The 5AM Challenge: Join the 5AM Club and watch your life change!

 As the saying goes, 'the early bird catches the worm'! It is a well known fact that some of the most successful people in the world wake up early. It makes sense! By waking up earlier, you're able to accomplish so much more during the day and make progress towards your goals. How you start your morning matters because your morning sets the pace for the rest of the day.

There's a well-known book called The 5AM Club written by Robin Sharma. The author created a 3 step morning routine (starting at 5AM) to help successful people accomplish their goals, maximize productivity, lower stress and elevate happiness. Sharma calls 5AM the “magic hour”.

Time is so precious and we often struggle to find time for ourselves amongst work, school, kids, friends, etc. Taking even just a few moments out of your day before everyone else wakes up helps you live with intention and makes a huge impact on your mental health and physical health. The way you start your day powerfully determines how productively you live it. 

We want to challenge you to join the 5AM club for 30 days and watch how your life changes! Keep a daily journal so that you can be accountable to yourself and record your experience. Watch as your mornings transform from rushed and chaotic to productive and fulfilling!

The formula to The 5AM Club:

The author of The 5AM Club, Robin Sharma, created a morning routine formula that is split into three twenty-minute steps, i.e. the 20/20/20 formula:

The first twenty minutes ('move')

The first 20 minutes is spent on physical movement whether that's stretching, running, dancing, swimming, walking, or whatever works for you. Get your body up and moving into a sweat. Sweating releases brain chemicals that grow neural connections and make you feel happy! Your bodily organs will also appreciate the increased blood flow which transports blood, oxygen and nutrients to help your body and mind function optimally.

The purpose of the first twenty minutes not only is to benefit your physical performance, but also to help boost your mental performance which propels you into the day and accomplishing your goals!

The second twenty minutes ('reflect')

The next 20 minutes is spent on reflecting inward and connecting to what’s most important to you. Some people choose to pray or meditate, while others choose to journal or create a vision board. Essentially, this time frame is dedicated towards connecting with your higher self, clearing your mind of clutter and finding inner peace.

The purpose of this time frame is to mentally and spiritually prepare yourself for what lies ahead in the day. You'll be able to manage stress, obstacles and anxiety much better with a balanced and calm approach.

The last twenty minutes ('grow')

The last 20 minutes is for learning and developing your skills. You can watch an educational YouTube video, listen to a podcast, spend some time on your sideline project, do research on a particular topic, read a book or do some studying. It's up to you!

The purpose of the final twenty minutes is to stimulate your brain and improve your intellectual capabilities and skills. This will help you move closer to achieving your personal goals, talents and mindpower!

So are you ready to jumpstart your mornings and live a more fulfilling life? Here's what you need to know! 

Go to bed earlier

In order to wake up earlier without feeling exhausted and groggy, make sure you still get your full 7 or 8 hours of sleep by simply going to bed earlier. You can't expect to go to bed late and still cope with the 5AM formula. If you're serious about achieving your goals and living a more successful life, give up your late-night habits that hinder you from getting a full night's rest.

The first few mornings will be challenging

Because your body (and mind) is not yet used to waking up early, you're likely to feel tired or unmotivated the first few mornings. The beginning is the hardest part and this is where most people quit. Push through and your body will adjust! It might be useful to set an alarm and place your phone/alarm clock on the opposite side of the room so that you are forced to get up.

Make it exciting

Own the 5AM challenge and make it something that you look forward to every day! Include meaningful things in your morning routine so that you're more motivated to actually do them! If you spend the magic hour on mundane, repetitive activities, you will get bored and end up making excuses. A good idea is to include activities that you enjoy and are passionate about.. let's be honest - we all have a list of things that we always wish we had more time to do. Well, now is your chance to do them!

Tell your friends and family

Let your friends or family members know that you're joining the 5AM club. By letting other people know about your goals, there is more motivation to stick to them. You know that people are observing you (and holding you accountable to your commitment), and therefore there's more 'pressure' on you to accomplish them. Nobody wants to be seen as a failure.

Keep a daily journal

Keep track of your 5AM club journey by recording your progress in a daily journal. This is also a form of holding yourself accountable, and also being able to look back and observe your progress!

Have you joined the 5AM club? Let us know how your life changed in the comments below!