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The problem I have with a lot of "self-improvement" (?) tips like these is that I find it hard to believe that they are necessary.

You need to start getting up earlier? Go to bed early enough to get the sleep you need and when your alarm goes off the next day, just get out of bed. No tricks, special techniques needed. Don't hit snooze. Don't delude yourself into "I'll just rest my eyes for a minute." Don't justify staying in bed for another 15 minutes because you set the alarm early. Just get the hell out of bed. And stick to doing it until it becomes a habit.

Is it really that hard for most people? It's just self discipline.



"... when your alarm goes off the next day, just get out of bed ... Just get the hell out of bed ... It's just self discipline."

http://fishbowl.pastiche.org/2003/10/07/just_is_a_fourletter...

http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?JustIsaDangerousWord

http://www.oreillynet.com/onlamp/blog/2003/08/cant_you_just_...

Or, for a more specific counterpoint,

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3828794


Um, yeah. Whatever.

We're talking about getting out of bed without procrastinating. If it's difficult, you either haven't had enough sleep or you're being lazy. Getting enough sleep may be difficult, but it's typically not an insurmountable problem. Being lazy is even easier to fix.


"Being lazy is even easier to fix."

Really? Please, do describe your fix for laziness, if it's so easy.

Saying "just be less lazy" is exactly the same as saying "just exert more willpower", and neither is even remotely useful to people whose problems you're belittling as being "just laziness / poor willpower". No therapist would say that to any client for any problem, as they know it would, at best, be completely useless. It's an insult - "you're lazy / weak-willed!" - masquerading as advice.


I'm not a therapist. I just know myself well enough to know when I'm being lazy and I stop it.




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