1- Get up and stay up
Whatever you have to do to get out of bed, do it. Put the alarm clock across the room. Set the timer on the coffee maker to start brewing. Run to the bathroom to relieve yourself and jump in the shower. The hardest part of the morning mountain climb is taking that first step out of bed. Don’t let that little voice start whispering, “Just 10 more minutes.” Ten more minutes is never enough and it will turn into another 10. Don’t hit snooze, just get up the first time. Whatever you do, don’t crawl back into bed once you’ve gotten out, no matter how inviting.

2- Establish a routine
Even if you’re using these techniques to get up early for a flight, it’s best if you establish a routine the days leading up to it. Make coffee, pour a glass of orange juice, brush your teeth, get into the shower; whatever works for you, do it the same each morning. That way you’ll get into your morning without having to think about it. Also, use an alarm clock with a battery backup to ensure a power outage doesn’t mess up your schedule. If you can, keep your routine even on the weekends, though we acknowledge that takes a lot of willpower.

3- Go to bed early
This seems brain-dead obvious if you’re wanting to wake up early, but too many people will put off going to bed thinking: “Well, I’ll be tired tomorrow either way.” Getting six to eight hours of solid, uninterrupted sleep makes all the difference when getting up early and staying focused through the day. Many guys will make the excuse that they can’t go to bed until after midnight. You can — you just have to start the process early. One thing that will help you hit the racks is getting off your computer at least an hour before going to bed. Also, don’t watch TV right before going to sleep, especially the news. Let your brain have time to wind down. Read a book or write in a journal.

4- Drink water
Don’t go crazy and down eight glasses right before crawling in bed, otherwise you’ll be up in two hours. The point is to drink a couple glasses of water, so you’ll be hydrated throughout the night and in the morning. Dehydration will cause you to feel sluggish and only make it that much harder to wake up early. Also, avoid caffeine and alcohol. Caffeine for obvious reasons, it’s a stimulant, and while alcohol is a sedative, it commonly leads to restless sleep. Eating before bed doesn’t bother some, but for others it can cause heartburn and bad dreams. Use discretion with food, but definitely stay away from late night spicy dishes.