticks. Don’t try to leap from waking at 8 to waking at 5 overnight — that’s the fastest way to quit by July 3rd. Instead, set your alarm just 15 to 30 minutes earlier than usual tomorrow, and treat that as a win. This is the same gentle approach I wrote about in Start Slowly, Starting Now, and it works precisely because it never feels like a shock.

Then give yourself a real reason to get out of bed: a proper coffee, a short walk, a chapter of a book, ten minutes of stretching — something you genuinely look forward to. The bed is warm and the morning is cold; you need a reason that beats “five more minutes.” If you’re not sure what that reason should be, have a look at Create a Reward.

And do one more thing today, on Early Bird Day, to lock it in: tell someone. Tell your partner, post it, write it on the fridge. A habit you’ve announced is a habit you’re far more likely to keep — that’s the whole idea behind Advertise Your Habit. Mark today on your calendar as day one and start counting your streak — you’ll be surprised how quickly you won’t want to break it, which is exactly why I recommend you Track Your Progress.

When the Hard Mornings Come

There will be mornings that are hard. There will be a Tuesday in three weeks when the alarm goes off and every fiber of you wants to hit snooze. On those mornings, remember this one: remember that you started on Early Bird Day, on purpose, because you wanted a better morning and a better day. You’re not the person who sleeps through the best hours of the day anymore. You’re an early riser now.

So welcome to the club. The mornings out here are quiet, and they’re all yours. Sweet dreams tonight, and happy early wake ups — starting tomorrow!