Becoming a Morning Person – All The Successful People Are Doing It

Are you a night owl?

Maybe it’s time that you considered becoming a morning person instead. Many entrepreneurs, artist, and CEOs are rising with the sun, and sometimes before it, to get a jump on their to-do list.

Says Who?

After a 4:00 a.m. wake up call and a workout, Apple CEO Tim Cook likes to boasts about being the first person to the office. Cook’s prior boss, Steve Jobs, was also known to rise around 6:00 a.m. Jobs would work two hours and send the kids off to school before arriving at Apple around eight or nine. Following a similar routine, author and happiness expert Gretchen Rubin wakes up at 6:00 a.m. so she can make headway on her writing before her family is awake.

See what’s happening here?

Creative types and high-achievers are setting their alarms for the early a.m. They are taking a proactive approach to making time to make things, to create, and make forward progress while competitors are sleep asleep.   It should come as no surprise. Take athletics for example. Practice fields and weight rooms are packed with athletes vying for the top spot in their sport; all before the sun rises. Applying that same approach to your business life can pay huge dividends. See for yourself.

4 Reasons To Wake Up Early

Fewer Distractions – if you’re awake while everyone else is sleeping there won’t be anyone to distract you. No co-workers, no phone calls, no kids. The morning provides a sanctuary of peace and quiet that does not exist during the rest of the day.

Find Flow – when you’re able to dive into your work without being disrupted you’re more likely to find flow. Psychologist and author Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi characterizes flow as an “optimal experience.” It’s similar to being in the zone. Working at the brink of your abilities you are challenged, but engaged. It’s a state of skill-expanding consciousness that brings about deep enjoyment and creativity. It’s a feeling that’s easier to come by when no one is around to interrupt you.

Fight Decision Fatigue – stop wasting energy on meaningless decisions. By creating a morning routine, and sticking to it, you can save on mental energy and willpower that can be devoted to more significant work. Once waking up early becomes a habit, you won’t have to think about it. Begin to build additional tasks into your morning routine such as writing, exercising, or meditating.

Time for Side Projects – you might have a bunch of ideas that you want to work on, but can’t find the time. You’re planning to start a business, but aren’t ready just yet.  You need to wake up early. Devote the morning hours, away from your day job and daily tasks, to your side hustle. Who knows, with some work, you might ready to ditch your desk job.

How to Make it a Good Morning

If you’re ready to make the switch from staying up late, to waking up early, get started by creating a bedtime routine. Consider reading a book, writing in a journal, or mediating instead of watching television. Take a few moment to think what needs done the next day and define tasks for your morning. Once you set the alarm, all you’ll need to do is get out of bed when it goes off.

Good luck!

Are you a morning person? Do you have any advice for others trying to follow your lead?