I’ve repurposed this from Smart Hustle but full disclaimer (!), I authored the article. I think it raises some good points. Do you?

Are you a morning person? Are you “up-and-at-em”? You know, the kind of person that springs out of bed when it is still dark outside and are ready to take on the world by 5 AM?

Full confession: I am that person. Except for my teenage years, when rising before 1 PM seemed impossible, I have always been the person that greets the early morning with enthusiasm and energy. My alarm is set for 5, and there definitely isn’t a snooze!

I’m in some good company too. There’s a rather large group of “overachievers” that welcome the dawn with open arms.

Here’s why I start my day early:

The Early Hours Are Perfect to Clean Up Email and Get a Head Start on the Day

As you know, once the workday begins at 8 AM or so, the email floodgates open, phone calls and meetings begin, and it is run as fast as you can just to keep up. The early morning allows me time to relax with a cup of coffee and have “leisure” time to peruse email, read the newspaper, and send out a few touch points before the rest of the world rises. Do you ever find yourself mid-morning trying to play catch up on the emails and messages that came in overnight, all the while fighting to stay ahead of everything else that is happening in real-time? The extra hour in the morning sets up a much more calm and productive day.

Early Morning is the Best Time for Creative Thinking

While some people are most productive late at night, I find that the early morning hours are when I can be the most creative. My mind is relatively unfettered with the types of issues that arise throughout the day. With the early morning clarity comes an enhanced problem-solving capability, allowing me to be a more creative thinker and, in general, to produce some of my best work of the day.

Personal Enrichment Can Best be Accomplished Before the Regular Workday

I’ve always been an avid reader. When I get to read for 30 minutes each morning, I am much more relaxed and at peace during the day. Even if you love your work (I do) and tend not to think it as work (I don’t), it’s important to read or watch videos on topics, places, and people that can open and expand your mind in new directions.

Guess What? The Gym is Empty!

Have you ever spent time at the gym just waiting to get on a machine? Alternatively, have you ever found yourself elbow to elbow with people in that 7:30 PM class? If you like to fight your way through your exercise routine, by all means, show up anytime after 7 PM; but if you like to get your workout done in peace and quiet, I suggest a pre-dawn visit to the gym.

I know that there are some readers shaking their heads in amazement and thinking there is no way that a 5 AM wakeup is possible, but you’d be surprised. Set the alarm 15 minutes earlier each week, go to sleep 15 minutes earlier, and in a short amount of time you may very well find yourself joining us morning risers.

Give it a try. There’s no telling what you might accomplish!