Stop Hitting the Snooze Button and Start Intentionally Building Your Life and Business Don't beat yourself up for hitting snooze, just start going to bed earlier or setting the alarm later.

By Kimanzi Constable

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Khalid Hawe | Getty Images

As you get ready for bed, you set the alarm clock on your phone for the next morning. You go to bed committed. You're excited to wake up and work on building your business. You have a solid to-do list and every intention of accomplishing everything on that list. You know that this is how you'll grow.

Morning time comes and the alarm goes off. It's blaring that annoying tone that makes you want to throw your phone. You get up, reach over and face a split decision. You're either going to stop the alarm and hop out of bed. Or, you hit the snooze button to catch a few more "minutes" of sleep. Doing is fairly common.

Data suggests that 57 percent of Americans will hit the snooze button. You've done it a bunch of times before. You then start the reasoning process with yourself. You can stay up later or take something off of your list. You tell yourself there's plenty of time, so snoozing isn't that big of a deal.

But, it is!

Related: Press Snooze? You Lose.

The science behind snoozing.

We sleep in cycles. Each sleep cycle lasts 90 to 110 minutes, according to research. Most humans will get four to six cycles during a night's sleep. Two hours before our bodies wake up, our brain starts to prepare us to wake up. It takes us out of the final sleep cycle.

When you hit that snooze button and innocently doze off, your brain thinks that you're entering into another sleep cycle (90 to 110 minutes). But, you're probably not going to snooze that long. So what happens is that you need to wake up in the middle of your sleep cycle.

You wake up groggy and feeling tired. Your body and brain are off. I'm guessing you've experienced this. That then becomes the start to your day, which has a major effect on the rest of your day. Your first 20 minutes each morning are crucial to what you'll accomplish in a day.

Related: How to Win Each Day in the First 20 Minutes After You Wake Up

The intentional approach gets results.

Building a successful business happens when there is intention behind your mindset, strategy and the way you take action. That begins with when and how you wake up each morning.

You go to bed at an hour which is going to give you enough sleep (which is different for each of us). You set an alarm for the time to get up that will allow you to accomplish your daily goals. You either put your phone somewhere that forces you to get out of bed to stop the alarm. Or, you have enough mental willpower not to hit the snooze button.

You start your day making the first intentional decision and taking action. You start your day with a win. You can then fill your mind with motivational and inspirational content that gives you the extra kick to accomplish more.

Related: The 10-Minute Morning Routine That Will Clear Your Mind

Have a plan.

Every day doesn't have to be the same but you should have a plan. Being intentional about what you do starts with planning and strategy. You should have a plan for your days, weeks, months, and year. The reason why too many entrepreneurs wake up not knowing what they should be doing is because they don't have a plan.

The good thing is we have the ability today to model success in a visual way. The access to information through social media and the Internet can help us get a glimpse into the routines and strategy of successful entrepreneurs.

You can find what routines makes the most sense for your goals. You can model parts or piece together an effective morning routine. Win the morning and win your day. Start each day with purpose and intention because you're an entrepreneur.

We're over a month into the new year. This is a great time to build the habits that help you growth every area of your life and business. Habits are crucial in the success equation. Start by building good morning habits. Start by winning the battle against the snooze button.

Wavy Line
Kimanzi Constable

Entrepreneur Leadership Network Writer

Content Marketing Strategist

Kimanzi Constable is an author of four books and has been published in over 80 publications and magazines. He is the co-founder of Results Global Impact Consulting. He teaches businesses modern content strategies. Join him at RGIC.

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