Rise and Shine: The Key to Success is Waking up Early

Insight provided by Jillian Locandro, originally published on April 22, 2021.

For most people, waking up at the crack-of-dawn would not be described as enjoyable, mindful, or even productive, yet for myself and many other successful individuals, it is. Oftentimes, you hear thriving entrepreneurs or wealthy business professionals explaining the benefits of waking up early. There is an old saying by Ben Franklin, “Early to bed, and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” This process of reflection led me to the question: is waking up early the key to success?

According to Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, and Shark Tank’s angel investor, Kevin O’Leary, these early hours of the morning are amongst the most productive hours in the day. Cook is notoriously known for waking up and working out at 3:45 am each morning and beginning work at 5:30 am. This routine enables him to work uninterrupted, while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. He is able to accomplish all of his work by 9:30 am, which would normally take someone until noon (Business Insider). Similarly, O’Leary is up at 5:45 am each morning to workout, conduct business research, and be at his desk by 9:30 am to watch the NYSE market open. My routine is waking up at 5:15 am, working out, grabbing a cup of coffee, and beginning school work at 7:10 am. By waking up just two hours earlier each day, one is able to add 14 hours to their week and 62 hours to a month.

Increased time and productivity are not the only benefits to waking up early, as research has shown that a morning person is more persistent, conscientious, and proactive. According to a study by the University of Toronto, these individuals live a happier and healthier life than their counterparts that choose to sleep in. The structure of an early morning routine ultimately reduces stress contributing to more mental, physical, and professional success.

So to answer the question, is waking up early the key to success?…Depends on who you ask. Since the first hour of the day sets the tone for the rest of the day, early risers go into each day with a more proactive mindset that stimulates a more mindful and productive lifestyle.

Sources:

https://www.businessinsider.com/tim-cook-wake-up-morning-routine-productivity-2019-8#monday-i-felt-energized-and-optimistic-after-the-345-am-wake-up-and-workout-2

https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/21-successful-people-who-wake-up-incredibly-early/slidelist/52013339.cms#slideid=52013355

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/289823

https://www.utoronto.ca/news/early-bed-early-rise#:~:text=Night%20owls%20take%20notice%3A%20a,to%20sleep%20and%20wake%20later.&text=However%2C%20among%20both%20younger%20and,of%20happiness%20than%20their%20peers.

Jillian Locandro is a junior from Rye, New Hampshire. She is a Business Administration major with a dual focus in Accounting and Management. This past summer she interned at Bottomline Technologies working on the annual 10-K and aiding with SOX Compliance. Next summer she is interning at Ernst & Young’s Assurance Department in Boston practicing Audit. Jillian considers herself to be an ambitious, motivated, and reliable individual who aspires to pursue a business venture of her own one day.