I am no early bird.
Waking up early has always been a huge problem of mine. I blame it on my college years, where I would drink until 5 am and wake up at 5 pm… on a Monday. Let’s just say my college years were not my most productive.
My college habits, unfortunately, died a slow death. As an employee, I would regularly stroll into work late because I couldn’t seem to wake up on time. I managed to be productive, but not as productive as I should have been. In short, I was far from diligent.
However, in order to achieve my goal of a million in 10 years, I knew I had to get my sleeping habits under control. I have recently tried- with some success- to alter my sleeping habits. This takes a lot of hard work, grit, and persistence, but it can be done.
And lo and behold, I’ve found that there are several benefits to waking up early. Here are some of them:
1. Head start!
This may seem a little obvious, but by waking up a little earlier, you have a head start on the day. This gives you time to finish up tasks from the day before, eat breakfast, and still get to work on time. By waking up earlier, you can be more productive at work, which only helps your future earning potential.
2. Preparation Time
I’ve found that it’s absolutely critical to have a roadmap for the day ahead. The simple act of sitting down in the morning and listing out my most important tasks for the day has increased my productivity tremendously. Never underestimate the power of an organized day.
3. No distractions
It’s amazing how much you can get done when you’re not constantly checking emails, answering phone calls, or being distracted by outside noise.
4. More Energy
I don’t know about you, but it usually me takes some time to get my mind functioning correctly. It’s usually only after lunch that I get any meaningful work done. By becoming an early riser, I have more clarity of thought, which corresponds with more productivity.
I know I must be a consistent early riser to achieve my goals. Every time I’m tempted to sleep in, I envision the person I want to be in 10 years, and somehow I always find a way to wake up.
