3 reasons why you should wake up at 5.00 am

Unless you had to catch an early flight or attend a religious ritual, you may never have considered getting up as early as 5:00 am. But according to many successful individuals, waking up early is imperative to productivity and overall success. “Over my 50 years in business I have learned that if I rise early I can achieve so much more in a day, and therefore in life”, wrote British billionaire and Founder of Virgin Group, Richard Branson.

Being an early riser does not prove that you are a hardworking and dedicated person. It simply means giving yourself some extra hours to help you achieve both personal and professional goals. If you're still not able to wrap your head around the idea of waking up early, here are a few great reasons that might change your mind.

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Time and tranquility

This one’s obvious, but most crucial. When the rest of the world is in deep sleep, you’ll be experiencing one of the most peaceful moments of your day. You will have ample time to do things you may not have been able to on regular days. It could be as trivial as reading the newspaper while sipping your tea or going for a morning walk. If you are an artist by passion, may be you could spend some ‘me time’ working on your skills. One of the benefits of rising early is being able to get a head start to your day. You can get pending work done in the quiet of the morning and prepare mentally for the day ahead as the sun comes up, with a cup of morning coffee.

Enhanced productivity

Provided that you didn't sleep at 2 am, waking up early in the morning makes your brain more productive and energetic. It has been scientifically proven that your brain functions best in the morning after a good night’s sleep, allowing you to be much more productive than you are later in the day. You can take advantage of your energy reserves and well rested body to function at your peak capacity. With no distractions and little adjustment (a cup of coffee often helps) you can get more done in a shorter period of time.

Reflect and introspect

Today, it’s very easy to get swept away by the vice that is herd mentality. We are bombarded with opinions of various kinds wherever we go. Everyone has something to say. Give yourself time to evaluate what you think is right or wrong, what you feel about a certain issue, and what you think can a solution be. You might just come up with a detailed analysis of a certain issue or a solution you might not have thought of in an otherwise chaotic day. Imagine what wonders you can do in the next brainstorming session if you discipline your life?

A 2008 study by Harvard biologist Christoph Randler concluded that early risers are more proactive and better at analytical thinking. They were more likely to spend time identifying long-range goals for themselves and feel in charge of making things happen. He also discovered that early risers are more likely to anticipate potential problems and are able to handle them more effectively.

So the next time you plan to wake up early, remember these points to motivate yourself to leave the bed as soon as your alarm beeps. Plan your whole day in advance and focus on things that you want to accomplish in one day. One way to start getting up early regularly is to take the plunge and dive straight in. It may shock your system, initially, forcing you to give up, but if you're the ‘go-getter’ type, it shouldn't take too long to get accustomed to.