We are all guilty of it from time to time and in my case it would be most of the time. I have mentally slept through some awesome early moments in my life that if I just got myself motivated enough to get going sooner, things would be well… shoulda woulda coulda right?
Its seem like every morning I wake up I have to battle with myself to get up. Now once I get up it usually takes me about 5-10 minutes to truly be awake. This early morning battle comes down to one thing and one thing only. What is better for Randy right now…more sleep or more life. Back in the day I had Ma and Pa to come barging into my room and yell at me that the bus is outside and if I miss it I’m walking to school. Those days are gone and I am responsible for getting up and once I am up I gotta get going. I have said this many times and I truly mean it when I say it “Self-Motivation is an art” I know I am not alone on this and would love to hear some feedback on how you win the battle with the Snooze Button On Life. In order to get up right away do you just get up and do an early morning dance? Do you stare at the ceiling until it bores you enough to get up? Do you wake and then bake…cookies? Oh yeah by the way Happy 420! So lets hear some and who knows maybe one of your tactics could get this Bandit to throw away that damn snooze button mentality.
4 comments
Randi
Long years ago, when I first started teaching, I had been used to sleeping late and then when I found that high school classes started at 7 a.m. I was sure I could not keep that schedule. 25 years later at retirement, I found that I had not only kept the schedule, but was never late for class.
The secret? When the alarm went off at 5:30 a.m. I sat up put my feet on the floor and got up. I was ready to say “Good Morning” at that ungodly hour of 7 a.m. It wasn’t certain that all my students were awake–but their bodies were there to greet.
Now that I have been retired for many years, it is so easy to not set the alarm, and if I do it is difficult not to be aware of it every hour during the night.
I have driven 160,000 miles in my Leisure Travel Van since I was widowed in 1999–at that time I intended to write about our trip across the USA–6,000 miles in 6 weeks. I still have those tapes and pics–and intend to do the trip again and this time be able to finish the book.
The name of the van tells it all FREEDOM WIDE BODY!
I don’t worry about what time I get up. I will write my way across the USA a woman alone–74 years old–and still raring to go!
Hmmm. Why are you setting the alarm? Is there a particular reason you need to get up at a certain time? I don’t have a regular 9-5 anymore, so I can get up whenever and you know what? Without the alarm, I wake up at 7:30 sharp most mornings, ready to get up and go. Maybe it’s the alarm that is the problem. Try this, when you go to bed, think to yourself the time you would like to get up and start your next beautiful day. Don’t set the alarm. See what time you actually wake up.
Dude… I have the same damn issue. I’m one of the laziest people I know right now, and it pisses me off so bad. I do really like the idea that Ritesh posted though. I might just have to try that.
I’m to the point that I’ve got myself stuck into a night schedule, and I generally just sleep the whole day long unless I have a client appointment or something that absolutely forces me out of bed. It seems like ages since I’ve actually gone out and “lived” my life… I’m falling into a rut and I don’t like it.
My problem stems from not being able to make up my mind on a path to take…. I’ve been sitting at a fork in the road for the last who-knows-how-many years to the point that I have trouble discerning actions that will actually move me toward a goal… because I don’t know what my goals are anymore.
Here’s what works for me Randy (does that name mean you’re always horny? ;-) )
1) Every evening, write down a list of 3 small things which will help you achieve your goals. E.g. shoot a video, write a blog post, write 1000 words of that book etc.
2) Next day in the morning, whenever you wake up: Treat yourself to whatever pleases you (hot shower, luxurious breakfast), and then BEFORE doing anything else (like checking email or browsing), just finish off items on your list.
3) Reward yourself to something nice for completing that list for today (Shag, watch Lost reruns, hang out with buddies wasting time over a beer, surf, go for a run, or whatever…)
4) NOW take care of other things like email, getting that RV fixed, appearing in the court for molesting adolescent cats etc…
Rinse and repeat.
I know. Easier said than done. The days I manage to do this, I get side benefits like euphoria, I smile at all old ladies crossing the street, and all babes in the mall ask for my number.
PS: the key is making that 3 item list every evening. Start with that. No more than 3 items. Anybody can make a choice between spending time on good and bad options. The hard stuff is making choice between GOOD and GREAT options. You can do it. Keep the list to THREE or less action items which get you closer to your goals.
PPS: If you are in the information marketing business, then CONTENT CREATION is the number 1 activity you should be spending time on. Not prettyfying your blog, not doing SEO,… Every 2 days you’ve got to be creating 1 piece of CONTENT FOR CONSUMPTION (3 pieces/week). E.g. funny or informational blog posts, awesome pictures, awesome videos, a chapter of a book, articles, mp3 interview podcasts etc. CONTENT IS KING. Everything else should be number 2 or more on your list (JV, marketing etc. all come second after you have created awesome CONTENT). Finally, I understand you have a perfectionist problem. You have got to create ONE piece of raw (unedited, first cut) content every 2 days. Editing and prettyfying come second. In this biz you have got to be at least this prolific.
Dude, your blog gets great amount of traffic. Start posting every 2 days with some 5 minute video. Throw in 1-2 (not more) relevant RV lifestyle ads on the sidebar. Very occasionally add relevant text affiliate links in your blog posts. Your money problems can be over in 2 months.
I like that you don’t over commercialize your blog. If you do put up ads, always recommend the best products which will really benefit your readers, not the ones which give you higher commissions. That’s the best way to lose your readership.
You are funny and real. Like your blog. I know sooner or later you will find the way :-) Hit me up if you are ever in the San Francisco bay area and let me buy you lunch or something.