I wanted summer to last forever. But it had nothing do with the warm weather or beach vacations.

It was because through August, my three young daughters were away at day camp until 5:00pm, leaving me the whole entire day to focus on my business and getting things done while I had a quiet house to myself.

As much as I wished that the season would never end, it did. And with it ended my long, expansive days. As we got back into the school routine, the shorter hours caught up with me, and I was starting to feel like there simply wasn’t enough time in my day to get ahead, or frankly even catch up with my work.

I knew that needed an upgrade in my routine and I knew that I had to make a decision.

And I was dreading it.

I had gotten so used to my easy routine of rise-and-shine at 7:00am, and was feeling really resistant to making the change. I explored other options, but I knew that the only solution was to extend my day by waking up at 5:00am.

So I did it.

The truth is, I felt like a total badass when I finally committed to it; and the payoff has been enormous. I get nearly a full two hours in the morning to indulge in my meditation, workout, journaling and planning my day, all before anyone wakes up.

Making this upgrade has been a game-changer for me. But what about you? Do you have a change that you know would be in your best interest, but you just don’t feel like doing it?

Here are some tips on getting. it. done.

1. Decide first, figure out how later. If you don’t actually make the decision that you are going to do it, it will be a very painful experience. There were many mornings I just turned off my alarm and said. “Oh, tomorrow…” And I had to make the decision that no matter how much I wanted to hit snooze, it was absolutely non-negotiable.
2. Once you decide what that upgrade is, tell at least 3 people who can help you and hold you accountable. I told my wife she could kick me out of bed if she saw me get cozy after my alarm when off. And trust me she has.
3. Instead of walking around dreading the change, get excited about the payoff and do everything you can to make it easier on yourself. I made sure I got to bed earlier. I picked my workout clothes before bed so I didn’t fumble around and I prepped the coffee the night before so I could just wander straight to the kitchen and press “start”.

I bet you can think of one change you have been putting off that you know will have a big impact on your productivity or quality of life. Are you thinking of it? Good. Now, make the decision to do it and then follow through no matter what.

What is your one thing? I want to know!