I recently read an interesting article on the correlation between getting up early and productivity. I don’t know about you, but overall, I am way more productive on days when I’m up early than on days I’m not.
Here are a few things I’ve learned about myself in regards to staying up late and waking early:
- For the most part, staying up late is unproductive and a waste of time.
- It took me a long time to admit that.
- It’s also the time of greatest temptation and negative thinking for me – especially when I’m tired or exhausted.
- I am very cautious about trusting my emotions or thought processes when I’m tired.
- Getting up early stinks. But only until I’m a few minutes into my shower.
- Sleeping in stinks even more. I hardly ever feel good after sleeping in. I feel groggy, tired, and out of it for several hours.
- Having time to get quiet, read, journal, write, and spend time in solitude is one of the most important parts of my day. If I try to have that time without getting up early, it seldom works.
- My ideal amount of sleep is 5-6 hours.
- I’m not a “natural” early riser.
- I use my iPhone as my alarm clock and keep it plugged in far away from my bed so that I’m forced to get up and shut it off. Otherwise, snooze will win.
Here are some interesting snippets from the 99% article:
- Early risers tend to have a more proactive – and thus productive – mindset…
- If you’re getting up early, you probably already have a good idea of what you want to accomplish that day – otherwise, it would be hard to motivate to get up in the first place.
- Being an early riser also indicates a natural affinity for ritual and discipline – both key traits of especially productive people.
- You accomplish tons of meaningful work before most people even get started – allowing you to coast through the rest of your day with a sense of achievement and significantly less anxiety.
How about you? Are you an early riser? If so, is it natural for you? If not, how did you develop the discipline to do it?
Read some good tips on rising early in the 99% article here.
