10 Reasons You Need to Get Up Early Every Day

If you know me at all, you’re probably shocked by that headline. I used to be someone who always preferred to stay up late at night, then sleep late in the morning as well. I do, however, I believe there is quite a bit of evidence to support the decision to get up early before others.

10 Reasons You Need to Get Up Early Every Day:

1) You Get a Head Start

Getting started on your work early allows you to get ahead of everyone else. Many others are focusing on other things (and maybe even sleeping) while you make progress. Why wouldn’t you want to get on a roll, so that you’ve accomplished some of your most important tasks/projects by the time others get to work?

'Getting started on your work early allows you to get ahead of everyone else.' -- @bradbridges #productivity Click To Tweet

2) You Utilize Time to Think

Many of the leaders I work with at the Malphurs Group struggle to find time to think. Their day becomes filled with tasks, events, and distractions. But when you get up early, you can do your most important thinking from 5am-7am and create some designated time without interruptions.

3) You Ensure an On-Time Start to Your Day

Starting early gets you to the office and helps you avoid arriving late. If you struggle with arriving late, try starting early instead.

4) You Avoid Traffic

Rather than waiting until rush hour, why not get up early (and thus leave earlier) to eliminate the variable of traffic. I find it fascinating that we know certain times of the day are characterized by “rush hour” yet we continue to place ourselves in those environments — leading to frustration and tardiness.

5) You Arrive Home on Time

No one wants to be known as that person who always arrives home late in the evening. If you start early, you can much more easily head home at a decent hour to be with those you love the most.

As someone with a spouse and small children, I hate arriving home after or during dinner time. I always prefer to show up before dinner and get quality family time. When I get up early to start my day, it helps me “give myself permission” to leave the office on-time rather than overworking in an effort to get more done or make-up for arriving late.

6) You Create Space to Exercise

Exercise can be tough to squeeze in regularly. Let’s face it — we are all busy. So trying to rush through exercise time just before work, during lunch, or after work can be painfully difficult. But if you are up at 5am or earlier, you can easily exercise and still get to work early multiple days a week.

7) Your Thoughts are Clearer

After I start my day and dive into email and projects, I am much less able to think strategically or accomplish various writing projects. If you get up early, it will help you not only have some time to think, but it will also give you focused time to think before the endless to-do list has had a chance to fog up your mind.

8) You Set The Tone for Your Team

When you get up early to get a head start, it positions you not only for the start of your day, but also allows you to help your team begin the day with momentum. Many times in my career I have arrived “on-time” but also arrived uninspired or demotivated about my day. When I arrive early, I can better plan out my day and get to work on it. With this plan, I enjoy an accelerated momentum when my colleagues begin arriving.

9) You Complete Unfinished Projects from the Previous Day

Everyone battles unfinished projects. You may struggle more on a day-to-day level or on a bigger picture level with larger projects. When you get up early, you have extra time to finish what you previously started. Then you can move forward with a clean slate at the start of the office work day when your colleagues typically arrive at work.

10) You Create Room for Personal Projects

Nobody wants to miss their family in the evening. Yet working on personal projects during the work day will hurt your productivity at work. What should you do?

If you’ve ever wanted to write a book or focus on another personal project, getting up early will help. If you focus on these personal projects before the work day, you will be able to spend a set amount of time each day on your personal project. And this won’t disrupt your work or your family. When you get that personal project, planning, or whatever other task done before work, you’ll walk into the day rejuvenated by your personal progress made before jumping into yet another work day.

Which of these applies most to you? How could you utilize an early start in your life and/or career? Take decisive action to lead differently by living differently as a person. Embody the changes necessary to accomplish your goals and model leadership for others. Consider what getting up early can do for you!

'Take decisive action to lead differently by living differently as a person.' -- @bradbridges #productivity Click To Tweet