BENEFITS OF WAKING EARLIER

If you consider yourself a “morning person” then this routine will most likely resonate with you. However, if you answer “yes” to the following questions it might take a little convincing on my part as to ANY benefit in waking early.

• Do you cringe at that thought of getting up one minute earlier than you absolutely have to? 
• Do you whack the snooze button 5 times before finally rolling out of bed, grumbling and moaning as your feet hit the floor? 
• Do you still feel half asleep driving to work? 

If you can relate to these questions, the thought of waking earlier might just make you want to bury your head deeper in the covers, roll over, and go right back to sleep.  However, if you can manage to poke your head out just long enough to read a few more paragraphs you might find that there are real leadership benefits to waking a few minutes earlier each day.  Many successful leaders have what they call their “morning ritual” or “morning routine”.  Personally, developing my own morning routine was critical to me regaining balance in my life and actually becoming more productive and successful in both my professional and personal life.  And, my morning routine starts by me waking earlier.  So, what are some of the benefits of getting up earlier you ask?  Why would you even consider climbing out of bed to start your day any earlier than you absolutely have to?  Well, allow me to share a few of my favorite reasons and commonalities that I found in the lives of some of the most successful leaders in regard to this topic.

1. Increased productivity: By waking earlier, you can begin your day before others wake.  You’ve heard the old saying, “The early bird gets the worm, right?”  Well, it’s true.  You can use this time for organization, goal setting, planning out your day and even the weeks ahead. Consider establishing your own morning routine (more on this topic later) that includes hydration, stretching and exercise.

2. Feeling of being in charge:  Many people claim they feel “more in charge” of their day when they wake earlier and use this quiet, uninterrupted time to focus or center themselves. This is the perfect time for relaxation techniques, reflection, and to simply enjoy the sunrise. By deliberately establishing your mental mindset in the morning before “life” starts to happen you can experience increased optimism, the feeling of being more agreeable, and an overall satisfaction with life.

3. Increase in restorative sleep: Waking earlier helps keep the body in tune with the earth’s natural circadian cycles.  We once went to bed when the sun went down and woke when it rose in the morning.  Our lives are now filled with artificially created schedules and lighting which result in our bodies being out of sync with our natural sleep cycles.  We typically sleep in 90 minute cycles.  Try to set your alarm for the END of one of the 90 minute cycles so as to avoid being awaken in the middle of a cycle.   You can calculate your waking time based on 90 minute cycles.  See the example below.

The closer we get to aligning our daily sleep schedules with our natural circadian cycles the better the quality of sleep we will experience. Quality, restorative sleep, not necessarily MORE sleep, may make one less prone to depression too.  Think about your own state of mind on days when you have not slept well or have experienced several nights of less than optimal sleep.  A good night’s rest is foundational to starting out your day in the right frame of mind.

4. Gain more time:  By starting your day a little earlier (even just 30 minutes) you gain more time to do the things you want or to do the things you may not have finished the day before.  By giving yourself a little more time in the morning you may feel less stressed, have time for a healthy breakfast, experience an easier, less congested commute to work, stop being late to work, and increase quality time in the evening to spend with family and friends because you were able to take care of a few extra things in the morning. 

5. Creativity: During the first few minutes of the day your mind is less inhibited and restrictive.  This is the PERFECT time to let your mind run wild.  Imagine in your mind all of the things you can do.  Those first moments of the day are the perfect time to envision what you want your personal life, school, or career to look like, sound like and feel like.  Keep a memo pad by your bed.  You will need it to capture all of the great ideas that flow from that amazing brain of yours!

Starting your day just a few minutes earlier each morning and creating a routine designed to increase your productivity or improve your overall well-being is worth the sacrifice.  Consider making waking up earlier a priority and see what happens.  Great things often come from small sacrifices.