5 Reasons To Wake Up Early

Image by aussiegall on Flickr

I've made it a habit to get up earlier nowadays, around 5:30 in the morning. Doing so, I'm following in the footsteps of what apparently a number of successful people have done and do every day; this post from Business Insider lists 23 such individuals, including Disney CEO Bob Iger (4:30), Benjamin Franklin (5:00) and Brooklyn Industries CEO Lexy Funk (4:00).

It might seem hard to get up earlier -- but I've found no great feeling of "sleep deprivation" by doing so. Which is to say, I don't really "miss" the extra hour or two of sleep I don't get.

Here are five reasons waking up early can be to your advantage:

1. Guilt-Free "You" Time
Waking up early maximizes the quality time you have just for yourself, before the world wakes and demands on your time are made. You can catch up on your reading or podcasts, listen to soothing music, write in your journal, indulge in your favorite hobby, pray, or not do a single thing at all but just "chill."

2. Day-Planning
You don't know where you're going unless you make a plan, and you should see each day as a separate journey with a general roadmap. Early-rising affords you the time to organize your day, whether in your planner or just on a sheet of paper. To-dos, appointments, meetings, dinner-dates: you can write out and/or review the day's events, and have the peace-of-mind of being prepared.

3. Email Catch-Up
Sometimes it feels like there's never enough time in the day to get to all the emails flooding your inboxes. A form of email "triage" is often performed, with some being relegated to "when I have free time" pile. Well guess what: you just woke up at 5, and now you've got time to address those previously delayed or potentially ignored missives. You can use the extra time to conduct a similar "tune up" on your various social media accounts like Facebook and LinkedIn.

4. The Gym!
One popular excuse for not going to the gym is a busy work schedule: there just doesn't seem like enough time to be able to carve out an hour or two. But starting out your day with an early workout not only keeps the rest of your schedule free, but affords you more energy and stamina for the hours ahead.

5. Quality Time With Your Loved Ones
Whether it's extra-snuggle time with your hubby, preparing a very special breakfast for your family, or just soaking in the feeling of Now and the gratefulness you have for those most special in your life...The world moves pretty fast, but taking the time for these moments of grace and love is essential.