Ever used not having enough time for not getting something done? Your answer is probably “YES!”
After a conversation with a circle of my peers on the topic of productivity, we came to a conclusion that the most common reason given for not completing a task, project or assignment as scheduled was the lack of time.
The Alarmfights concept is about creating a positive association with waking up on a morning and taking charge and responsibility for productivity and progression from even before the word GO. Researchers have discovered that on average the amount of time spent per snooze interval is nine minutes which may not seem very much to you but that results in an astonishing two and half days a year snoozing away in bed. If we take into account that some of us press the snooze button up to 3 times a day, this is equal to almost 7 days in bed, time of which we can not get back.
Time is our most important resource and it its isn’t like a currency where we can spend it and then gain it back which is why the alarm fights concept was developed to create that extra time in the mornings to do something productive. Instead of hitting the snooze button multiple times, we’re creating windows of opportunity and productivity for special things to happen and to unlock our deeper potential (what magic can be produced when you’re asleep in bed?).
Alarm fighting rules
· You cannot put time into the time bank if you get up after your alarm goes off. You must get up before unless you are a beginner in which case you would get up as soon as you hear the alarm without pressing snooze.
· If you get up before your alarm and then do nothing productive, for example sitting and having a coffee (that isn’t productive), you can’t put time into the time bank. If you got up and then did some DIY, that would qualify.
· Alarm fighting is best for individuals working a Monday to Friday week, Alarm fighting doesn’t take place at the weekends.
· You must go to bed around the same time every night to condition the body clock into getting used to a routine.
Alarm fighting for beginners
After conditioning, Heavyweight alarm fighters will be able to anticipate when their alarms will go off and get straight up out of bed. Before you get to this stage, the body clock needs to be trained.
Alarm fighting for beginners is starts with these simple steps:
· For beginners, the best thing to do is to set your alarm for the same time each day for five days and get up as soon as your alarm goes off without pressing the snooze button. This will help to get your body used to waking up and getting up straight away (which is one of the hardest things to do).
· After two weeks of getting straight up as the alarm goes off, set your alarm for ten minutes earlier next time. By this time your body clock should be able to feel that it is almost time to get up and you should be waking up before your alarm goes off providing you haven’t been drinking alcohol the night before.
· After one week of anticipating the alarm in this manner, set your alarm another 5 minutes earlier and then repeat this until eventually you are waking up 20 minutes before your alarm goes off.
· When you are waking up 20 minutes before your alarm goes off, you will have gained status as a Heavy Weight Alarm Fighter!
Time bank
When Heavy Weight status is achieved, and you are getting up out of bed 20 minutes before your alarm detonates you will be depositing 20 minutes into your time bank which equates to 100 minutes per week. 100 minutes per week is an extra 5200 minutes per year for you to learn that new language, work on that new business plan or read that literature you haven’t had time to read. All of these things can be achieved outside of your normal routine.
Benefits
Alarm fighting creates a disconnect from the negative associations with getting up out of bed once the alarm goes off. After interviewing some of my peers, the common attitude they had was that the alarm seemed to govern their lives, isn’t this funny when it is actually us that set our alarms? We can take more control of our lives by Alarm fighting and creating an intrinsic reward system.
Wake up! Don’t let the alarm govern you!
Get your peers involved, share this article tag us on twitter as #Alarmfights
Words by Anthony Caton & Alex Rouse
