Getting up at 5 AM Every Day, Is it Worth it?

Photo by Charlie Hang on Unsplash

We all know that waking up early in the morning is the most important thing that successful people nag about when asked about productivity and how they can achieve more work.

Waking up early has many benefits, that is for sure; in this post, I’m going to share my personal experience after deciding to join the 5 AM club and ended up getting up early — although my kids used to be an excellent alarm for that matter. I’m going to share my top three effects that I’ve noticed throughout this experiment: Mentally, Physically, and the impact on my productivity.

Mentally

When it comes down to the mental benefits, I will give my actual outcome after doing this for the past month. The first thing that you feel after waking up that early — especially for someone that is not used to this world — is the idea of going back to bed. We are vulnerable creatures that crave comfort, therefore rolling back to the warm bed seems legit and justifiable to the human brain — especially when you are not at your best state to make decisions. You have to let go of your feelings at that stage and force yourself out of bed.

After you get the most challenging part ever done, you can congratulate yourself as you have accomplished what most people can’t. The mental part begins after you get into your morning routine — this differs from one person to the other — some start with meditation, others do cardio, some people like to read, others like to start their day by working out — as I do, — and so on. Next comes the rest of the day and how you planned it accordingly. For me, I get my Fajer Prayers — Muslims pray five times a day, and it starts with Fajer, which means dawn in English — before getting 20–30 minutes of workout, whether it was weight training on some days or a 2KM run on other days — I also have off days where I go for a walk for 20–30 minutes. After that, I get a quick shower and prepare myself a cup of Earl Grey tea with some good quality honey and a slice of lemon — that’s my morning coffee. Then, I sit down for 10–20 minutes to do some meditation. Although I’m not going to call myself an expert in breathing, it helps you calm and lives in a peaceful moment for some time; this I found to help me reduce stress and prepare me mentally. The last part of the hour is to get around 20 minutes of reading — usually books. At this moment, the time should be around 6:00 am to 6:30 am.

Physically

You feel physically better and more energetic — given that you get enough night sleep, for me, it’s around 6 to 7 hours. I used to feel tired in the morning, and it is because of bad sleeping habits. I used to sleep late — around 3:00 am — and force myself to get up at 7:00 am to get to work. So, physically, I’m exhausted at around the evening time. Lousy sleep will lead to underperforming and, therefore, less productivity. Waking up early at 5:00 am changed that; since I’m already sleepy at night and go to bed early, waking up early won’t be a problem.

Working out first thing in the morning might sound ridiculous to some. So instead, I work out after just drinking a cup of water with an empty stomach. Working out in the morning works for me, as I’m used to workout in the morning and feel great doing so. Those who don’t like to work out in the morning don’t do so and find another time to suit you. Note that this is not a framework to follow; it’s what I observe and like to do and what works best for me.

Productivity

Productivity is the biggest reason I choose to get up at 5:00 am every day. According to a study, most people start their day between 6:30 to 7:30 am. So waking up at 5:00 am will give you 2-hour ahead of everyone else,¹.

Starting at 5:00 am was the best thing I’ve done to increase my productivity. I used to wake up late and feel awful about my day that I don’t have an action plan to execute. Now, it's much better knowing what my schedule looks like and having the time to work out and meditate — where most people find excuses for not having the time to do those activities.

I’ve realized that I enjoy journaling and writing in the morning more than I do in the evening. Unlike the evening, in the early morning, I’m energized, and my mind is rebooted and ready to work — this is me, you might be a night owl, and it’s great if it makes you productive. But do what suits your lifestyle and your current situation.

In conclusion, to answer the title of this post, YES, it is worth it. Please give it a test and tell us your experience.

Resources:
[1] wake me up: what time do americans start their day? | by Meg Lazovick

That’s all for this post; I hope you enjoyed it.
If you did, it would be great to share it with someone looking to boost his morning and giving the 5 AM club a ride.

Have a nice day,
— Ahmad