Eating immediately is such a great tip…and making sure you eat something good is just as important. Your body has been starving for 8 hours…you should reward it with something nutritious. The leaving earlier for the easy commute ‘should’ be something we all know by now, but never seem to actually do. I’m doing it today…and i have a feeling my commute is gonna rock! Thanks for the great advice Peter!

I do get up early but unfortunately my seven year old is making a concerted effort to conquer the world and is up as well. BUT I totally agree with this. Up early and I can get showered, and totally organized for my day so that when she gets on the bus I can hit the ground running. It just makes sense! Stay strong with your challenge Peter!

Completely agree. I’ve always been an early riser and I’ve trained my husband to join me. Getting up early and out of bed means I don’t dread each morning. And if the weekend rolls around, I get to enjoy the early morning with longer walks, more leisurely reading of the paper and making a complicated breakfast.

Doing my morning reading means I am more informed than the late sleeper who never finds the time to do their reading. I have less stress related to my commute and I get to start my evening at home earlier than the later riser can.

Thank you Peter. I get it. I’m doing it! Er, some of it anyway.

I’m up at 4:27 every day. I love my peaceful mornings!

And next time I’m in NYC, I’m inviting Peter out for breakfast!

Shhh… you’re giving away my secret! My whole life I’ve been an early riser and early to every meeting. It’s made me fortunes. Truly one of the highest leverage points available to ANYONE! Great post.

I love my early mornings. Most productive part of the day by far! Not sure about 3:30 am bike rides, however……

I have to agree once you feed a pet early (especially a dog) he will be your alarm clock. My dog gets cranky when I am working late into the night so he makes me on most occasions hit the sack early. I guess I had the drinking water part backwards but I will try it out. I usually drink lots of water before I go to bed (no wonder it’s hard for me to go to sleep.

When I worked at KPMG in New York and commuted from CT I used to leave on an early train and got in at 7:15 the latest. By accident I met the CEO and use to have morning chats with him since I was one of the few people to come in that early. The funnier part was that I did not know it was the CEO on my 1st weeks on the job. Other people actually pointed it out when one day I bumped into him and in front of my peers he greeted me like I was a long time friend.

Will try to follow your other advice although I like to work late into the morning hours!

Peter,

Thanks for the shout out to the concern of sleep apnea. As a nurse, I have seen it slowly deteriorate many lives. If you have any of those concerns Peter mentioned in the “Bonus” paragraph get it checked out and stick with the treatment plan you and your healthcare provider come up with.

Peter, this post makes me want to strap on my running shoes and hit the road.

I’m also an early riser and can often go days with very little sleep. Problem for me is that when I go too long without enough sleep and the ability to sleep late is one I have long since lost, I get sick. (It’s not pretty).

So I’d simply add to this that getting up early is key. But making sure you have enough sleep is also crucial. Same applies to your advice about being checked for sleep apnea. Similar concept.

Basically, get up early, but take care of your health.

The bedroom is for sleeping? Who knew?

Thanks for the tip, Peter. LOL!

Great post Peter…sleep doesn’t get enough respect, nor does waking up. lots of people stay awake through their “sleep window” (that time in the evening where you could go to sleep if you wanted to, you’re tired enough and your body is telling you to sleep). We stay up to finish work, watch something on TV or whatever. Start going to sleep when your body tells you to more often and notice the difference!

Keep spreading the word!

Great post Peter! I like the tip about keeping a glass of water by your bed.
The trick to getting up early is going to bed early. I get it.
But what do I do if my creative juices start flowing at 10:00pm?

Loved this piece, Peter. Curious though. How much sleep do you get? i’ve heard the old adage of “Sleep when your dead.” And I’m wondering, how much sleep do you get? Even if you are going to bed at 9pm to wake up at 3am that is still only 6hours? How does one do what you do on ample amount of sleep?

Thanks for a great post, Peter! That tip about drinking water is new to me. In the last quarter of 2010, I started getting up at 5 a.m. and was amazed at how productive that made me. Somehow, I slipped out of the routine. But this post inspires me to get back to doing that.

Peter, this was so inspiring. I’ve been trying to get up earlier each morning to fit in blog posts and to work in time to revise the memoir I complete for my MFA thesis — last year. I find that living with my boyfriend, I feel the need to always entertain him or that I am ignoring him when I shut myself into my office. Getting up earlier will give me that alone time I desperately need to be focused on the creative stuff. That’s just one reason I need to get up earlier. Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, but I rarely have time to eat it. I have a sleep disorder also and a more regular routine would help improve my health as well as productivity. I know I need to go to bed earlier and get up earlier, but I am not trying as hard as I could. Your post made me look at things a little differently as well as see what else I am missing by sleeping until the minute. Thank you.

Excellent post! This is very timely for me because I’ve been focusing on being more productive and I do find that I get a lot more done on the days that I wake up earlier. Thanks for writing this post Peter!

I loved this post. I am a morning girl – up at 4:30 to work out. I love knowing that I have beat the world and accomplished more than most people by 5:30am. Yes, the flip side is that I go to bed earlier but somehow it works itself out. I am much more inspired to blog before the sun comes up anyway.

I wake up early because I think life should be lived, not sleeping

Great ideas. I was always a go out in the evening person until I met my husband. He is a carpenter and was always at work with the chickens. (Especially in the heat of the summer) My sleep clock finally changed to match his. Now, if we sleep in, it is until 6:30AM. 30 minutes worth of change isn’t that much, but you can do so much with it. I doubt I would get up at for a 3:30 bike ride??? but maybe a flight to a beach or golf destination.

Thanks for the post man it was super helpefull! I leave for the navy in a few weeks and have been wondering why its hard to get up in the morning. Well turrrnnns out 12-9:30 isnt that great of a sleep schedule. Im staring to go to sleep at 10 now and get up at 6:30 to go on my runs!

This post came into my life at the perfect time, when I’m determined to start rising earlier. Thanks for the great tips!

Great article, but one minor point: How does reading Gossip TWICE make you smarter, much less once?

Fabulous advice! Thank you for sharing.

Great pointers Peter! Sleep is great AND important. But early mornings are truly the BEST….especially if you’re into worms!

Sorry, I’m just not that noble and righteous. 7 a.m. is the best I can do and that feels like the middle of the night, especially in the winter. My four cats cooperate well until them.

THANK YOU so much for the motivation.
Won’t bore you with my excuses, just have given in to the devils in my head that force me to hit the snooze button, for the first time my entire life.
Tomorrow morning, January 11th, I will be up at 6:00 a.m…..

One tip I can share, when the alarm does go off, I don’t jump up, but I give myself 3 minutes to assess my mind, body and spirit, and affirm it into a positive, productive, and motivated state. Then, I am up and running.

Thanks again for the kick in the butt……….

Great ideas, Peter. Had to laugh at #7, though. Whenever I try getting up 1/2 hour earlier, I figure I have time for an extra chore like starting some laundry or finishing last night’s dishes. While it’s great to get the “extra chore” done, I’ve never yet been early to work. LOL!

Great blog – mind if I repost it on my site?

All things I’m doing already, and yet, you still have more money than me….

As always, fantastic post, Peter! I didn’t know about the full glass of water trick. I’m definitely putting that one in place. The early bird gets the worm…couldn’t agree more!

I wanted to share a tip for anyone who has a hard time getting up early because the idea of eating before 5 a.m. sounds nauseating. I realized if I eat something very plain before working out, like a wheat cereal, and save eggs, orange juice, yogurt or heavier items for later in the morning, I get the energy I need to exercise without feeling awful. As a bonus, it also gets me started on eating multiple small meals throughout the day.

it’s good stuff Peter – simple but effective. Personal anecdote for anyone who cares – with Five children (3 under the age of 5) an hour + long commute and a personal blog recently launched I have found the only way to make it all work is to set the alarm for 4:40 a.m. lets me get my blog post published, a good workout in and cruise some favorite sites or blog post fodder for the next day. Another thing that helps me is preparing in the evening – making lunch, setting the coffee to brew etc. Ben Franklin had it right, no?

I think this is a great idea. I am in the process of trying to get up earlier. I agree with spending quality time with your pets (I have a dog) in the morning can help relax you before work.

I always feel guilty if I don’t spend some time with her before work because I know she will be alone until I get home. It takes that stress away from me while I’m at work.

Thanks for the great post!
Shannon

Hum! Just 30 minutes earlier a day got me thinking. Let’s see, in 365 days @ 30 minutes per day, I would accumulate a total of 182.5 more waking hours a year, or 7.6 more days per year…unless of course, I went to bed 30 minutes early! It all seems the same to me. Just shift your waking hours up or down, the net is the same. It’s not about time, its about what you do with it!

Not exactly, Steve. Those last 30 minutes of the day shouldn’t be spent working – they should be spent prepping for the next day, and calming down to sleep.

Hey Peter!

I dearly love your writing, comments and thoughts….BUT WHAT ABOUT folks with SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN.

Many of us are professionals who do get up early, and have responsibilities (like kids) that prohibit following your advice.

I have to work nights for the same kind of “my time” you are describing and that is very hard to sustain. Thanks for doing what you do. You are sill the fan of thousands.

Mara:

Where’s the problem? If they’re school-aged, they’re going to bed at what, 8? 9? So you make their lunch, you’re asleep by 10, up by 5am. That gives you 5-6am to yourself.

Good luck, thanks for reading!

Great post Peter
As an early morning person from way back I wholeheartedly agree with your points. It really is the best time of day and sets you up for a fantasticly productive day.
I exercise first up and to make it easier because sometimes its dark I have all my exercise clothes ready to go in a pile in the spare room so I wake up, get dressed and am out the door all before I’ve had time to register whether I’m awake or still asleep.
If you give yourself time to think you might be tired you’ll never get out of bed so make it easy to get moving whether thats just to the kitchen for coffee or out the door for a walk.

Perfect timing!! Regular morning meditation is my overarching intention for change in 2011 and enabling that in my life requires getting up earlier (and definitely getting to bed earlier first). I appreciate your clear and practical “how to” list as much as the why! Thanks for continuing to take us with you on your journey!

Great advice…and I’ve been doing this for years. About ten years ago I started getting up a half hour earlier than I had, so I was getting up at 6. About 5 years ago I moved the alarm back to 5:30. First thing out of bed it’s 15 minutes of yoga and stretching….a great way to wake up btw…then off to shower/b-fast and grabbing a full hour uninterrupted in front of the computer to write, read, create, etc.

Not great advice…it’s terrific advice…thank you!

Love the tip about drinking water! The automatic built-in redundancy is fantastic, too — if you slam 12-16 ounces of water and hit the snooze bar, you’ll be up in a half hour whether you like it or not.

Peter,
Love your tips. The glass of water is a new one to me… going to do it tomorrow.
I also have 2 cats that get fed early each AM. You are so right about that. I even have a pillow that says “There is no better alarm clock that a cat that is hungry.”

Dear Peter,

One of the best posts I have read, Tomorrow I feed the dog at 5 am.

Keep up the good work!

You nailed it Peter. The early birds do get the worms! The morning quiet is a great time to think and the ideas begin to flow.
Really loved #4, LOL
My Cinderella, is my Kitty Alarm Clock @ 5:30AM

Nice article but I love staying out late and sleeping in. :(

Peter,

I’m really not a morning person. In fact, I kind of really hate them. The worst part about it though is that I do find I can be more productive (usually) in the morning.
I may try to get up a bit earlier now because what you say makes sense (and I kind of hate that). But I’m going to start with half an hour earlier for now…
I don’t know how you get up at 3am, that’s usually not too long after I’ve just gone to sleep.

Cheers,
Sheldon, community manager at Sysomos

Are you ready to start getting up with me? 2:30am !!!!
It’s true though, love my mornings !

I completely agree with this post, Peter. In fact, I’m reading it at 5 am, when I first glance at my email as I eat a little something before my workout. I’ve always felt that getting up early means I’ve been up and more productive for three hours more than anyone at the office. It’s a game changer.

Not to mention the three dogs who make me.

I started freelancing so I could set my own hours (i.e. sleep late), but I find myself waking up earlier and earlier lately for lot of the productivity reasons listed above.

Well, that and my wife often gets up uber-early and by getting up with her she’s a little less envious of my work-from-home life.

I also agree with the point about reaching the important people early in the morning. In fact I just wrote about it…

“6 Simple Tips to Warm Up Potential Clients When Cold Calling”
http://thesavvyfreelancer.com/.....ld-calling

You could also try our all-natural supplement, Wake Up On Time, to help ease your morning woes. You simply take it before bed, and within 7-8 hours wake up feeling refreshed and ready to go. It’s Vitamin B-based, and the science behind it is a time released tablet. If you are interested in further information, please consult our website, http://www.wakeupontime.com.

This is a great and timely post Peter. I used to be up at 5am each day and then would go to sleep at 10pm. I make my own hours now and often start reading email and some blog posts from bed around 7am with my laptop. Much easier getting a lot done with an early start!

Great tips, I had no idea about the water. The only problem with the alarm going off so early is that you wake up everyone else. But i think after sometime, your body adjusts and your internal clock wakes you before the alarm does anyway, its just a matter of getting into the routine

Barring illness, I’m usually waking up pre 5-am most work days, and agree with the points (save pets, as my allergies make that impossible–such is life). I scan my work e-mail first, then some personal stuff, then on with exercise, be it Wii Fit most mornings or off to the gym depending on the day. I’ve always been hard wired to do better in the morning.

Thanks for posting. This is so true. I should be start sleeping early, I mean I’ve been sleeping late hours just surfing the net and doing some not so important things.

Yeah, if you’ve got a teenager you have no choice! School starts at 7:20 a.m. Ironically, there’s a higher rate of accidents for teens who drive to school as a result, because they need the extra sleep. I guess Ben Franklin was right for adults anyway!

This is all great advice but it must be coming from someone without a toddler. I would love to be in bed, sleeping before 9pm and up at 5 am. But, somewhere in between the 3 bathroom trips throughout the night, a glass of water, checking for monsters, one more kiss goodnight, 5am is no longer feesable and I’m exhausted. I wake up at 630 just to pray she gives me an hour to get up and dressed before I have to deal with her conquering the world early as well.

Socks and shoes! I put on my socks and shoes the second my feet hit the floor. My route takes me past the sock drawer, then the underwear drawer, then the closet, so by the time I’m settled in the bathroom, I’m already dressed for my walk. I hate getting up early, but I really, really love BEING up early!

Thanks I enjoyed that post and it has given me some action items.

“Getting up even a half hour early eliminates the “rush” that comes with leaving the house in the morning.”

The flip side to that is to take 10 minutes before retiring to have everything ready to go for the next day. Bag packed, clothes laid out etc. so that there is less chance of delays.

Again thanks for the post.

Great suggestion. I’m gonna sleep on it and get back to you.

I’m not a morning person – at all. While the 7am breakfast sounds alluring, most days I am fighting with myself to get out of bed at 7. Funny as it sounds, this post made me think of my weekends. I am up by 8 with the dog (nature’s alarm clock) and it’s amazing what I can get done in the two or three hours I am up before my husband (he is coming off of a shift at the firehouse and getting a nap in before his day starts again). I may have to start getting up around 6:30 for the next month or two and gradually working it down to 6.

Great post! I am not a morning person, but definitely see how getting up earlier can positively change my life. I read your post after waking up late, barely having breakfast and flying out the door, 5 minutes late. I am ready to start a new habit! Your post was very timely. Thanks!

Great post, you have inspired me to get up earlier. I always want to, I guess the trick is go to bed earlier.
Your post are always great, thanks

This is great motivation for the beginning of the year, Peter. You’ve inspired me. I especially appreciate how you advocate getting up early while still getting adequate rest. Getting to bed early really is half the equation.

Peter, I loved that post…Thanks for the tips too. So much can be done before 9am and you’re right, if you’re not distracted by emails you really get a chance to concentrate.

Peter, great post of tips. I do work when others sleep…I’m the night owl. Working on shifting that a few hours since I do business from the home office. Perfect timing on the post. Thanks!

#4 is infinitely true! I’ve spent years trying to reset my feline alarm clock, but just when I think I’ve made progress, he’s back to waking me up at 5:20. I should’ve known you’d be on his side. Heck, I’ll give it a try though the dogs probably won’t like it.

As much as I despise the morning, I am feeling really motivated by this post! Awesome post. I’m “gonna” do it!

Love this Peter! My question is honestly how many hours of sleep do you get a night…? Do you really feel well rested without 8 hours? I used to, but I don’t anymore.

Jennifer-there is a ton of research that shows that most people need 6.5 – 8.5 hours. Everybody is different to some extent, but it is the very rare individual who can thrive on short sleep.

They just posted a talk on TED by Arianna Huffington about sleep, and how critical it is to productivity, creativity, and health: http://bit.ly/en4Wcq

Too many people take sleep for granted. What works for Peter may not work for everybody (as we can see from all the divergent opinions on this comment thread).

For those people who do need a more “normal” 8 hours or so, you need to make sure to go to bed super early if you’re going to be getting up at 5. Don’t start running up a sleep defecit. It is very destructive.

Our product (NightFood) can help people that have difficulty falling asleep or getting quality sleep. There are lots of potential solutions out there, some work better than others…just respect your need for sleep and you’ll be much better off in both the short and long run.

sean

This is really an amazing post. You took it over the top by adding the “how to’s”!

I have spent much of my adult life going to bed in the wee hours for many of the same reasons you’ve listed for getting up early. But it catches up with you after a while.

I think your way will work better. You’ve convinced me. Thanks.

So, what time do you go to bed at night? Anyway, great article. Going to try to implement a few of these tips from tomorrow morning. Good night!

hey, I joined the 5 AM club after hearing Robin Sharm (Leading without a Title author) screaming out loud how important this aspect of productivity truly is.

You have one of the best posts about the topic out there (and I’ve read about 20 before yours)

What counts is “reason why” you want to get up in the morning. Visualize that. Picture the moment and your activity, exercise, work, writing, or whatever you want to get done, the night before early rise.

It doesn’t really matter when you sleep unless you get up at the same hour (to form an habit)

I think we cannot really control when we go to sleep but we can manage our early rise :)

BIG smooch for the motivation!!! Post-it note on my mirror last night “H2O by bed” Drank, got up, yoga, meditation, and blog post all finished before the kid’s breakfast!

Funny I am reading this when I made a concerted effort to be up 2 hours earlier than usual. Now, I have time to read your blog and even leave a comment! Thanks for the tips. I was a morning radio personality, so 3:30am was wake up time. As the years have passed, I find myself sleeping later and later. Fortunately, I have the tools to get up and at it. My concentrated whole food breakfast takes about 30 seconds to prepare and fills me up until lunch. For me though, lunch is the biggest meal of the day. I save time with a small dinner and get more work done in the evening. I just need to be able to shut down in time to get to bed earlier. Any suggestions for winding down at night?

I just loved it! My boss shared it on Facebook today and now this is one of my resolutions for this year, maybe is the one on top of all my list. Wonderful!

I agree. I have been getting up at 3:45 – 4 am since I moved to DC area. (No matter where I live now, I keep to that more or less) Most of the reason I started this was because the majority of the people in the DC/VA area are in work right before 6am – so the gym gets packed by 4:15- 4:30ish. So it was a way to beat the rush and almost be done a workout when most are walking in. Then, I had so much accomplished before or as the sun was rising and could stop to enjoy it.

The incredible feeling of all that sets the best day – peaceful, energized, accomplished, proud, and it was the time you had to yourself before ‘anyone else’ got your time. I told one colleague/friend this and he got hooked and once you do – it’s hard to go back (although there are days I slip a bit till 5am-ish now that I don’t live in DC/VA).

Cliff Smith – to help you wind down at night: 3 suggestions:

1. Studies have shown that if you look at a tv screen or a computer monitor late at night – you have a harder time going to sleep. I think if you give at least an hour or so before you go to bed with none of these on – you might find it helps.

2. Also, start turning the lights down low or turn more off the closer you get to your bed time. Get your body in mode of it being dark – resembling sleep time.

3. Reading before you go to bed helps – and it helps if you read in bed. That way, you don’t have to do much changing/reshuffling once you are tired, so your body doesn’t get back into awake mode.

Jaxi :)

I just loved it! My boss shared it on Facebook today and now this is one of my resolutions for this year, maybe is the one on top of all my list. Wonderful!

Inspiring post, have to be honest i am not the earliest riser unless I am actually travelling or have a specific plan such as catching some pictures of a sunrise. This is due in part to being late to bed, that glass of water tip sounds useful, must give it a try.

Shows how much we know over here always had the impression that being alone in Central Park at 3.30am would be detrimental to your health!

Starting the day with breakfast and coffee, now that I always do! Feeding the dinosaur at 5am, I would never be able to wake him. haha

Thanks for sharing your insight Peter :)

Don’t forget – drink a big glass of water BEFORE you go to bed – you’ll need to get up early to go to the bathroom!!

I love this! I have a terrible habit of waking up at the last minute and my whole day is in shambles. I’m definitely going to start using some of these tips. I especially like the one with the water.

The trouble with morning is it’s so damned early. :-)

Not all of us are morning birds; I’m a night owl who works better once I get my second wind in the evening — and find I’m more productive after midnight.

Great post, I’m actually going to discuss this for the #PRStudChat Podcast today! I’ve been starting to wake up earlier and earlier and I’ve already seen the benefits.

Yes, another reminder to self to wake up at 6:30am. Ahh…but I agree with all the reasons you listed. It’s just better being awake when most everyone is still dreaming..

Thanks.

I learned a lot from the part of the post I read. I’ll finish it when I wake up early tomorrow.

This is the second blog post I’ve read today that talks about waking up early! (The first one is: http://socialnicole.com/waking.....ductivity/ from Nicole Harrison.) I especially love the third reason for why. I never thought a 7 a.m. meeting was even possible…that’s actually pretty badass.

I’m still in college, so the late nights doing work happen. But by volunteering on days I don’t have class, I’m forced to wake up early. It keeps me on a good schedule. I think I’ll try to take on this awesome habit.

Great post!

Fantastic post, and really inspiring (and I don’t just say that)!

I really like the glass of water trick and will try it tomorrow morning. I’m not so much “against” early rising as I am “for” late nights– something about my brain seems to just kick into high gear around this time of night (10:15) and rev like crazy until maybe 3-4-5 AM. And that happens irrespective of the amount of sleep I’ve gotten, or when my alarm is set for. But I do get a massive amount more done when I wake up early. The idea that most CEOs do it is really telling.

… I still hate breakfast food though. :)

Anyway, thanks so much for this and for posting to Twitter– I wouldn’t have found you otherwise!

Peter – thanks for this post. I read it a few days back, and I’m revisiting it this morning as a point of reference. I’ve long been an early riser – but also been in a kind of funk the past few months. Anyone could use this as a great little checklist for having productive mornings when waking early! Good advice man!

Hi,
Thx for stimulated post:)
Most of the time i drink jus ,but water…Good idea:)
I am night person, ideas just run true my head then…but I do wake up early , because of the children and work…sometimes I go to run also. The early morning is just a great time of silence ,when you mind can wake up right way
Lucky me I have enough energy to do it:)
Anyway the breakfast is very important,but the chocolate..give a energy also-I just love it.And i cannot start a day without coffee:)
In Serbia they say: “Ko rano rani,dve srece grabi”-Early bird gets the worm.
Thx
Jelena

Thank you for this post. As someone who can never get out of bed in the morning this is great motivation, and tips to help me execute the plan.

Everyone is different. Unfortunately people who don’t function well in the morning get a bad wrap. Some people are not wired to wake up at 5am and be productive. Personally, if I get up at 5am, I am ready for bed at 2pm, so I can wake up sometime in the evening, work like mad all night, fall asleep in the morning- and somehow I am back to the schedule that works best for me- the one that allows me to be more productive.

The times where I’ve been “forced” to wake up early for an extended period of time (3-4 months), I’ve been groggy, slow, and cranky. I have not been more productive nor did I get used to it. You bet as soon as I could get back to my natural patterns I jumped right on it.

So if you are wired to get up early and be happy- congratulations- corporate America favors you and likely very cooperative and persistent. But don’t fool yourself into believing your way is the only way.

To my fellow night owls- don’t lose heart, you are not lazy. You are likely have a higher IQ and are more creative.

When do you sleep :O

…I love sleeping!…

Absolutely outstanding article. I love being up early and hate it on days when I get out of bed late.

I spent my entire twenties trying to do this… I no longer do.
I now work later. So while you sleep – I get my jump on the day… send out what needs to go out first thing. Then I rest and I set out after the AM rush.
When I need to be up and there – I’ll be there – but if I need to get ahead of the pack I’m grateful for living on the west coast – my 2 am email arrives at 5 am. Perfect.
Might not work for everyone, but after years of fighting it – I know it works for me.

You obviously have no school aged children, no longer have them, or you hand off their care to someone else. Your post would have been more enlightening if you had taken this factor into consideration, and wouldn’t have perpetuated the idea that success is for people without kids, with a spouse at home, for post-midlifers or those with enough income to hire a nanny!

Loved it. I was raised by two people who believed that not only do tvs not belong in bedrooms but that they were also off limits to children (I never really saw the inside of my parents except on the very rare occasion my mother and I were both sick with the stomach flu). As a young newlywed fresh out of college I instilled this rule in my own marriage and couldn’t agree more with the happiness it has brought my husband and I (although that’s not to say we’re not guilty of staying up late and watching tv, we just don’t do it from our bed).

Funny, I stay up late and work late and I feel the same way about many of the things on your list!

EricDobson, read The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working by Tony Schwatz who not only concurs with what Peter listed in his Top 10 above, but also primarily works with executives who are married with children. Schwartz’s strategies on how to wake up earlier, free up your time and still be productive at work without burning out is advice anyone can use – whether you’re married or not.

Before being so critical about someone else’s lifestyle, first seek to understand the intent behind the advice. The intent of Peter’s post is to encourage you to wake up earlier. Peter’s advice isn’t a blueprint. No one is holding a gun to your head. Instead, take the advice, adapt to your own situation, then come back and let us all know how it all works out.

Geez!

Loved the tip about the glass of water… it seems to make the difference for me….

Love the tip about the glass of water… it seems to make the difference for me!

Thank you, Peter. Huh. I read this post in January, but when I read it just now, it seems I missed some points. Specifically, the “how”. I bet I read it then and said, “Right, I agree. Get up earlier.” And moved on.

I *like* the idea of drinking the big glass of water before turning off the alarm. I tend to cramp during racing, I’m sure this will certainly help. I’m also having problems with consistentcy in my workouts. I *know* what I *need* to do, but I’m clearly averting the obvious.

Excellent article, Shankman. I believe that those people who succeed at the level they desire must break the cozy relationship they maintain towards ‘a good night’s sleep’. The top notch performers of the world are up early working on new ways to stay on top, it’s that simple. I also like the tips you provided at the end of the post, especially the glass of water idea, which I will implement into my routine.
I will recommend this article to my network.

I have never heard that drinking a glass of water when your alarm goes off would help you wake up. I will have to try this out tomorrow. I am working on getting myself up early so that I can knock out some workouts.

Once again Peter, you are right on point. When I get up extra early, I do get more accomplished and am more relaxed throughout the day.

Thank you for reposting this, I took all of your advice and I feel like a rockstar this morning. The glass of water by the alarm clock is genius.

Thanks again,

Bracken Fields

This post was so inspirational that I’ve been getting up early every day this week to either a) exercise, b) learn, or c) get things done without distractions. I will continue to do this.

Also, I took your advice about drinking water when I wake up and placing my alarm clock in a place where I have to get out of bed. It’s really nice not having to rush as well.

Thanks!

I have no problem getting up early but my husband does. He is a night owel. I just want to know how to get him to start going to bed early and getting up early!

Love it. No excuses anymore. It feels great everytime to wake up early. Everything is so calm and relaxing.

Peter, love this post. I now do bootcamp at 6:00am 3-4 days a week and even though it’s hell getting up at 5:00am, in the dark and cold, there is NO better feeling than that 7:00am cup of coffee and the endorphin rush that comes from having worked your ass (quite literally) off. And you know that it’s done for the day. No excuses needed.

I also drink water before I go to bed – it can help you wake up by compelling you to run to the bathroom, too. :)

Thanks Peter and Great Advice — for the New Year and Always. Appreciate you always wiling to share your wisdom, your success and your faults — all for our benefit. Best, MB

excellent, thanks for a great post

You got an honest-to-goodness LOL from me on #4 of “how”. :)

Thanks for the post. Ever since I was a kid it has been early to bed; early to rise. Early morning is my favorite time of the day. I cuddled up with my dog & give her all the attention she deserves b4 everyone else puts their claims on my time.

Great post. I’ve been trying to get on a better sleeping schedule again lately and you have some good tips here. When I am up extra early, it seems my work day goes so much smoother.

If only I could’ve applies your list into my daily regimen when I was in college. It would’ve really helped me out. But its never too late to start!

seriously, how do you guys with kids, long work days, exercise routines, etc get to bed by 9, 10, 10:30 pm?? if i could figure that out, i would love to wake up an hour so earlier than my current 6am wake up.

A case for night owls: http://www.archives.expressnew.....10281.html

You offer some very helpful tips for those who want what the morning world has to offer, and for those who look up to CEOs and want to emulate their behavior. I, on the other hand, after struggling against my night owl nature for years, finally decided to go with what feels right for me. Getting up before 11am is unheard of for me, but 11 is perfectly sufficient for healthy eating, errand running, exercise, phone calls, etc., but, I also don’t work a 9-5 job. I’m a successful musician (not a millionaire, but able to pay my bills, travel, go out to eat when I want, and save money), and every song I’ve ever written has come to me in the middle of the night. I also have the advantage of being able to promote and send out emails whenever I want, so I do much of my work at night. I’m not sure what it is about the creative mind, but every artist I know creates in the wee hours of the morning. So while you were riding through Central Park at 3:30, I was likely writing a song that is now being performed to my audiences. If I’d listened to all the advice on waking early and all the dreaded judgment about sleeping in, I may never have created the music that I have. I understand that what you’re offering is assistance to those who want to learn how to get up earlier–and that’s great. I just wish our culture also supported night owls more & that there were more columns on how to be a successful night owl. I’ve found a way to do it, so, night owls, don’t be discouraged if you find that after years of trying, you still can’t seem to adjust to being up über early or pop right out of bed bright-eyed and bushy-tailed–it might just mean that you need to find a career that is better suited to your sleep/creative needs.