Last week I made a small change in my normal schedule. I got up early…really early. Like 5am early.
For some of you that’s not a big deal, you love the mornings, but for me it’s huge. I am not a morning person, but after this past week, I think I might have to be. I woke up around 5 and by noon I was able to send out this tweet.
Blog post written, 8mi Run, 1000m swim & finally solved a major client issue. All before noon. Today's a good day. http://ht.ly/25j0R
— Joel Runyon (@joelrunyon) June 30, 2010
Crazy, I know. I think I was more productive that morning than I was all week (and I’m only partially joking). I experienced something that I’ve known for a while, but just haven’t experienced personally very often: the morning is a great time to get a bunch of things done. Now I know not everyone is a morning person (heck, I’m not sure I am yet), but if you’re wanting to get a head start on your day, here are 5 great early morning activities to help you get your mornings off to a great start.
5 Great Early Morning Activities
Eating A Good Breakfast
I can’t count the amount of times I’ve used waking up late as an excuse to skip breakfast or eat something terrible and “count it” as my breakfast. It’s cliche, but it really is the most important meal of the day. Eating breakfast gets my metabolism started, my brain working, and makes me much less cranky throughout the day. Waking up early gives you time not only to eat breakfast but to actually make something worthwhile eating, rather than scarfing down 4 granola bars as you run out the door (as I’ve been known to do).
Running [or exercise in general]
I’m slowly training myself to like running, but it’s still a struggle to get myself outside for a run when it’s scorching hot in July. Even at 6pm in the evening it can still be killer hot. However, when I ran last week, I got outside while it was still cool out and before the sun had a chance to warm up the earth and make any sort of outdoor activity unbearable. As an added bonus, the running paths were a lot less crowded and running early also freed up my evenings to do whatever I wanted instead of “having” to go workout. If you’re not a runner, find something that works for you [swimming is a great alternative] and do that, but there’s no bettter way to wake yourself up than a quick early morning workout.
Writing
This can be part of your “thinking” time if you’d like or something completely different. If you blog, then blog. If you just journal for yourself, take time to do that. You might not be a writer, but I find that writing down my thoughts, no matter what form that takes, to be incredibly helpful in focusing myself as well as figuring out priorities for the day.
Think, Slow Down, Breathe
You can incorporate this with your writing activity, if need be. There’s no better time to slow down, breathe deep and just think than early in the morning when no body else is awake. Early mornings are free of distractions, free of interrupting phone calls and the constant barrage of incoming email. Take this time to clear your head and focus on your day and your life. What do you really want to get out of it? Focus on that and then…
Hustle
Once you’ve woken yourself up, fed your mind, and cleared your head, it’s time to hustle. Get things done early, before you get the chance to distract yourself with your normal procrastination tactics (twitter is surprisingly quiet at 5am). Have a monkey on your back? A task that you’ve needed to get done for a while? Do it now. Get it taken care of first thing in the morning and don’t let it hang over your head the rest of the day. You’ll be amazed at how freeing it is to not have to worry about it for the rest of your day.
What about you? Are you a morning person? How do you start your days?
Hey Joel,
I am not a morning person at all and will typically milk every last second before having to get up and then rush around frantically to get to work on time. But recently I have been getting up earlier and doing several of the things you mention above.
First I actually eat a good breakfast and I think this is key. After eating breakfast I find I have more focused energy. I also do a bit of exercise, namely parking further from the office and walking in. And I often do a bit of writing and catching up with blogs I like to follow. Like I am doing now. 😉
I think I primarily function better as a nightowl but when I do have to get up early following the list above definitely helps set the day off on the right foot. It also helps when you have kids that are early risers.
I can definitely relate to that Matt. I’m a natural night owl too, and I love working late into the night to finish up a project, but the things I’ve been able to accomplish in the morning are making me think about switching permanently (I just have to get my internal clock to reset for me :).
Thanks for starting the day off with BIT Matt! (I forgot to add “reading this blog” to the list!)
Some solid ideas here, Joel. I never considered writing as a good morning habit for non-writers to get into, but you make a good point for it.
I’ve also compiled a list of 10 great morning rituals over at Reach Altitude, if you’re interested in some additional habits I’ve incorporated into my morning routine.
Best of luck continuing to wake up with the sun!
Haidn
Haidn-
Love that we’re on the same wavelength here. I didn’t see your list before, but it’s funny they’re similar =). I’ll definitely try & incorporate some of your suggestions into my routine!
-Joel
Well, you know, great minds and all that. 😛
I love the early morning when nobody is up. Just having that time to sit and enjoy myself before I have to interact with anybody makes a huge difference to my day, not to mention all the other benefits you wrote about. I’m glad it’s working out for you as well.
Have you ever read Brian Tracy’s Eat That Frog? It’s also an audio program, if you’d rather listen to it. It parallels what you were saying about Hustle. I think you already practice a lot of his ideas, from what you’ve been saying, but I definitely think it’s worth checking out.
I haven’t read it Sarah. I’ll definitely check it out. What’s the premise of the book? it sounds like it could be an interesting story, but I’m betting it’s more of a personal/business development book, right?
Yeah, it’s about how to avoid procrastination. What you call “a monkey on your back,” he refers to as a frog that you have to eat. And the longer you put off eating the frog, the worse and worse it will be when you get around to it. So eat the biggest ones first, and eat them early. Really good ideas in that book, and he’s got a lot of others out on different topics. I’ve also got his Goals! book that I really like.
Now that you mention that, I HAVE heard of it and think I’ve actually read parts. I should probably go back through it! Thanks for the suggestion!
This is so True!!! Why is it that it’s so hard to do though! haha… I’ve had those wild days where I woke up extra early and it’s like you’re able to accomplish days worth of tasks in hours. It’ crazy to think we know this and yet still find ourselves sleeping in till 8,9 or whatever the case may be. It’s especially tough when there’s no one looking over you to make sure you roll out of bed…
Ah, brother… Love the thoughts, love the article.
Keep killing it!
Patrick
Haha, Believe me Patrick. I have a rougher time than most people waking up early! Honestly, for me, it’s a struggle, but when I win, it’s totally worth it =)
Love the tips. I would probably go with the same ones as my initial suggestion to others.
Working out and eating a proper breakfast catapult me to success.
David Damron
The Minimalist Path
Thanks Dave!
I’ve been lurking over at TMP for some time. Thanks for stopping by.
I can’t emphasize enough how much eating properly changes my day. The differences are absolutely amazing.
-Joel
Great to see a nightowl try to change it’s ways
Children’help’.
You get to hone your ‘changing wet sheets/getting water or milk/ helping with toilet trips/ finding teddy…. half asleep at 3am’ skills…
Value the choice part of this post Joel – you’re targetting is impressive, make the most of it! Remember 15 minutes is only 1% of our day.
Paul
Haha, Thanks Paul! I don’t know about the kids part, but I can definitley see how it would help!
I’m still working on converting myself completely, but when I can, it’s definitely worth it!
Although I am not much of a morning person, I agree with you that mornings can be powerful. I think the common error is to get up early interrupting ones personal sleeping patterns. This will just lead to starting the day on the wrong foot. (Do you say this in English?)
If you do it right, on the other hand, it can be really helpful. For example, here in the Caribbean I am generally rising quite early, just because the sun is rising, too. During the winter months in Europe, things would be a lot different. It’s great to work here before 10 or 11am, when the heat starts hitting hard. In contrast, in winter Europe I am fine having a relaxed day and working all night long.
Definitely agree with you Fabian. Yes we do say “get off on the wrong foot” in English. You can also say “got up on the wrong side of the bed as well!”
Great point about the effect of the sun on our habits. Whenever I camp or sleep out in nature, I’m always up with the sun – 5:30 or 6am. It’s when I’m in my house, in my own bed, that I shut out the light and sleep till noon =)
Sleeping outside is the best… should be doing it a lot more often. As for home, what helps is leaving the curtains open or having an 80-year old housemate who starts listening to his favorite boleros at 5am. (I REALLY don´t recommend the latter, though! ;))
Also, thanks for the info on the idioms… it´s always good to learn more of them… one of the hardest thing in a foreign language…
No problem Fabian. Idioms are definitely one of the more difficult parts of learning a language. Let me know if you want to chat sometime and we can practice our English/Spanish on each other =)
Would be a pleasure! Skype might be an option… feel free to send me a mail and we´ll exchange IDs… 🙂
Just sent you an email!
Argh! I know you’re right because the handful of times I’ve managed to haul my ass out of bed REALLY early, I’ve been like Super Girl!
I think there’s a magic cut-off time for super-productivity and it’s in the very early hours. A throwback to our days when we used to rise with the sun and work all day perhaps? The times when I have started work before 7am, I’m so fired up by the possibility of the amount of work I can do in my extended day, that I start with a huge burst of enthusiasm that lasts all day.
It seems to be a winning formula too, the very successful Scottish painter Jack Vettriano says that if he isn’t painting by 6am, he’s not painting that day.
So cool Tammy! Thanks for stopping by!
Just like I mentioned to Fabian, when I’m outside and closer to the sun, I always wake up early.
It’s funny, when I wake up early, I actually feel like I have a secret. It’s like I’ve got a jump on everybody and instead of trying to cram all the things I need to do that day into the little time I have, I’m WAY ahead of everything & everyone and I can’t find enough things to do. Then, at the end of the day, instead of feeling rushed, drained with a crap load left to do, I’m relaxed, refreshed and excited for the next day.
Oh. My. Goodness.
I just had the single most amazing idea; a sure-fire way to get you up and at ’em at silly times of the morning. . . a buddy system!
You need pair up with someone who lives in a different time zone, preferrably one with 12 hours difference, and you arrange a Skype chat with them for 5am and 5pm each day! It doesn’t need to take very long, just enough time to say ‘Good Morning!’ or ‘Ugh’.
Or you could take it further, a web site that books you an appointment with a random new person each morning, combining the practicality of an alarm clock with the charm of Chat Roulette!
Haha, LOVE IT Tammy!
It’d be awesome! (minus the creepy dudes) That’s one thing you DON’T want to wake up to!
I’m loving this! … I may not want to wake up “that” early though… But this sounds fun!
Haha, let me know if you come up with anything Patrick 🙂
One great thing to do in the morning is to give the wife or girlfriend some morning loving. It keeps me rejuvenated for the whole day. Plus i can blog about the experience….
But seriously, getting things done early is a great way to stay ahead of the pack…
I like Sean Combs quotes that deals directly with this post. ” This is why I’m up 20 hours a day.” A true testament to his success.
Great post Bro!
Thanks Jonathan! I’ll keep that in mind for my next list =) haha.
But for real…love your Sean Combs quote…it’s all about the hustle.
I’ve ALWAYS been a morning person; I tried to be a hard-core, late-nite party person in college years ago, but it didn’t take. I get my best work done between 5:00 am and 2:00 pm, and I usually am coasting by 3:00 pm. I’m usually in bed by 9.
I never eat breakfast unless I’m doing something exceptionally physical that day (my usual morning routine consists of 35-45 minutes of strenuous exercise, so it’s gotta be more than that).
I get a lot done, but it’s more than that. I find the quiet and isolation energizing, and it’s my time of day. In “Guys and Dolls”, Frank Loesser had Sky Masterson sing, “My time of day is the dark time, a couple of deals before dawn…” It’s my time, too. It’s just that I get up to see it rather than staying up to see it.
There’s something about the quiet of the morning when you wake up to it that’s completely different than any other time of day…love it =)
..Bu-LOGGING in the morning!
That’s how you get crap like that done?
Genius.
Haha, it’s rough, but sometimes you just gotta do it =)
Hi Joel,
You are totally right about the benefits of getting up early and how much you can peacefully accomplish by doing so. I really love your list of “impossible” goals. I’m on a bit of one myself at the moment: 30 days of waking up at 3 am, with 75+ minutes each day in meditation. I’m on day 20! May all your impossible dreams come true.
-Asatar
Thanks Asatar!
Holy cow. 20 day straight at 3 am? That’s the definition of Impossible! Haha. Wow, that’s gotta take some dedication and drive for sure and you’re already 2/3rds of the way done! Keep me posted when you finish.
Thanks for dropping by 🙂
-Joel
Joel, this is awesome! What a great feeling to have accomplished so much (or not, if we just want to take it easy) early in the morning. I’m not much of a morning person myself, but I do find it to be very fulfilling knowing I have not wasted my entire day sleeping.
I’ve woken up many times early in the morning and by noon, felt like I’ve completed an entire day’s worth of activities. Then, I feel happy because I still have so much time left in the day to do anything else I want! Training in Japanese martial arts, writing, running in Vibrams, and reading, are just some of those activities. Fun stuff!
Hey Nina!
I think that’s my favorite part, having time to do what I want without worrying about the stuff that I “have to do” because they’re already done!
p.s. how long have you been doing japanese martial arts?
Hey Joel! I’ve been training in Shotokan Karate for 4 years now, and received my 1st degree Black belt this past June. 😀 Yay!
It’s a lot of fun, allows me to really focus, and let all the stress, anxieties, worries out the door in order to have a great time for my body, mind, spirit. Truly a wonderful experience. And it’s pretty kick ass as an Asian female in my 20s training with these hard core guys who are twice my size and weight!
Not gonna lie. That’s pretty sweet. I can just imagine you going all Bamm-Bamm on those guys and throwing them around the room. Awesome.
I definitely try and put in a good fight (I kinda have to, otherwise I’d get beat!). Good times, though. Training for the American Shotokan Karate Association Tournament this October! Yeah!
I honestly have no idea what that is, but it sounds BA 🙂
See, rising early sounds pretty fantastic, but here’s the thing: I just feel weird going to bed before midnight. 🙂
And that’s a shame, I know, as I very rarely get that much work done during the midnight hours. I guess I got used to going to bed late during college and never really broke the habit, but whadda ya know – I think it might be time to try this early morning business for a change.
Kudos on how much you accomplished! I’ll let you know if I’m even close to that productive. 😉
I know what you mean Matt! I love staying up late so I have this constant struggle between staying up late & getting up early.
Honestly, I think it depends on how you operate individually but I do think there is something to be said for getting things out of the way early in the day rather than waiting till later [I’m usually guilty of the latter]. The stress that you avoid by getting all the work out of the way is an amazing benefit in and of itself.
Let me know if you try it & if you do, how it affects your productivity.
hi joel,
i really like this. it’s simple and quite effective. AND i like it because as a single mom, i could incorporate part or variations of this and have a productive day. thanks for sharing with us.
Thanks Marina. I know that personally, when I seek out time in the morning to get things done, it helps a TON. Let me know how they work for you!
Hi Joel – I, too, hated getting up early but started doing it 2 months ago – 5:00 AM every day – so that I could write and work on my blog and still hold down my paying job while getting things going. I had no idea that it would make such a difference in my life!
I’m happier at work, more energized, and feel better about all parts of my life. What a blessing! Who knew?
Working on the going to bed early part….
This is STILL something I’m working on. It’s amazing what an effect it can have on your outlook, productivity & attitude for the rest of the day. Glad things have worked out so well for you!
Great thing about the morning is that it is the beginning of a brand new, virgin, pure day of existence. We enter it with the opportunity to leave any dirt and grime of the previous day behind in the now non-existent darkness of that former entity. So yes, we are charged with new energy of the birthed sun as it rises upon the fresh Now moments of new potential and joyful being. Go forth into it with a smile and strokes of accomplishment.
Something about experiencing a sunrise does something to energize your day. I need to experience more of them 🙂
Great way to become a morning person is to take up rowing. Great team sport if you are in a double, 4 or 8 (except single sculling). Gets you out of bed with a training buddy, you get a great workout on a beautiful and calm river, get to watch the sun rise over your town/city where you live, have a healthy post workout brekky and start the day with some serious ZING in your step 🙂
Hm. I’ve never done rowing before but it sounds intriguing. Might have to look into it…
I was the same way, but became a morning person when I realized I could get a whole day’s work in by the time my colleagues were just getting rolling at 1pm (back when I worked in the video game industry). I was home and done with my workout before their day was half over. Because I was less distracted my productivity went up and my stress went down… I’ve been a morning person ever since.
Incredibly how a slight change can have such a huge difference, huh?
I’m way behind on reading this but thought I’d throw my 2 cents in. I started about 6 weeks ago getting up at 5:00 am so I have time to jog or go to the gym before my usual 11-14 hour workday. I didn’t want to cut into time with the wife who already holds dinner for me a lot of nights and she isn’t up early.
Now I’ve reached the point where I wake up even without a clock unless I’ve stayed up really late. Also if I wimp out and don’t work out or jog, I feel like crap that afternoon. Its kind of a paradox because I work a pretty strenuous job and you would think the morning activity would negatively impact my afternoon energy level.
I love the solitude of the morning run, the gym is pretty packed but most everyone is serious about getting it done before they go to work.
it’s amazing how productive you can feel just by getting an early morning workout in. Good on you Don for keep at it!
I have become a morning person. I love getting up bright and early during the week especially. I work at 7AM and get up about 5AM so I can make a good breakfast, read a little (BIT, AoM, Nerd Fitness, and other blogs), take my time getting ready, and dedicate quality time to a full experience shave (mug, soap, badger hair, double-edge safety razor).
After I started doing this on a regular basis, I’ve gained more confidence, lost more fat, gained quality muscle, and started being impressive at work…turning a job I was loathing into a job I don’t want to leave.
I was putting in applications for other places for awhile, but couldn’t get an interview. Then I started getting interviews, but whenever I went, I realized I actually love my job…even though it sometimes requires me to spend well over 24 hours on-site in some stretches and rarely is consistent for more than a couple weeks.
All this changed when I started waking up early and eating a hearty breakfast. Some of my friends think I’m crazy for it, but it works! Early to rise really cuts the clutter in life!
Getting off work nearly 2 hours before any of my friends do also helps to get some exercise and personal time in before the calls start rolling in on where to go for dinner or calls for help with one project or another. Self-reflection, personal projects, and physical activity all work together to really cut the stress of the day.
I am sharing your Blog of Impossible Things to all my friends.
Hi Joel,
I’m Angelo from Italy.
I’ve been waking up earlier since 2011 when I was 16 at about 6 am ( the bus was at 7 am) but in the we I have always woken up about at 10 ( except when I got to the theme park LOL).
Now my goal is to wake me up at 5 am ( now the bus is a 6.35 am) EVERY DAY ( it means on sat and sun too). I started 4 days waking up at 6 and until this Sunday at 5.50. From next Monday I’ll wake up at 5.40 so I think at the half of may I will achieve my goal.
Ciao from Italy. 😉
Angelo.
I’m a night owl but I only need 7 hours of sleep. When I wake up I wash my face with cold water.