Top managers, celebrities, and elite athletes do it: get up early. Everyone agrees on the positive, productivity-enhancing effects. However, for most people, voluntarily setting their alarm for 5 a.m. is unimaginable.
Our CEO Fabian dared to try it out for you and got up at 5 a.m. for a week. He shares his thoughts on what it feels like to wake up early and what he discovered.
Table of contents
1. Getting up early - why?
You've probably heard the saying "The early bird catches the worm." If you believe various top managers, such as Tim Cook of Apple, there's some truth to this saying, as they believe that getting up early dramatically increases productivity at work and performance in sports.
The key point: To get more done, you don't necessarily have to work more; you simply have to shift your circadian rhythm a few hours forward . Increase productivity without investing more? Is that possible?
From a scientific perspective , the answer is: yes , of course! The reason for this lies in our natural day-night rhythm.
This primarily depends on the interaction between the sleep hormone melatonin and the stress hormone cortisol . The so-called "pineal gland" in our brain secretes more melatonin at night or in the dark, which means that melatonin levels drop with daybreak, coupled with a simultaneous rise in cortisol levels.
Depending on how long the days are, whether summer or winter, the peak of natural cortisol production is reached around 6:30 a.m. , exactly when there is only a little melatonin left in our blood .
From a hormonal point of view, this is the time when we are optimally prepared for peak mental performance and should therefore get up early.
This high lasts until about 10 a.m. So, we're at our peak mental performance between 7 and 10 a.m. I wanted to see for myself, so I started the experiment.
2. Finally getting up early - My experience report
Day 1
Monday morning, 5 a.m., and I'm awake. Why? What a stupid idea, I think! Getting up is really hard, even though I actually slept for 7 hours.
It's cold outside, and I start jogging with my eyes half-closed. A few other joggers are already out and about, and we greet each other as fellow sufferers.
A cold shower and a Bulletproof coffee afterwards help me wake up. At 7 a.m. , I head to the office , and I'm thrilled by the silence.
Wow, finally some peace and quiet , no ringing phone, no colleagues. By the time the other employees arrive two hours later , I've already sent all my emails .
Definitely a success ! The day goes well, but by 3 p.m. , the price for getting up early hits: tiredness .
And it doesn't really want to leave. I finish work feeling pretty tired and am glad to be off to bed early at 10 p.m.
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Day 2
Getting up early goes surprisingly well , phew! Somehow I already know what's coming from yesterday and can start the morning more easily. I decide to do some light weight training and then try out a meditation app .
I feel super fit and relaxed at the same time. At 7 a.m., I head to the office with the good feeling of having already accomplished something.
Overall, the day goes very well. Awake helps combat minor lows , something I've been used to since before I started getting up early. At 7 p.m. , I go home after 12 hours of work , having already done some exercise .
I think, "How cool is that? Evening leisure activities or late-night phone calls with friends will have to be canceled because 10 p.m. is bedtime . That's pretty annoying, but it's necessary to get enough sleep.
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Day 3
I finally got carried away that evening and stayed up too late. Somehow, I didn't want to go to bed early on that sunny evening. I wonder what I was thinking.
I can't bring myself to do any physical activity and regret my foolishness yesterday. I take a cold shower anyway, and the first coffee of the day gets me going.
Bulletproof Coffee with MCT oil is particularly suitable. This fat bomb is a long-lasting and, above all, stable energy source for the next few hours, and is especially suitable when you need a good dose of energy after getting up early!
Okay, then I'll just go to the office without exercise . The day is going averagely . The quiet mornings at the office are still incredibly enjoyable for me and are among the most productive hours of the day .
I turn up the music and catch up on all my emails. I fall into bed that evening feeling super tired and like the day was so long. Still, a thousand things are going through my head when I finally get into bed, and I just can't sleep.
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Day 4
The difficulties of getting up early are slowly becoming more apparent. Getting enough sleep is proving to be the biggest challenge . The fact that the alarm clock rings at 5 a.m. isn't so bad, though.
In the evening, I'm once again tormented by my early bedtime . I'm invited to a friend's house and have to leave at 9:30 . I have to put up with a lot of insults for that.
Do I want my social contacts to suffer because of my early morning wake-up call ? I'm definitely unhappy with that, but on the other hand, I enjoy the morning hours and the productivity , both from a sporting and professional perspective .
The morning hours offer the opportunity to calmly prepare tasks, create to-do lists, etc.
Day 5
I'm rewarded for my discipline yesterday and wake up on the last day with an enormous amount of energy . I wake up five minutes before my alarm and almost feel sad that the week is over. I feel good and awake .
I routinely go through my morning routine : exercise, meditation, a cold shower or cold thermogenesis , and coffee with lots of MCT oil.
There's no way I could have more energy in the morning. Who would have thought you could feel so good after getting up so early? At 5 p.m., I leave the office in a great mood .
The sun is shining, and I 'm enjoying the early evening finish with friends. These hours are something completely new for me and definitely a huge advantage!
3. Try it yourself - this is how YOU become an early riser!
5:00 a.m.: Get up. The first few moments after waking up are the hardest. The temptation to sleep in a little longer is great. Tip: Place your alarm clock a few meters away from your bed. This way, you'll have to get up right away and start your morning routine.
5:15 a.m.: Exercise. As soon as you're halfway awake, it's time to exercise. Whether it's yoga, jogging, etc., is up to you. Exercising so early after getting up is tough, of course. Tip: It can be helpful to make preparations the evening before. That way, everything is ready for you, so let's get started!
5:45 a.m.: (Cold) shower. Your body and mind are energized by exercise, and it's time to jump in the shower. Tip: It's best to take a cold shower. The cold water sends adrenaline surging through your body and gives you an extra dose of energy.
6:30 a.m.: Breakfast. For example, buttered coffee. This is followed by the most important news and emails of the morning. Tip: In the morning, you're not yet overwhelmed with the day's numerous information and conversations. If you don't want to think about work right away, you can also turn to a good book and simply enjoy yourself and do something for yourself.
7:15 a.m.: Off to the office. You arrive at work feeling fit and energized, and lo and behold: you'll probably be pretty undisturbed this early. Tip: Start at work with the tasks that require peace and quiet and enjoy the calm before the storm...
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4. Talking Brains Podcast: Episode 67 | Why routines make you extremely successful? With Fabian and Patrick
5. Conclusion
Overall, I'm pleasantly surprised and recommend this little self-experiment to everyone! Even if getting up so early doesn't make sense every day, it tests your discipline, and getting out of bed early in the morning is a great feeling.
This only gets better when you realize how productive you can be. The morning hours in the office are both completely relaxed and effective. At the same time, the evening hours, especially in the summer, can be better utilized.
Coordinating social contacts and evening events is a particular challenge. Lying in bed at 10 p.m., without which you can't do, is quite painful.
However, sufficient sleep is essential for optimal performance during the day. An increase in productivity?
Definitely yes! However, you have to accept that you'll have to forgo some things and live somewhat contrary to the "normal" rhythm of your fellow human beings.
6. Sources
http://www.manager-magazin.de/unternehmen/karriere/grube-hipp-branson-fruehaufstehen-fuer-mehr-leistung-a-1019407.html
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