When you win the morning, says Tim Ferriss, author of “The 4-Hour Workweek,” you win the day.
Many studies over the years have provided a mix of anecdotal and empirical data that early morning (4 a.m. to 5 a.m.) may be the most productive time of the day.
It’s quiet, there are no distractions, and you can make it whatever you want: Read, run, write or just simply think and jot a few notes as you do.
While rising so early may seem extreme, it does appear to work. Some of the world’s most famous entrepreneurs and leaders wake up between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m.:
Richard Branson, founder and chairman, Virgin Group
The billionaire entrepreneur wakes up at 5 a.m. to exercise and spend time with family. He says it that it puts him in a great mind frame before getting down to business: “I have always been an early riser. Like keeping a positive outlook, or keeping fit, waking up early is a habit, which you must work on to maintain. Over my 50 years in business I have learned that if I rise early I can achieve so much more in a day, and therefore in life.”
Tim Cook, CEO, Apple
“I wake up at 3:45, I do e-mail (at 4:30), I’m in the gym by 5 a.m. And I work straight until 8 or 9 at night. And then I do it all over again the next day. But I love it, it’s my life.”
Bob Iger, CEO, Disney
“I get up at 4:30 every morning. I like the quiet time. It’s a time I can recharge my batteries a bit. I exercise and I clear my head and I catch up on the world. I read papers. I look at e-mail. I surf the Web. It’s a good time to think. I believe that exercise relieves stress and contributes to an improvement in stamina, which in a job like this you absolutely need.”
Science says so, too…
Harvard biologist Christoph Randler found that people whose performance peaks in the morning are better positioned for career success, because they’re more proactive than people who are at their best in the evening. He writes:
“When it comes to business success, morning people hold the important cards. My earlier research showed that they tend to get better grades in school, which get them into better colleges, which then lead to better job opportunities. Morning people also anticipate problems and try to minimize them. They’re proactive. A number of studies have linked this trait, proactivity, with better job performance, greater career success, and higher wages.”
Whether it’s their physiology or psychology, early risers seem to have an edge.
Get up early to get a better jump on your day.
Have a great week.
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