Are you an early bird? If so, great.
If you’re not, consider trying out a new schedule—there are a lot of advantages to being an "early riser."
I love sleep, but I also crave productive time in my day. "Productivity" at night is a fantasy in my world. Since my college days, most of my studying and productive activity occurs when others are still asleep.
Scientists say that early birds are more productive … and healthier.
All you have to do is get up a couple of hours earlier. Benefits outweigh the occasional momentary discomfort in the morning.
Still not convinced? Read on.
See why the early bird really does get the worm:
It’s healthier. Research shows that the sleep patterns of those that get up early are healthier. You might live longer by being an early bird. Spending less money on medical care? That's another bonus.
It’s natural. Most animals are active during daylight hours and asleep while it’s dark. Humans don’t see well in the dark, so we’re clearly not designed to be active at night.
You’ll be thinner. On the average, early birds are leaner than night owls. Maybe it’s the late-night snacking that many night owls like to do?
You are more focused. Distractions are fewer early in the morning. Get more done by having a greater level of focus. There’s typically no one around to intrude on your time.
You’re in good company. The majority of highly successful people are early birds. Success may hit you in between the eyes if you just wake up earlier and get started on your day.
You can enjoy the morning. When you have a few hours before you need to leave for work, you can take your time and enjoy the morning. See the sunrise. Listen to the birds. Enjoy a cup of coffee (or other warm beverage of choice) without being rushed. You'll be relaxed while everyone else is rushing to get ready for work.
You get more accomplished. You could use the extra time to learn the guitar, read, write, exercise, journal, or get started on your work for the day. Studies show that early risers are significantly more productive.
Most people don’t accomplish much after 6:00pm, so early risers have a day that is effectively longer. The night owls might spend as many hours awake, but more of their hours are spent on less productive activities. The early birds are sleeping while the night owls are playing.
Legendary Pittsburgh Steelers coach, Chuck Noll, is reported to have told his players, "If you want to soar with the eagles, you can't be out hooting with the owls." Naturally, his Steeler teams won four Super Bowls.
You build willpower. It’s not easy to get up when you know you have time to sleep for another hour or three. It can be a bit of a challenge to get up earlier than necessary each day. However, the willpower you develop can be applied to other aspects of your life.
You’re more confident. Knowing that you have a big head start on most of the rest of the people in the world can make you feel a little smug. You can be a couple hours ahead of your coworkers while they’re still brushing their teeth.
If you’re not someone that naturally likes to get up in the morning, there’s still hope. The key is to alter your bedtime and wake-up time a little at a time. Fifteen minutes each day is doable and sustainable. Or you could adjust by 15 minutes and keep that schedule for a week. The next week, add another 15 minutes. And so on.
Shifting your schedule to a couple hours earlier will change your life in so many positive ways.
Consider how you spend the last two hours of your evening with your current schedule. Those hours might be fun, but they’re probably not productive. Imagine adding two hours of productivity, enjoyment, and reflection into each day of your life.
There are so many advantages to being an early riser that it would at least benefit you to give it a try. Avoid the assumption that it won't work for you. You will be pleasantly surprised!
In my days as a taxicab driver, I relished waking up at 3:00am so I could be at work by 4. By the time most people were starting their morning commute, my day was essentially half-over.
My schedule then gave me time to do what I really enjoyed in the afternoon and early evenings. For a good part of the year, that was coaching high school and American Legion baseball.
Learning how to wake up early was no picnic, though.
Though I recently stopped the 30-year habit (perhaps temporarily), it was coffee that helped me get through those mornings much of the time.
Our friends at 1st in Coffee have some screaming deals going on right now…
As always,
Brian
