What does the saying “the early bird gets the worm” mean to you? To us, it simply means that early risers get the most out of life, and this rings especially true for young professionals. Whether you find it easy to get the daily ball rolling, or you tend to be a little slower in the a.m., here are some of the reasons why we think you should rise and shine.
Brush the dust off:
We are all familiar with that one office character that comes into work often looking as if they just rolled out of bed. Not only is their hair a little messy, their eyes a little puffy, and their clothes a little wrinkled, but they also tend to stay very quiet in morning meetings. It’s obvious they haven’t quite woken up and, as a result, they tend to lose not only valuable work time, but often also credibility amongst team members and clients. You don’t want to be that guy, so be sure to give yourself plenty of time in the morning to prepare for the day, both physically and mentally, before heading into work.
Get a leg up on the competition:
By waking up and getting your workday started early, you can create an easy advantage for yourself over some of your slower-moving competition. With a simple early morning email or phone call to a potential partner, client, or employer, you place yourself in the forefront of their mind, and ahead of the pack. Further, making it known to potential business connections that you are up and at it bright and early speaks much about your character. Society tends to associate early risers with being eager, energetic, and reliable.
Give yourself some “you” time.
For many of us YPs, the day doesn’t end when the closing bell tolls. Our days often continue into evening meetings, dinners, and events, leaving very little time for ourselves. After long workdays and post-work commitments, many of us are just too tired to then hit the gym or spend quality time with family. We must be diligent, however, to make ourselves a priority, as one of the top causes of YP burnout is neglecting to make time for physical activity, relaxation, and relationships with people outside of work. So make the most of your day by designating time in the morning to focusing on yourself. Imagine starting your day with a sunrise yoga session on the deck, an energizing group fitness class, or a relaxing coffee date with just you and your spouse to really motivate the rest of your workday.
Though it may take some getting used to, setting the alarm clock for one hour earlier – even if just once a week to start – will allow you to make a commitment to being more dependable, more productive, and to taking care of you. And really, what’s more important than that?