Lately I’m having trouble with my morning routine. I prefer being up before 6am. Yet I’ve been waking around 7am and then enjoying my coffee in bed. I’ve been working on it with BAM! and habit prompts.
I have an ideal work day schedule in my head. I want to keep the routine I had in my past life as a librarian. I’m an early bird and feel my best when I harness that energy. I love seeing the sun rise. I get my workout done and complete some very productive hours at my work desk before 10am.
I find it super easy to sleep in and start work whenever because I work at home for myself. My circadian rhythms have shifted since I started working as a health coach.
I get my body-work done, no worries. But, I’m doing it more towards mid-day than I’d like to admit. Here’s how I’m getting better.
My BAM! method is simply being kind to myself and asking, “what is the one smallest thing I can do today to move forward with making that change?” BAM! is Bare Ass Minimum. I shoot to do the BAM! that day and give myself credit. It counts! It’s progress!
The prompt is created by taking something you do every day and associating it with the BAM!. For example, I’m working on improving my balance. I brush my teeth everyday. When I brush my teeth, I stand on one leg for some balance work.
I’ve been getting better with my morning ritual. The first BAM! was actually setting the alarm clock next to my bed. I had stopped doing that because I wasn’t on a deadline to get out the door. I was consistently setting it again after a couple of weeks of focusing on that littlest thing.
Two weeks might seem like a long time. Change is slow sometimes. That’s ok. Slow change makes it more likely I will be sticking to it.
Cool. I’m now waking up at my favorite time, ready to take the next BAM. I’m now setting two alarms and placing one outside my bedroom. It forces me to get out of bed and move a little and make it more likely I’ll stay out of bed. I’ve been working on that for about a week.
Result? so-so. I am often so sleepy that I’m barely conscious and I fall back into my bed after shuffling to the kitchen alarm. I am, however, having a day or two here and there where I keep going. I’m home-free if I make it to brushing my teeth (and stand on one leg!). Coffee in the living room is a great improvement after bed lounging. .
I’m ok with slow change. The important thing is change happens in the direction you set if you set yourself up for success. Baby steps get you there over time. I highly recommend BAM and prompting to my clients.