Buzz
The last time you dragged yourself out of bed at 6 a.m. for a morning workout was fantastic: you listened to birds singing, your coffee tasted exceptionally good, and you felt energized enough to outpace everyone around you.
Now, if only you could repeat that success more than just once.
For those who aren’t morning people, waking up before 10 a.m. for any reason—especially exercise—can seem like a daunting challenge. However, if mornings are the ideal time for you to squeeze in a workout, it’s worth adjusting your schedule to prioritize it early in the day. But the question remains: how do you make it happen?
First, mornings are an excellent time to exercise—your mind is sharpest and ready to form new routines. “This is the time of day when your willpower peaks and before life’s distractions take over,” explained Maneesh Sethi, a behavioral psychology and habit formation expert with over a decade of experience and the creator of Pavlok, a wearable device aimed at breaking bad habits. However, to fully benefit, you must ensure you get enough quality sleep. We’ve covered improving sleep quality in earlier articles, so we won’t go into detail here.
Even if your sleep schedule is perfect, it’s still challenging to leave the coziness of your bed to, for instance, head out for a jog. This struggle often stems from three main issues: attempting too much too quickly, inadequate planning, and a lack of positive reinforcement. Here’s how to address these challenges.
Begin Gradually and Progress Slowly
A common error when attempting to establish a new workout routine is over-ambition. People often think, “Let’s run five, no, seven days a week! Add strength training four times a week! And throw in weekend hikes!” While the initial excitement is admirable, it often leads to burnout because they push too hard, too fast, relying entirely on sheer willpower. Sethi advises starting with such a small step that failure is nearly impossible.
During the first week, the only task was to step outside the front door after breakfast, dressed in gym clothes. That’s it. They could immediately return inside and resume their usual activities. The simplicity made it almost impossible to fail.
In the second week, they were told to go to the gym and swipe their membership card—no workout required. By the third week, they swiped in and spent 10 minutes at the gym. By the fourth week, they extended it to 20 minutes. By the end of the experiment, roughly 80% of participants maintained this fitness habit daily for 30 days.
It might seem like spending four weeks just to work out for 20 minutes is a waste of time, but that mindset is what causes problems: aiming for perfection from the start is unrealistic. The goal is to build a consistent morning workout habit. “The more time it takes to establish a habit, the more enduring it will be,” Sethi explained.
Begin with such a small step that it’s impossible to skip, then gradually increase. For instance, you could sleep in your workout attire or do just a single push-up as soon as you get out of bed.
Prepare Your Mornings Ahead of Time
“Your mornings should be completely decision-free,” Sethi advised. For example, waking up already dressed in gym clothes eliminates the need to decide what to wear, making it much easier to stick to your workout plan.
Another tip: If you eat breakfast, plan it in advance so you know what and when you’ll eat without disrupting your gym routine. You might wake up an hour and a half early for a full meal like oatmeal and eggs, or just grab a banana and milk 30 minutes before hitting the gym.
Go the extra mile by preparing a detailed month-long plan. Below is a four-week example to help you establish a consistent exercise routine:
Day 1:
Sleep in your workout attire.
Day 2:
Sleep in gym clothes. Perform 1 jumping jack.
Day 3:
Sleep in gym clothes. Complete 5 jumping jacks.
Day 4:
Sleep in gym clothes. Do 5 jumping jacks and 1 push-up.
Day 5:
Sleep in your workout clothes. Complete 5 jumping jacks and 5 push-ups.
Day 6:
Sleep in gym clothes. Perform 5 jumping jacks, 5 push-ups, and 1 air squat.
Day 7:
Sleep in gym clothes. Do 5 jumping jacks, 5 push-ups, and 5 air squats.
Week 2:
Gradually increase from 1 set of 5 jumping jacks to 3 sets of 20 jumping jacks, 1 set of 5 push-ups, and 1 set of 5 air squats daily.
Week 3:
Complete 3 sets of 20 jumping jacks. Gradually increase to 3 sets of 20 push-ups and 1 set of 5 air squats daily.
Week 4:
Perform 3 sets of 20 jumping jacks and 3 sets of 5 push-ups. Gradually increase to 3 sets of 20 air squats daily.
Reward Yourself to Cement Your Exercise Routine
Charles Duhigg, the author of the bestseller The Power of Habit, explains that habits are created through a three-step cycle:
Cue: This is the automatic trigger that initiates your habit. For instance, entering your kitchen might prompt you to brew coffee in the morning.
Routine: This is the behavior itself, such as drinking coffee, smoking, or exercising.
Reward: This is what solidifies the habit. For coffee, it could be the boost in alertness and the sense of enhanced productivity.
In summary, to establish an exercise habit, it’s crucial to link it with a positive reward. For example, if you’ve hit the gym every day this week, why not reward yourself with those shoes you’ve been wanting or a relaxing spa day? While the ultimate reward might be tangible results—like fitting into smaller clothes, improved appearance, or weight loss—these take time. In the meantime, opt for non-food rewards. (Avoid using food as a reward for exercise, as it can create an unhealthy association.)
Additionally, none of this will work effectively if you’re not well-rested. Before you begin building a morning exercise routine, ensure you’re getting enough sleep.
