You might not be surprised to learn that getting up early is a general trait among almost all “successful” people.
If you’re reaching for the snooze button when that alarm kicks off and yearning for another five minutes, here are just a few reasons why you should be doing exactly the opposite and pushing yourself to get up.
Getting up a little earlier next week won’t turn you into a business titan overnight, but it could certainly improve your work life balance and your productivity in a surprisingly short space of time! Is it not worth trying?
Time
On average, we spend an hour pressing the snooze button instead of simply getting up. If you are having trouble fitting everything into your busy day, just think what you could do with that extra 60 minutes. Getting up a couple of hours earlier can give you the equivalent of 30 days more to do stuff each year.
Exercise and Eating
Early morning is generally a very good time to exercise. It gets your metabolism going, pumps blood to your brain and gives you plenty of energy. You’ll be fitter and more active, ready to face your business day with a lot more vigour. Most of us don’t have time to exercise in the morning – we’re too busy getting ready for work, having breakfast and making sure the kids are dressed for school.
Getting up an extra hour or two gives you that time. You’ll also be able to sit down and have a leisurely breakfast, even after your fitness routine. How many of us grab a quick bite of toast and a slurp of coffee before springing out the door? Wouldn’t it be nice to sit down, take your time and think about the day ahead, having just burnt some calories and released some tension with a quick run?
Even Out Your Day
Do you ever find you just don’t have enough hours in the day? It all starts so hectically and, before you know it, lunchtime has arrived and you’ve hardly got anything done. Getting up early gives you time to prepare. You don’t have to exercise if you don’t want. You can simply sit down and get some quiet time to think about the day ahead and plan it better.
Getting into work earlier means you’ll be able to leave at a decent time, leaving you with a work-life balance that doesn’t leave you lying exhausted on the sofa as soon as you get in the door. Why not try working 8 til 5 instead of 9 til 6, for example?
Stay Ahead of the Game
While everyone else in the office is rushing in, having just about woken up, you’ll arrive at work ready for action, calm and collected. You won’t plunge headlong into the day’s work because you’ll have planned your approach and so use your time more effectively. There are literally tonnes of different things you can do with all that extra time to give you an advantage. You can review your goals and ensure your truly working towards achieving them, avoid all that rush hour traffic and catch up with some important work without the distraction of anyone else around you, just to name a few examples.
How to Be an Early Riser
It’s actually simpler than it might first seem and is all about creating a particular habit. When the alarm goes off you need to push yourself out of bed and get yourself awake. Remember the old adage, you snooze you lose. It’s not easy at first – you may have to really force yourself to get up but with time you’ll be jumping out of bed to greet your new morning routine (psst! Sign up to our email series on productivity to learn more about this).
Mornings are our most productive time and making good use of them starts with getting up as soon as that alarm goes off. It’s worth a try if you want to keep ahead of the competition and you may even find that it balances your day out and makes you feel a lot less stressed. Next time that alarm sounds, sit up, stretch and welcome the day – don’t reach for that snooze button!
Recent Comments