“The early bird gets the worm”…You’ve heard the old saying time and time again. To be early, to be first – it’s something some of us commit to daily while others avoid it like a plague.
If you know me at all, you know I am a perpetual early-riser. It’s a blessing and a curse. I get a hell of a lot more done, but I also couldn’t sleep in if my life depended on it.
I’m also a huge believer in starting the day, getting a lot done, relaxing, or crossing things off my to-do list while the rest of the world sleeps (including my wife – I haven’t quite sold her on this yet).
When people have asked me what my key is to productivity, my first response is always “Wake up earlier”.
So today I implore you – as glorious as sleep can be, think about everything you could accomplish even if you set your alarm clock ONE hour earlier.
365 days in a year. Wake up one hour earlier and add 365 hours (about 15 days) to your life each year.
What would you do with all that time?
- Take time to relax before starting your day?
- Go for a morning jog?
- Do something for others (like make breakfast for your still-asleep family)
- Clear out your e-mail inbox ans start the day at #inboxzero
- Leave a little early and avoid stress traffic.
- Write a blog post? Better yet, write a book?
- Watch Saved by the Bell reruns (guilty for the past 10 years)
There’s a whole heck of a lot of potential out there if you just commit to waking up earlier. I know sleep is good, sleep is great, we need sleep to stay healthy. I’m not at all suggesting you adopt unhealthy habits. But in my experience, and in the experience of those close to me – the early bird may just get the worm.
So who’s with me in starting an early-riser revolution? Or maybe I’m just crazy…Probably the latter.