Waking up around 4 or 5 in the morning might seem extreme, especially if you don’t absolutely have to. But many people choose to get up this early anyways. The question is, why? An early start to your day can make your morning and the rest of your day a lot more productive. If you’re not convinced and would rather hit snooze, keep reading for 7 tips to transform your morning routine.
Apple’s chief executive, Tim Cook, is said to start his day at 3:45am. And former Wall Street executive, Sallie Krawcheck once wrote, “I’m never more productive than at 4 a.m.”
And the reason why these and other top executives rise and shine before the sun is because it allows them to focus on important tasks without all the distractions that fill waking hours.
According to psychologist and director of research at the NeuroLeadership Institute, Josh Davis, “When you have peace and quiet and you’re not concerned with people trying to get your attention, you’re dramatically more effective and can get important work done.”
So, if you want to make your morning a lot more productive, here are 7 tips:
- Create a morning routine that works for you and stick with it.
- Avoid decision-making tasks in the morning, including what to eat for breakfast and what to wear.
- Prepare breakfast the night before to avoid wasting precious morning time.
- Program your coffeemaker so the coffee is ready for you when you wake up.
- Wear fitness clothes to bed (if they’re comfortable). When you wake up, slip on your sneakers and start your workout.
- Tackle important tasks first thing in the morning before your mind is distracted. These tasks will be different for everybody.
- Avoid all social media platforms until you’ve completed important tasks.
