by kat82 » 12 Jun 2025, 04:30 - IMG-20250612-WA0000.jpg (76.67 KiB) Viewed 42 times
A lot happens in life. Some have positive impact while others affect someone negatively. The same has been happening in my life the way I have never thought about. I never thought that waking up early could change my life. In fact, I used to laugh when people talked about waking up at 5AM.
I am a kind who always believed that mornings were meant for more sleep, especially when you had no day plans ahead like it happens to most self employed people. But one day, I decided to try it for waking up early for a full month and see the impact it would do. I knew it would take me time to accept but of course I had to since it is what I had decided to do willingly. I really wanted to see what would happen. What I discovered during that time had continued to surprise me in ways I never expected.
How it started
It all started when I watched a video online during those days when I was in India for my son's heart surgery - of course I had lot of free time and also got access to fast free WiFi that allowed me to stream unlimited. The person in the video said waking up at early gives you a head start in life.
I was not sure if that was true, but something about that message stayed with me. So I made a plan. For the next 30 days once I return to Uganda, I would wake up at 5AM and try to use that time well.
The first few days were very hard for me. My alarm would ring, and I would feel like throwing it across the room. The bed felt warm, and my eyes were heavy. But I pushed myself. I stood up, took abolution, and prayed. After I made sure that madam made a cup of tea. The outside were a bit quiet compared to during day times. Even the noise of boda bodas was missing. It felt strange, but peaceful.
I started by using the early hours to plan my day. I would write down my goals in a small notebook and I kept it simple. Things like, visit ForumCoin and do posts, be at work by 9am, visit URA head office at 11am, go to Mowt at 1pm, call mum 3pm, etc would be added in my notebook. These helped me feel more in control.
After that, I would stretch a little and take a short walk near our compound. Breathing the fresh morning air felt good. You see, Kampala is usually noisy during most days but at that hour, it is calm and clear.
By the second week, I noticed something different. I was no longer rushing through my mornings. Before this challenge, I would wake up late and run around, trying to catch a taxi or struggling in the Jam on a boda boda, or finish breakfast quickly. Now, I had time. I could eat slowly, take a shower without hurry, and even do an article on my website in my signature.
Waking up early also helped my work. Sometimes I work remotely, and before, I used to start late and end late. But now, I begin working around 8am. This means I finish earlier and have more free time in the afternoon. I started using that time to even do more online including posting on this very ForumCoin where I had taken long without funding time to do. I even began posting more articles on my website which I wasn't doing of late . If I had not changed my morning routine, I am sure I would still be planning and not doing.
My mood also improved. Waking up early gave me a sense of achievement. I felt proud of myself. I was not just sleeping through life. I was living with purpose. Even my friends noticed the change. They said I looked more energetic and confident. Some even asked me what I was doing differently.
Of course, it is still not all that perfect. Some days, I want to go back to my old ways. There are still times I slept late and found it hard to wake up at 5. But I learned not to be too hard on myself. What mattered was trying again the next day. That kept me going.
By the end of the 30 days, waking up early had become part of my lifestyle. It was no longer a challenge. It felt natural. I had created a new habit that helped me grow in many ways.
Looking back, I am thankful I gave this a try. Waking up early helped me find more time, improve my focus, and feel better about myself. It taught me that small changes can lead to big results. You do not need to do everything at once. Just start with one step for example, waking up one hour earlier.
If you live in any other busy place, I encourage you to try it too. You might be surprised at how much peace and progress you can find in the quiet hours of the morning
