The saying, “The early bird gets the worm,” comes from an old English proverb, dating back to 1670, and has proven time and time again to be true. More recently, a study done by biologist Christopher Randler supported the same idea in a more modern world finding that early risers tend to be more proactive and productive than their evening counterparts.
The study surveyed 367 university students asking what time of day they were most energetic and how willing and able they were to take action to change a situation to their advantage. A higher percentage of the morning people agreed with statements that indicate proactivity, such as “I spend time identifying long-range goals for myself” and “I feel in charge of making things happen.”
And when it comes to business success, Randler says, “Morning people hold the important cards…Morning people also anticipate problems and try to minimize them, my survey showed. They’re proactive. A number of studies have linked this trait, proactivity, with better job performance, greater career success, and higher wages.”
After hearing all the benefits linked to waking up early, perhaps before the sun even rises, it’s no wonder scientists and spiritualists alike have put their weight behind this wise legacy. Modern day tycoons like Mark Zuckerberg, Richard Branson, Jeff Bezos and Tim Cook are all known to be part of a growing list of successful people who rise with or well before the sun. These leaders are known to be ritualistic in their morning routines which they follow religiously. And for good reason…
Early morning brings forth a feeling of renew. It’s typically a quiet, uninterrupted time of day where people can clear their minds, find inspiration and declutter their mental space enough to set the pace and see the day through. Be it the hunter-gatherers of the Stone Age or a modern day artist, teacher or entrepreneur, everyone stands to gain from starting the day early. So whether it’s an early morning walk, a cup of coffee at dawn or meditation, waking up early allows you to peacefully awaken your mind, body and soul to set the pace for a productive day. It allows for you to put your best foot forward instead of just surviving the morning rush like so many people do.
So let’s take a look at some benefits of waking up early and learn a few tips and tricks to possibly implement into your morning routine.
Gratitude
Grateful people tend to be happy people. Take a few extra moments each morning to give thanks for your blessings. As David Steindl-Rast, a Catholic Benedictine monk, says, “It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.” Treat each day like the precious gift that it is. If a few minutes each morning are focused on the things you’re grateful for, the drama, stress and worries in your life will seem far less in comparison. As the ever inspiring Dalai Lama said, “Everyday, think as you wake up, ‘today I am fortunate to have woken up, I am alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others, to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings, I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others, I am going to benefit others as much as I can.”
Solitude & Silence
Enjoy the early morning hours where there are no kids yelling, no babies crying, no dogs barking, no cars, no chatter, no television noise. The early morning hours are so peaceful, so quiet…it gives me a sense of solitude where I can clear my head and get my mind in a healthy state for the day. Take advantage. It can be a truly beautiful time to give to yourself. This is my most productive time of the day where I can think, read, work, exercise, catch up on life, learn music and create space in my mind.
Use This Time to Your Advantage
Ever feel like your morning is a race against the clock? You’ve pressed snooze one too many times. You got up late, your kids are now running late and consequently, everyone is late as usual. Breakfast is rushed or skipped altogether, parents are yelling, children are frazzled and everyone leaves for work and school in a complete frenzy. Showing up late and stressed before the day has even started is no way to start your day. Instead, create a morning ritual that gives you time and eliminates the morning chaos – you’ll be amazed by what you can get done before it’s time to leave for work or to go catch the school bus. You will find your kids are early and so are you! You create a calm environment for your children and yourself – everyone will benefit.
Create Healthy Habits
I like to start each day by drinking a greens powder concoction on an empty stomach. The H2O hydrates me and gives me immediate energy while the greens fuel my body and brain with a high dose of nutrient dense green super food. The benefits are endless but a few key ones include: Promotes detox, aids digestion and supports immunity.
Exercise
The closest thing to a guarantee that you’ll get the blood pumping everyday is to workout first thing in the morning. Again, the benefits are endless but a few of my top reasons include: provides an immediate boost of energy, increases blood flow, improves mental clarity, better mood, wakes up the body and mind way quicker, increases stamina throughout the day, lowers stress, and I always sleep better at night. So, go on and get moving – you won’t regret it.
Breakfast
By rising early and eliminating the morning rush, you’ll actually have time for breakfast. And we all know it’s the most important meal of the day. It’s the first opportunity we get to nourish our bodies and fuel our brains. It’s also a time to take care of ourselves so we don’t sabotage our efforts later in the day when we all of a sudden feel famished. Eating a healthy breakfast will boost your metabolism and drastically decrease hunger and cravings throughout the day. Plus, sitting down to prepared breakfast with your family or by yourself is way better than stuffing your face as you rush to work or skipping it altogether. There are also a ton of studies that indicate children who regularly eat breakfast perform much better at school. So don’t let your children fall into bad habits either.
Productivity & Creativity
For me, mornings are hands down, the most productive time of day. It’s my most optimal time of day to get work done and let my creative juices flow. There are no distractions or interruptions, just a clear head and new day to dive into. I typically check my email and catch up on tasks that need to get done for the week before spending some time on work, staying up on current affairs and listening to music. I’m able to workout, clear my head, catch up on life, work for an hour and be dressed and ready for the day all before my kids wake at 6:30! My day feels complete before it’s practically even started. And the trade off is good because by the time evening rolls around, I’m typically with my kids at someone’s practice/activity, making dinner and simply wanting to just relax and be with my family.
Time to Set Goals & Let Yourself Dream
If ever there’s a time when you can set goals and let yourself dream, it would be in those early morning hours. If you don’t have goals, now is the time – set them. There’s no better time to write them down, plan how to accomplish them and then get to work on your goal tasks first thing each morning when you’re fresh. You should have one big yearly goal that you are constantly moving towards and several smaller weekly goals to help you accomplish whatever it is you have set your mind to. Every morning you should decide what you can do today to move yourself further towards that goal. And then, if possible, do that first thing in the morning.
Truth be told, I was not an early riser, nor did I have an early morning routine until having kids 6 years ago. And when my kids were babies, my husband and I started this early morning routine out of necessity and survival, not to improve our personal growth, productivity and state of being. We figured out real quick that babies get up in the wee hours of the morning so if we had a prayer of being prepared for the day, we better get up, too. From that, a life changing morning routine was born. Our kids are now 4 & 6 and early mornings are here to stay. It has helped in so many ways that we’ll never go back.
