Waking Up Early

I think I do feel a bit more productive when I wake up fairly early. But sometimes, I just keep being lazy for like two hours if I wake up early and didn't go to bed early enough. However, I've observed best results if I wake up early and go out for a walk, or just a small jog.. For like, half an hour.. When I get back from the walk, I feel fresh and productive, and just ready to start working hard!

I'm a night owl so I prefer to stay up late and sleep in.

However, I do find that I'm more productive if I work the way you do: wake up early, take a nap around 1pm and then go to bed by 11:00 pm.

Waking up early just makes my day more productive...I feel this each day.
I wake at 6:30 each morning no matter at what hour I go to bed at night.

My day always starts with a good cofee and a smile!!

I get up that early but usually laze around until 9 am anyway. I should try exercising first.

Get up early and have a glass of water. The early morning water is like a magic potion for me. Actually guys, Im feelin a wso comin here: "wow crazy profits!! the secret underground technique that the "gurus" aren't telling you!!!!"

During our school days, surely we had to wake up as early as 5am especially during exams. But now, it only depends on how much tired we get and of course how much weight we have put on, contributing to longer sleeping hours.

Interesting question, Konstantin. What works best for me is a routine that both body and mind can expect, and one that takes advantage of your unique biorhythms.

Every day there are portions of the day when you are automatically at a mental peak - taking advantage of those times can be a crucial game-changer for you - quite often you can get things done in a half hour that would take several hours otherwise (or not get done at all).

Don't use your mental peak times for dumbed-down tasks that could be done anytime such as filing papers, paying bills, mowing the yard and so on.

What are your natural biorhythm peaks of the day? Keep in mind that they can be shortened or degraded by lack of sleep, dehydration from caffeine or alcohol, over-exercising, poor nutrition, etc., but they are there for you to take advantage of

- could be first thing in the morning, could be right after an afternoon "power nap" - only you know for sure, but it is definitely worth investigating and taking advantage of your unique patterns.

Actually ive heard that there are ways that you can train your body to only needing 3 hours of sleep per night. Apparently you have to put your body through hell first though so I'm not really willing to try!

Wooa.. I wake up normally around 4:30 A.M.
Been like that for years. Ad i feel great.

“Defer not till to-morrow what may be done to-day.”
Jing Quimpo

As early as that would be better.

Nothing beats a early wake up call at 7.00, grab some snack, off to beach, surf till 10.00 and then off to work.

I tell you: you can beat the whole world alone!!

I have to stay wake up in night as most of my clients are US based. So due to different time zone, I work in night then sleeping in night.

Recently I've been waking up early and I do feel I get more done. Its nice to see some things crossed off the todo list at noon. On the other hand if I get hit with inspiration at 11pm I'll work until I burn out. Sometimes that means well into the next day. And those are always really productive as well. I guess it just depends? The joys of being your own boss.

I have also found it the best time to work. I am most productive the wee hours of the morning.

Waking up early in the morning is the best time to work for me as well. I have better ideas during such hours. Plus, I feel more energized.

Yep, waking up early definitely has a positive effect on me. Watching the dawn of Enlightenment brings me in sync with life & my creative force I guess, while sleeping long gets me back in this old pattern where "I hated life and didn't want to wake up to go to work/school"

I've done a little bit of research on the *blue light* of morning time. It is so very interesting to me. If you are up and around before the sun rises and you can see that blue light washing through your windows, it sends signals to your brain to turn off the melatonin - the hormone that makes you sleep.

I would agree with Phill_cH that when I am sleeping-in regularly, I feel worse than when I force myself to get up at a decent time - 5am is my goal each and every morning, even on weekends. When that melatonin hangs around for too long, it can make you depressed and, of course, more sleepy throughout the whole day.

I also have 5 kids that we homeschool, so getting up early helps us (my husband and I) to get lots of stuff done before they even wake up.

I wish I could sleep in until 6am on weekends! I am on vacation, and am so used to getting up around 4.30am, my body refuses to sleep any later than that. I would kill for a decent sleep in.

Waking up early really does work wonders for me.I wake up with a word of prayer to the almighty God and a cup of tea or coffee. I find that i have a sufficient time of planning for the days tasks and lots of energy and strength to be able to achieve my goals for the day.

I am an early bird . But people are different . Some people work better in the afternoon . Some people in the night . Some people like having a little nap after work and stay up into the early hours of the morning to do the work .

It is difrent from person to person . When you know who you are and the best time you are productive , you have a serious advantage when it comes to productivity

I used to sleep too much . I used to sleep 12 hours a day .

I can sleep anyway . On a couch , in a car . pour cold water on me and i would dust it off and go to sleep

It used to be that bad .

now am learning to sleep 5-6 hours so i don't sleep away my life and i make the most use of my time

I once listened to a doctor on a television show saying that people who wake up early on a daily bases tend to last longer that those who wake up late. In my experiance, I have actually found out that waking up early gives me more time to organise my work and be more successful.

I do wake up early sometimes. It kind of makes you feel like you're getting a head start on everyone else.

I want to wake up early, its hard for me because I usually get into something late and want to keep going, next thing I know its 1am. I find that the afternoon hours have the most distractions, such as radio, outside weather, tv.

All depends upon practice. You will get the same results, as you condition your body to get. However, early morning fresh air, gorgeous surroundings and a bunch of other factors make it a pretty favorite choice.

Absolutley. I started waking up earlier the past two weeks. I was afraid I would get tired and lack creative energy but just the opposite turned out to be true.

Getting up earlier has given me more energy, drive, and time and cured my insomnia - I'm actually tired when I go to bed now. It's fantastic.

As others have mentioned, I love to do some creative work first thing in the morning and save all the mindless stuff like email and errands for later in the day

Thanks for sharing

Waking up early makes me save some time on the traffic jam. I don't have to get frustrated by the traffic and so am productive during the day because I began in a good mood.

I've been getting up at 4:00 a.m. seven days a week for years and find it works for me. Now I also go to bed 9:30 p.m. so I am getting a reasonable number of hours of sleep. I do believe people have different and various productive times or cycles, as noted above by Matthew Shelton, and I think you need to be cognizant of your natural rhythm and then treat it with respect.

I feel more productive at night after work."Keeping i n mind if there is a will there is a way".

My best productive time starts after 6 pm maybe because I'm a night owl. That's inconvenient as many people prefer to work mornings. I am a bit envy of those early birds). Cannot get myself wake up early. For my productivity it is even a huge damage.

Yes waking up early does make my day a whole lot more productive....I can get alot more work done

I have found that for the rare situations I actually do get enough sleep and awaken early, I'm able to appreciate the everyday gifts that sleep sometimes deprives us of: the sunrise, morning dew, cool mornings on otherwise unbearably hot days...

Hi

Unfortunately I haven't been able to quit my day job as yet, so I get up at 5:00 every morning. And I have been doing this routine for the last 10 years. I have found that the time from 06:00 to 09:00 is my most productive time of the day. I prefer to go to bed early (before 22:00) to make sure I at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep. If I wake up later my whole day feels like one big race to get stuff done.

Getting up early is really a good habit. After getting to the hang of getting out of bed early, I am actually able to try and do more during the day and feel like a feeling of accomplishment during the night time. I have nothing to worry more with while wanting to sleep simply because I had the ability to get everything done during the day I required to have completed.

I used to wake up 6am every day but lately its more like 8am-12pm, very random. I tried to wake up at the same time but because I know I don't need to, I don't ;]

Truly waking up early can give you so much feeling of accomplishment.

Since starting to work online, I've been keeping some crazy schedules such as, working through the night and sleeping in the afternoon....then back up for the graveyard shift.

One of the reasons I like working at night is because I know I won't be interrupted, i.e. no phones, household chores, dinner to cook etc. (hubby at work).

Waking up early has always been my problem since no matter how I tried, I really have a difficulty of sleeping at night.

What if you sleep at late night like 3 am or 4 am? Whats the solution ?

I would love to wake up early but find I just can't get out of bed so early. Have to sleep earlier!

I wake up at 6.00am every morning even at the weekends,grab a coffee or 3 and check vital things like emails and site stats,grab a shower and then work till miday,the rest of the day is all mine to do what ever i wish.

As you can see I have lately been staying up overnight and sleeping during the day. It has not been very good for my productivity as I find my to do list still completely full. Getting a good nights sleep and starting early is a key to a productive day in my opinion. The body knows that during the day its time to work so it is best suited to get things done. Being a night owl is fun, but not ideal.

The times when I wake up early, and have happened to go to bed early the night before, I wake up with a great mental attitude, and feel like not wasting the day.
I usually take some time to wake up properly, stretching etc so Im properly awake, then usually go and do some form of exercise.

Then the next good things to do would be address work for the day, and get some minor tasks out the way. Hitting the ground running in the mornings is a fabulous feeling and really makes me fulfilled on a day-to-day basis.

Mannequin (Ben)

The ONLY way I'm going to do Internet Marketing is by waking up early, 5:30 to 6:00 AM, to carve out that time. Life's responsibilities take up the rest of my day.

How many hours of sleep do you guys get every night?

rising early helps in getting some time to do the chores, light excersice and walking. It also produces time to have a siesta and you would complete all your job during the day time in a relaxed manner. Hence it always advisable to rise early in the morning.

Hope we have not forgotten---

" Early to bed and early to rise,
Makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."

Thanks

Waking up early with good breakfast definitely make me more productive and help me get more things done in a day. It's a bit tough that some of my customers have different time zone so some days I need to stay up but other than that waking up early rocks!

Waking up early ... whats that ???? i have not seen the rising sun for the last ten years , i get up at around 9 a.m, on sundays up to 11 am ... , i guess times have changed , will try to get up early tomorrow and see the rising sun , i know its not going to be easy ...

Some are morning people, some are not. The key, which you have discovered, is to know yourself and utilize your time and energy to it's fullest

I have always been an early riser. Up before the dawn. There is something so peaceful and tranquil about early morning before the day heats up to a fever pitch. Getting an early start on things can lead to being very productive throughout the day. A power nap at about 1:00, and I am good to go again until 1:00 am. When you enjoy what you do, it seems your energy and focus levels are boundless.

I don't get how this works for night owls. I tend to work from 5:00PM to 3:00AM. Go to bed around 5:00AM, wake up at 1PM.

I've tried to adjust my body to an earlier schedule, but I end up exhausted and unproductive. It's just not in my genes.

I'm a strong introvert, so I think I possibly enjoy the serenity, darkness and the lack of people during my prime hours. During daylight hours, I just get overwhelmed. Even sunlight makes me sleepy.

Waking up early isn't enough, you have to wake up early and excersise, get the blood flowing. I used to wake up early every day, 330 in the morning to be exact. But that was because i had to and was in the military. I used to work out 1 hour minumim, every morning. I felt like i could go all day. Ever since i got out i got lazy and gained some weight.
I am trying to get back to where i was, and yes i felt extremely productive when i woke up early. I always tell myself i have worked harder in those past 4 years than i have ever in my life, and i miss it actually. Keeping the level of standard on your body and your mind trickles and flows to every aspect of your life. When you have your body mastered, it shows in all areas of your life.

My early is between 8-10am, as I currently find myself employed (temporarily) at a JOB, and working a standard 8 hour day, as opposed to having been self-employed for many years.

After spending time with the wife & kids afterwards, and taking care of life's demands, I will usually work my IM business for another 6-8 hours usually until 3-4 am. (*When all is tranquil and quiet)

Being there is only 168 hours in a week, I try to devote as little time as possible to sleeping, ...but as age 40 creeps up, I find the once 4 hr nap not so long ago, has now mysteriously become a mandatory 6 hours sleep

Personally, I think it's purely circumstantial, and if you had nothing to do and all day to do it....you would do what suits you. Once, I get the income flowing to sustain my lifestyle online, I would definitely be up earlier to take advantage of the things I love to do. Unfortunately, in the moment it's "work now, play later!"

Gotta admit, as jcruz states above in the last 12 months working a less physical job, I have lost my 6-pack abs, and feel a bit sluggish. Think I'll have to step up and factor some exercising into my daily routine again as well.

I tend to to all my work at night ... 10pm - 7am and then go to sleep. There is nothing else going around at that time so i just focus on work. But i am weird.

I am best when I wake up at 5am and take a nap later in the day. That helps me feel productive and successful.

I wake up at 5am every day and have a pretty specific routine. Then, I take a nap in the late afternoon and early evening. It is the best way to go for me. Thanks for the post.

I'm usually up much earlier than that. This past year I've recognized how much more I can get done in the early hours - just seems to be my most creative time. Love the peace and quiet that surrounds me so that I can concentrate on the task at hand. Now I seek out that time!

Even if I find it hard to wake up before 10-11AM, I totally agree. The days when I wake up ~8AM are the best ones. There's nothing compared to having a good coffee while checking your e-mails in the morning and then having the rest of the day to actually work.

I used to wake up really late...like 11.30am..but then I realised I was wasting far too much time...so now I wake up early and get more things done.

I agree with the OP that those who rise early and focus first on their priority tasks for the day will be the most productive. However, personally, I am not a "morning person" and find it difficult to get focused in the morning.

Still, having said that, I do find that if I can get into the habit of rising early, the days go much better! The problem is ... I am a "night person" so as hard as I try, I can rarely get to bed before midnight–1 am.

GT

I've always been a night owl, but lately I've been getting up at 6:30-7am and heading out for an "hour of power" as Tony Robbins says. I'll go for a run/jog/walk and just breath and do my affirmations. I've found that my productivity goes through the roof when I'm up earlier and do this. It's hard to incorporate, especially when I still sometimes go to bed at 3 or 4am, but naps are where it's at if that happens

From National Sleep Foundation

How Can I Determine My Sleep Needs?
There is an easy way to determine how much sleep you need. Follow these steps:

1. Set aside a week or two that you can focus on your sleep and not allow disruptions or changes to your sleep schedule.
2. Select a typical bedtime and stick with it, night after night.
3. Allow yourself to sleep in as long as you want, awakening without an alarm clock in the morning.
4. After a few days, you will have paid off your sleep debt, and you will begin to approach the average amount of sleep that you need.
5. Once you determine your need, try to set your bedtime at an hour that will allow you the sleep you need, while still waking up in time to start your day.

its not possible for me to get up at that time.. I do sleep late at night, so its hard to get up early, but I have to agree with your post.

Yea I have to wake up between 3-4AM to find the time to do my learning, testing, and working on different internet marketing projects

Hey, sometimes I work until midnight and wake up a bit late. I realize that why not sleep early and wake up early to work, actually is the same, somemore getting more healthy!! I am pushing my self sleep early now, so that can wakeup early!

Definitely!!! If I'm up and dressed at 6:00am I can get in a full-tim day of online work without even realizing it and still have plenty of time to work on hobbies. I'm a night owl but I don't feel as creative at night.

6-9 online work

12-3 online work

7-9 online work

I LOVE this schedule!

I am a firm believe that the early bird catches the worm. Plus at night time you'd want to hang out with your friends and family at the very least, so if you get that all out of the way you will have time for them.

I feel that I'm being more productive when waking up early, because everytime I wake up very early, distractions are very minimal, and I can focus more.

good ideas ... good post ... thanks

For me personally, late night is when I am most productive. I often have a hard time focusing during the day, as there is just too much going on and I just get bombarded with various things and people trying to communicate with me. I guess super early morning might have this same effect, but it would be short lived as you would only get an hour or two before everyone else gets up and starts doing their thing.

I have been a full time IT freelancer (not IM, this is new to me) since 2001 and I have gotten to the point where I can dictate my own hours. I have more or less been alarm clock free for the past few years. I don't even own one anymore and I don't keep any time keeping device in my bedroom for the majority of nights. Every now and then I have to make an appointment with someone in the AM and I use my cell phones alarm for those occasions.

Most all of my customers call and email me during business hours and I find that to be a huge distraction. I typically wake up between 10AM-Noon and start my work day around 1PM after eating a nice lunch (or breakfast depending on how you look at it) I start off by contacting all the people who left emails/vmails during the AM. I love working late night though - typically if I have to focus on something and knock it out, I'm most likely to get in the "zone" after midnight.

I don't however do anything all that demanding of either my time or energy during the day, so unlike most people it's rare for me to be "drained". It's been a while, but once upon a time I did work a 9-5 and it wore me out so bad that there was no way I could do anything productive at night.

I've planned waking up early for almost 2 years now. I still haven't mastered it. It's easy to say but very hard to do.

doesn't work particularly well for me. I'm a night owl type of person. if I get up at 6-8, I just feel sleepy already around 9-10pm (in addition to feeling sleepy after waking up so early). which means that overall I dont get any more work done than if I get up at 10-11 as usual and stay awake till 2-3am.

As many here, I am most productive at evenings or late night. But, if needed, I have always managed to get up and sleep whenever I found the need to do so. It is pretty much just will and practice for me.

Hmm, i should consider this very carefully... Last time when i tried to wake up at 6am, i couldn't get up but actually got late for my work, it's just that i don't think my body can cope with it. It really is problematic but i guess i have to cope with it.
I'll try to wake up at 6 tommorow, hopefully i don't get late to work

There is much to be said for sprinting through your early am stuff and taking a nice 45 minute nap in the afternoon. I think it depends on the person but I for one LOVE getting half of my day done before most people start there commute!

I am always in the office before 9 - customers start calling before that, so it is necessary for at least one of us to be there.

I like to wake up before the sun comes up...it is a very peaceful time

Waking up early gives me headache..

I like to sleep early to wake up early.

I don't know why I'm more responsible at night shift.. :S hahaha

And I tried to change my routine to work morning so that I'll end up by afternoon, but I failed because I'm more sleepy when it comes to day time..

Me...I do the same because I wake up everyday at 4am but instead of napping for a couple of minutes I get myself ready for work and it feels good when you are working early.

I'm an early bird from my military day's. Yes, I'm much more productive and organized when I wake up early.