Experiences with waking up at 5:30 AM for a productive workday?

[Sander8]

After reading "23 Successful People Who Wake Up Really Early (http://www.businessinsider.com/successful-early-risers-2012-1?op=1)", I am wondering whether there are people here who have experience with waking up as early as 5:30. What time do you wakeup and get to sleep again? What do you do on such a morning and how do you feel in the evening? Do you feel tired during the day? Do you need a powernap? Is your day truly more productive?

[lito0]

After reading "23 Successful People Who Wake Up Really Early (http://www.businessinsider.com/successful-early-risers-2012-1?op=1)", I am wondering whether there are people here who have experience with waking up as early as 5:30. What time do you wakeup and get to sleep again? What do you do on such a morning and how do you feel in the evening? Do you feel tired during the day? Do you need a powernap? Is your day truly more productive?

I have found that starting your day early really helps you be more productive, but as everything in life, you need to adjust your routine. I normally start my day at 5:00am, as my work requires me to be at the office 7:30am. I am not an early person, so getting up early is really a challenge for me, however that quiet time between 5:30-6:00am has proven to be invaluable for me, your mind is clear of the day's worries, so you can really focus on the challenges ahead.

Hope this helps!

[Oogiem]

I am wondering whether there are people here who have experience with waking up as early as 5:30. What time do you wakeup and get to sleep again? What do you do on such a morning and how do you feel in the evening? Do you feel tired during the day? Do you need a powernap? Is your day truly more productive?

Some times of the year I am not only awake but up and outside already by 5:30 am. It's during lambing and I am there at first dawn checking for newborn lambs and tagging and weighing them and assisting any ewes in labor who need help. During lambing we are out from dawn to dusk. I am often tired but also energized, from great happiness when saving the life of a lamb or ewe to depths of despair when we lose one. Some days we do get a brief nap at noon, just like the sheep, some days not. Yes my day is productive. It's a necessary part of the farming business to be there for the birthing of my animals.

[CJSullivan]

I usually wake up at around 4.30 or 5.00am (but am in bed by 9pm), and I have to be out of bed by 5.30am to feed the cat! Better than any alarm clock.

The interesting thing is that, while I've had little success in imposing a consistent routine on my mornings in order to get more "this would be cool to do" stuff done, I am consistently, like clockwork, 30 minutes late for my day job! So clearly I have a routine, it just needs to be shifted back half an hour! :)

[vbampton]

If I'm writing, I'm up around 4:45 and working by 5. I get SOOOOOOOO much more done at that time of the morning, and then I can justify a couple of hours nap after lunch. As long as I get a nap, I'm actually better in the evenings than I am with a later start and no nap.

That said, my body isn't impressed by getting up at that time of the morning, even with afternoon naps and early nights, so I couldn't keep it up year round. I get my best sleep between about 4 and 7, so the rest of the year it's more like 6-6:30 start.

[bishblaize]

For me it depends on when I go to sleep. If I only get home from work at 8pm, it can a bit grim to go bed at 9.30 for a 5.30 start. But assuming I get home on time and get to bed on time, 5.30 is my preferred time.

That way I get to do some meditation, laze around reading the news, think through my calendar/next action lists and shower/groom/etc in a relaxed way rather than missing any out or rushing though.

There's also a practical benefit, which is that I ride my bike to work straight through Central London and its easier to do that before 8am, so I have to leave for work at just after 7.

[OF user]

I get up at 5:15 am after reading something similar to what you mentioned. Like the others who have posted it makes me quite productive. I do it on weekends as well. I have to admit though, I like Victoria's idea about taking a nap. Might have to have it set up in my calendar :-D

[Popeye]

I´m up from the bed at 5:20......

Not productive at all.. just tired...
Going by bus for an hour to work... trying to get a nap... ´cause I´m so tired.. You see, I´m no a "morning person", but I have to go up at this time to go to my job.

I always have been a night-owl so it´s hard to get in bed in proper time so I´m always late in bed.. apprx 10:30 pm or so... so my beauty-sleep is to short.. ;)

[TesTeq]

After reading "23 Successful People Who Wake Up Really Early (http://www.businessinsider.com/successful-early-risers-2012-1?op=1)", I am wondering whether there are people here who have experience with waking up as early as 5:30. What time do you wakeup and get to sleep again? What do you do on such a morning and how do you feel in the evening? Do you feel tired during the day? Do you need a powernap? Is your day truly more productive?

I wake up at 4:44 (I like funny numbers). I would lose 46 minutes of my most creative waking up as late as 5:30! :-)

I go to sleep at 22:00 (22:22 would be too late unfortunately :-) ).

[Sander8]

Thanks for the interesting responses!


I´m up from the bed at 5:20......

Not productive at all.. just tired...
Going by bus for an hour to work... trying to get a nap... ´cause I´m so tired.. You see, I´m no a "morning person", but I have to go up at this time to go to my job.

I always have been a night-owl so it´s hard to get in bed in proper time so I´m always late in bed.. apprx 10:30 pm or so... so my beauty-sleep is to short.. ;)

How long have you been doing this? Is it that you need a few weeks/month to adjust accordingly? How do you anticipate to keep your day productive (even though you are tired)?



I wake up at 4:44 (I like funny numbers). I would lose 46 minutes of my most creative waking up as late as 5:30! :-)

I go to sleep at 22:00 (22:22 would be too late unfortunately :-) ).

You are sleeping on less than 6:44 minutes a night! Aren't you awfully tired and how long have you been doing that?

[Suelin23]

I used to get up at 5:30, and go to bed 10:30-11, and was tired all the time. After advice on this forum, I'm sleeping longer now, go to bed at 10m and wake at 6am, and feel much better and get a lot more work done. I used to only be productive in the morning, now I am productive for most of the day, till about 4pm.

[TesTeq]

You are sleeping on less than 6:44 minutes a night! Aren't you awfully tired and how long have you been doing that?

How long? About 5 years since my company moved to the opposite part of Warsaw.

I am not tired too much. My secret is that I am a lazy sleepyhead on Saturdays and Sundays when I wake up at 6:44 (what a coicidence!) and go to a local swimming pool.

[Barb]

I discovered something, quite by accident. If you drink no caffeine...none at all...you sleep way more deeply and wake up feeling much more rested. I was amazed. Even just 1 cup of coffee in the morning can affect your sleep a bit.

If you decide to try giving it up, do it very gradually, though.

[NewbGTD]

I think the bottom line is if getting up at 5.30am suits you and your schedule then do so, but if it doesn't then don't.

[treelike]

After reading "23 Successful People Who Wake Up Really Early (http://www.businessinsider.com/successful-early-risers-2012-1?op=1)", I am wondering whether there are people here who have experience with waking up as early as 5:30. What time do you wakeup and get to sleep again? What do you do on such a morning and how do you feel in the evening? Do you feel tired during the day? Do you need a powernap? Is your day truly more productive?

On work days I'm up before 5am and I go do work (widget cranking). On non-work days I usually wake up at a similar time, without the alarm because my body clock is set to that. I usually go to bed not long after 9pm, although I'll go later if I'm not tired. No point trying to sleep if you're not tired.

I find non-work mornings generally good for reviewing and planning as it's quiet (once the cat's fed) and without interruptions. I try and wind down in the evening by making a point of doing nothing productive and veg out in front of the TV/ read pointless forums on the net (not this one :)). If I try to do something stimulating like work on a complicated project during the evening then I don't sleep so well during the night.

Occasionally I feel tired in the afternoon and sleep for 1/2 hour to an hour. Some people believe that humans naturally sleep "biphasically" like this, with a portion of sleep during the night and a portion during the day. I have come to the conclusion that everyone is different, and different in different circumstances when it comes to sleep. Don't get worked up about sleep because this is the one guaranteed way to stop you sleeping!

I've noticed that if I let my body clock drift during holidays i.e. get up later, go to sleep later then I tend to get depressed. This could be unproductive but I have also noticed that a more depressed state causes a re-evaluation of the higher levels, which maybe doesn't occur when I am more focussed on runway projects and activities. But, yes, keeping my body clock advanced seems to have an anti-depressive and motivating effect.

[CJSullivan]

I've noticed that if I let my body clock drift during holidays i.e. get up later, go to sleep later then I tend to get depressed. This could be unproductive but I have also noticed that a more depressed state causes a re-evaluation of the higher levels, which maybe doesn't occur when I am more focussed on runway projects and activities.

Really interesting observation. I've found the same kind of effect on activities in the idea generation phase of the creative process. If I'm a little (not a lot) overtired, my censor isn't as active, ideas come more easily, and it's easier to do big picture thinking. I wouldn't label it depression in my case - just a relaxation of my usual framework that can lead to a slight (not unpleasant) feeling of disorientation. A bit like having one drink too many!

[macgrl]

How do you guys get going that early in the morning? I do believe that you can be more effective by getting up early. The problem I find is that when I get up at around 5/6am that I feel really groggy / not very sharp until around 11 or 12 where as if I get up at 9am Im good to go and alert...any tips or is it just getting used to it

[PatinSC]

This is not meant as a slight to those who really have to be up early. Or even to those who do better when they get up early. I would be willing to wager a small sum that it would be possible to find 23 people who succeeded by staying up late, and almost impossible to sell a book about them.

I am a natural night owl, struggling to manage in a world organized around larks. I suppose I could say that I get up early, but it's really that it takes me a long time to get up. I have a layered approach to waking up on a work day. The lights come on at 5:30. The first alarm is at 5:40 and the second is ten minutes later.

When I can.. which is almost never anymore... my most creative time is between midnight and 3:00AM. But to meet that morning schedule, I have to be in bed by 9pm. Every once in a while, my body rebels at this treatment, and I will find myself unable to fall asleep, no matter how tired I am until three or four in the morning.

[MarkDillon]

How do you guys get going that early in the morning? ...any tips or is it just getting used to it

Hi macgrl,

I used to be a late sleeper. Then something shifted for me and I began getting up early. It was due in part to having something to get up for! If you don't have a reason to rise early, why would you?

I think it is like most things and boils down to habits. Can you create the habit of rising at 7, 6 or even 5am? I now wake around 5:15 whether my alarm wakes me, weekdays, or on the weekend when my habit is to wake up around that time automatically. As we look forward to setting clocks back an hour here this weekend I plan on rising at 4:15 and sticking with it.

I am much more productive in the morning...and truth be told; I love the stillness of the morning, the hope of a new day, the chance to do it all right once again.

If you are setting your clock back this weekend I encourage you to play with it and see if you can start a new habit...join us Morning Risers...we're an okay group! :D

[TesTeq]

any tips or is it just getting used to it

Just get used to it. No excuses. Yet another Standard Operating Procedure.

[treelike]

How do you guys get going that early in the morning? I do believe that you can be more effective by getting up early. The problem I find is that when I get up at around 5/6am that I feel really groggy / not very sharp until around 11 or 12 where as if I get up at 9am Im good to go and alert...any tips or is it just getting used to it

Everybody has a chronotype, from early bird to night owl as PatinSC puts it. My personal opinion is that it is most effective to match your daily routine to your chronotype rather than the other way round. For you to get up at 5am might be the equivalent of me getting up at midnight. It is said that the body clock speeds up as you get older which was certainly true for me. As a teenager I would stay in bed past 10am on weekends.

The night owl might be better working back shift or night shift. Also eating meals later than "normal" meal times.

You can modify your body clock to wake up earlier if you have to. Some methods off the top of my head.

Wear sunglasses five hours after your natural wake up time
Keep lighting low for the few hours before you go to bed
Turn down light levels on your TV or computer monitor in the few hours before your natural sleep time- or don't use them at that time
Force yourself to eat breakfast first thing after getting up
Avoid caffeine later in the day
Physical exercise soon after waking up, especially outdoors in the sun (if available)
Expose yourself to very bright light two hours before your natural waking time

Obviously you have to be awake before your natural waking time for the last one. Look up "chronotherapy" or "chronobiology" for the rational behind these kind of methods.

[TesTeq]

Everybody has a chronotype

Chronotype? I don't care. Now I sleep 22:00 - 4:44 but some years ago I used to sleep 0:00 - 7:30 or even 1:00 - 8:30. No differences in my productivity.

My attitude is: I am the master of my day - not a slave of "chronotype" or any other type.

[treelike]

Chronotype? I don't care. Now I sleep 22:00 - 4:44 but some years ago I used to sleep 0:00 - 7:30 or even 1:00 - 8:30. No differences in my productivity.

My attitude is: I am the master of my day - not a slave of "chronotype" or any other type.

I'm not a slave of my chronotype either. But I find it better to live in harmony with my natural rhythms rather than constantly fighting against them.

[alfred333]

After reading "23 Successful People Who Wake Up Really Early (http://www.businessinsider.com/successful-early-risers-2012-1?op=1)", I am wondering whether there are people here who have experience with waking up as early as 5:30. What time do you wakeup and get to sleep again? What do you do on such a morning and how do you feel in the evening? Do you feel tired during the day? Do you need a powernap? Is your day truly more productive?

when i was going to university i was usually up around that time to get ready for school in the morning, and usually went to bed at midnight. i found that it work okay for awhile then i would need a day to recharge so to speak so i let myself sleep in one day and then i was good to go again. never really felt like needing a nap unless the class was boring;)

[MalucoMarinero]

Chronotype? I don't care. Now I sleep 22:00 - 4:44 but some years ago I used to sleep 0:00 - 7:30 or even 1:00 - 8:30. No differences in my productivity.

My attitude is: I am the master of my day - not a slave of "chronotype" or any other type.

That's sort of missing the point though. Your body has natural rhythms that make your body more ready to sleep / work at certain times, which will make you more effective if you try and adhere to it.

I do my work at night because I look after my son full time during the day. Once I pass my window of sleep, around 7pm - 8pm, I won't be able to until around midnight. This seems to just make it harder to function and be focused when I'm suppose to be working, but I reasoned that it would be the only time for me to knuckle down and get things done.

I'm realizing now that that's the wrong way to approach it though. I'm now starting to just go to sleep when my son does, and naturally wake up at 3-4 am. Less time, but more energy available to stay focused.

I guess what I'm saying is that you really aren't the master of your day necessarily. Your body establishes a rhythm over time (mine was probably established from when I worked at sea, basically at 4am - 8pm working day with a 2 hour break in the middle). Establishing a new rhythm takes time, or you can just pay attention to the one you have and can feel, and work a schedule that works with it rather than against it.

[TesTeq]

Establishing a new rhythm takes time, or you can just pay attention to the one you have and can feel, and work a schedule that works with it rather than against it.

My attitude is to set the rules and feel a great satisfaction when my body accepts them. And it works for me.

It is not "working against something" - it is "leading by example".

I find a real pleasure in setting new standards and seeing how the environment (including my body) adapts to them.

[speeding]

Yes, I set my alarm at 5:30 every workday. In weekend, I wake naturely, but I usually wake at 6:00. I must go to work before 7:30, so there are some things to do in the morning, reading, doing exercise, make breakfast, have breakfast, select the most important 3 things. so I hope I can wake up at 5:00, but I will annoy my wife because she want to oversleep.
I sleep at 22:30. I am not tired in common.

[macgrl]

Just get used to it. No excuses. Yet another Standard Operating Procedure.

This is very true to be honest....i just need to be more disciplined

[cwoodgold]

Obviously you have to be awake before your natural waking time for the last one.

I have an alarm clock designed to expose me to light before waking up. I've found it very effective, though I haven't been using it recently.

Other things that can help to get up earlier:
*Having protein for breakfast
*Taking vitamin D (I think)

Anyway ... my real reason for posting in this thread was that I thought it might be a good place for this xkcd comic, even if it's probably been posted on this forum before. I ran across it while googling for "Time Management" (To see if my own web page would come up. Nope -- though I'm currently at the top of the list for "explanation electrolysis of water"!):

http://xkcd.com/874/

[artsinaction]

Anyway ... my real reason for posting in this thread was that I thought it might be a good place for this xkcd comic, even if it's probably been posted on this forum before.

It's worth posting just for the disclaimer:
Warning: this comic occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors).

:D

Dena

[kkuja]

Earlier I wake up, more productive I can be. From productivity perspective around 5 am would be the best time for me to get up. I don't know what's the magic about those morning hours, but somehow I manage to get more done than if I work some number of hours in evening, for example. Maybe it's because other people are away at early morning.

Unfortunately I am evening person, with some kind of sleeping disorder (insomnia). I can postpone sleeping as much as I like, but if I try to sleep at 22 for example, it's just rolling at the bed until 2 am or something like that. Time I wake up has nothing to do with time I can fall sleep again. I have medication (melatonin) for that problem, but it's only a slight help.

[treelike]

Earlier I wake up, more productive I can be. From productivity perspective around 5 am would be the best time for me to get up. I don't know what's the magic about those morning hours, but somehow I manage to get more done than if I work some number of hours in evening, for example. Maybe it's because other people are away at early morning.

Maybe you could use the time after 2200 when everybody else has gone to bed and it's all quiet. Depends what kind of stuff you want to do of course. Performing woodwork in the middle of the night is not likely to be appreciated by those asleep!


Unfortunately I am evening person, with some kind of sleeping disorder (insomnia). I can postpone sleeping as much as I like, but if I try to sleep at 22 for example, it's just rolling at the bed until 2 am or something like that. Time I wake up has nothing to do with time I can fall sleep again. I have medication (melatonin) for that problem, but it's only a slight help.

You may or may not have insomnia but it sounds like you do have a delayed body clock. If you are able to sleep 0200 to 1000 with no problems then I suggest that you don't have "insomnia". Melatonin is not a sleeping tablet, it is a body clock modifier. Taking it at the wrong time could make things worse.

[kkuja]

Maybe you could use the time after 2200 when everybody else has gone to bed and it's all quiet. Depends what kind of stuff you want to do of course. Performing woodwork in the middle of the night is not likely to be appreciated by those asleep!

Somehow I have found morning hours most productive. I have no idea why evenings don't work as well. If I need to get something done, I better force myself to wake up at 5 am (and try to get at least 6 hours of sleep).


You may or may not have insomnia but it sounds like you do have a delayed body clock. If you are able to sleep 0200 to 1000 with no problems then I suggest that you don't have "insomnia". Melatonin is not a sleeping tablet, it is a body clock modifier. Taking it at the wrong time could make things worse.

This is a bit off topic so lets not delve too deep to this subject. Natural rhytm for me would be around 30 hours. Sleeping is never non problematic to me. Falling to sleep is always problematic. Also, light affects me quite a much, so summers, with their 20 hours of sun light are nightmare to me. Anyway, thank you for your insight.

[ericmage]

When I'm about to wake up, I find my Ipod, connect it to my speakers and then adjust the volume. After everything is done, I play Scorpion music on my Ipod. That's how I start a new day :)

[jasont]

I'm an early riser and an early to bed person.

Up at 0420, workout, breakfast and start work at around 0600-0630. I really value the early morning time for clearing my head, working on key projects etc. I'm very productive early in the AM and it's some of my best time. Because of the crazy awake time I do go to bed between 9-9:30 every evening. Staying up much beyond 10:30 will pretty much render me useless the next day!

The above noted, I recently listened to an HBR podcast and one of the discussions was on people who are naturally wired to get up early and those who were later risers. I definitely think that trying to force something that is not natural is not always a good thing. Give it a shot for a few months and see what happens!


After reading "23 Successful People Who Wake Up Really Early (http://www.businessinsider.com/successful-early-risers-2012-1?op=1)", I am wondering whether there are people here who have experience with waking up as early as 5:30. What time do you wakeup and get to sleep again? What do you do on such a morning and how do you feel in the evening? Do you feel tired during the day? Do you need a powernap? Is your day truly more productive?

[NewbGTD]

I'm an early riser and an early to bed person.

Up at 0420, workout, breakfast and start work at around 0600-0630. I really value the early morning time for clearing my head, working on key projects etc. I'm very productive early in the AM and it's some of my best time. Because of the crazy awake time I do go to bed between 9-9:30 every evening. Staying up much beyond 10:30 will pretty much render me useless the next day!

The above noted, I recently listened to an HBR podcast and one of the discussions was on people who are naturally wired to get up early and those who were later risers. I definitely think that trying to force something that is not natural is not always a good thing. Give it a shot for a few months and see what happens!

Do you seriously sleep and rise at those times consistently? I just find life to never be that forgiving much like the philosophy behind GTD with its 'in the moment' decision making based on the topsy turvy nature of life and ourselves.

[macgrl]

I'm an early riser and an early to bed person.

Up at 0420, workout, breakfast and start work at around 0600-0630. I really value the early morning time for clearing my head, working on key projects etc. I'm very productive early in the AM and it's some of my best time. Because of the crazy awake time I do go to bed between 9-9:30 every evening. Staying up much beyond 10:30 will pretty much render me useless the next day!

The above noted, I recently listened to an HBR podcast and one of the discussions was on people who are naturally wired to get up early and those who were later risers. I definitely think that trying to force something that is not natural is not always a good thing. Give it a shot for a few months and see what happens!

Did you find that it took time to get used to getting up at 420 and do you feel "awake" - full or energy etc or sleepy..does it take a while to get going?

Many thanks

macgrl

[treelike]

Do you seriously sleep and rise at those times consistently? I just find life to never be that forgiving much like the philosophy behind GTD with its 'in the moment' decision making based on the topsy turvy nature of life and ourselves.

GTD's great for making use of snippets of time which come about due to this topsy turvy-ness. When I was on night-shift I would usually wake up in the middle of the nights when I was not working unable to sleep. All I needed to do was look at my "computer" or "net" next actions, get on the computer and make good use of this time, rather than waste it awake in bed.

[rkndavis]

I have to get up at 5:30 so I can get my son up for school. I recently decided to set a habit to sleep at least 6 hours a night but I'm not making it most nights with going to bed coming in around midnight most days.

I'm usually pretty good through the day - no breakfast, lunch at noon, granola bar mid afternoon, dinner around 7.

What I do find though is on days when I sleep in past 8:00 am I'm truly miserable and not fun to be around. What I've come to realize it that it's because I feel I've wasted the best hours of the day - I could have been achieving something.

[paulmcdonald]

I'm up at 5:00 or 5:15 at the latest every weekday. I find that I have to get up early at this time because part of my morning duties include helping my family get ready, and that's a lot of work for us.

I was getting up at 5:30, but I found myself rushed. So I bumpted it back to 5:00 and it's been good.

I usually get to sleep around 11:30 at night. That means that I have about 5 1/2 hours of sleep every night. Gosh, when I type it in, that looks terrible!

On weekends I normally get a full 8 hours in plus a nap (usually during the third quarter of any given football game) so I do well that way. Also, I find that the better food I eat, the less sleep I need.

If I don't set my alarm, I usually wake up anyway.