Some of the world’s most successful people get up early. Richard Branson reportedly gets up at 5.45am, LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner at 5.30am, Apple CEO Tim Cook at 3.45am, Oprah at 6am and Elon Musk rises at 7am.
50% of self-made millionaires and 90% of executives get up before 6am, or 3 hours before their workday begins, in order to engage in activities like exercise, dog walking, meditation, reading the news, checking emails, eating a healthy breakfast and getting their kids ready for school.
Here are some benefits to getting up early and how it could help you be more successful:
You to get a head start to the day
Ever wondered why some people always find the time to do things like going to the gym, walking the dog or making a healthy packed lunch? It’s simply because they have given themselves a few extra hours to do it in by getting up earlier than the rest of us.
You are more proactive
A study by biologist
Christoph Randler found that early birds are more proactive than night owls. His research concluded that “they tend to get better grades in school, which gets them into better colleges, which then leads to better job opportunities. Morning people also anticipate problems and try to minimize them.”
You avoid sleep inertia
Many of us have experienced that groggy feeling that comes from not waking up naturally, such as being jerked awake by an alarm clock, and this can last throughout the say. When we wake up naturally, this grogginess only lasts about 15 minutes. If an alarm clock wakes us up suddenly while we are still in a deep sleep state, sleep inertia can last for several hours, impairing our abilities to make decisions, be productive, remember things and pay attention. Combat this by training your body and brain to wake up earlier, making sure you get out of this groggy state long before you have to clock in at the office.
You get a positive start to the day
There are huge advantages that come with not starting your day by jumping out of bed and rushing to work. Instead, starting your day with the peace and quiet of no car noises, neighbours and kids and spending time to yourself can give you a peace of mind that continues throughout the rest of the day. Create time for yourself and doing something positive like exercise, eating a good breakfast, a creative pursuit, or meditation.
You are more productive
Early risers can be more productive for several reasons other than having more hours in the day to do things. Firstly, there are fewer distractions in the morning. You have the headspace to plan your goals and priorities for the rest of the day. In addition, often your brain is at it’s most efficient in the morning so you can even achieve more in those extra few hours than any other time of day.
