Hop on Board with the Successful: Shifting Working Hours to 7-3

Quite a lot of attention has been dedicated to discussions about the regular working hours 9-5.

Freelancing and self-employment may soon be triggering some serious changes in work schedules.

Nevertheless, the main concern when we think about another day at work is how effectively are we really working during these 8 hours?

It’s been proven time and time again that the most successful people tend to be early risers

While time is still often used as a measure of productivity, modern workplace proves that it’s not the hours spent at work that count but how much you can achieve during these hours.

But have you ever thought about kicking your day off a little earlier? Would it be something you considered if only you’d known that early wake up equals future success?

Waking up earlier will make you happier and more productive

Successful people like Apple CEO Tim Cook, PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi, Virgin Group Founder Richard Branson, General Motors Chairman and CEO Mary Barra (read more about their habits here) all have one thing in common – a consistent morning routine.

And the key to keeping up with this routine is to get going an hour or more before the rest of the world. In addition, these well-known people are already in their office by 6-7am. Just imagine arriving at the office before everybody else; it gives you two uninterrupted and more productive hours of work. No distractions. An ability to set a clear agenda for the rest of the day.

But these are not the only benefits of an early morning start. If this still doesn’t sound convincing enough, we’d like to offer some key advantages to why you’d want to turn into a morning person and never hit that snooze button again!

1. Escape the rush hour

According to a recent study (2015) carried out by Auto Insurance Center, the average commuter wasted 42 hours in traffic which is more than a typical work week. How crazy it is to realize that so much time is wasted navigating through packed freeways, jostling in crowded and stuffy buses or trying to avoid collisions with other commuters on a busy sidewalk.

Waking up early lets you beat the traffic thus also maintaining your well-being and saving your precious time and nerves. Think about the days spent in traffic and how much more efficiently they could be used!

2. Get your mind together in a quiet environment

By arriving to work at 7am, take advantage of the early morning and focus on what really matters. Avoid social media and other distractions. Fresh mind allows you to focus on tasks that require high cognitive capacity. No distractions from colleagues, no emails, no calls or texts.

Use these two hours to focus on the most important agenda items and make a to-do list for the rest of the day. Remember that there’s also plenty of time to prepare for any morning meetings. Being on top of everything makes you more proactive, confident and less stressed.

In addition to getting yourself organized and ready for the day, this may be a good time to devote a moment to the foundation, fuel, and future of your business – employees.  HR software allows you to keep track of your employee activities. No more hassle filling out paperwork and spreadsheets.

3. Think creative

So far we’ve only praised successful CEOs, yet they are definitely not the only early risers. Many novelists, poets, designers and other professionals prefer early mornings because that’s when all the creative ideas are born.  A few to mention are architect Frank Lloyd Wright, Irish novelist and playwright O’Brien and painter Francis Bacon. Many artistic souls feel that morning is a source of inspiration.

Read more about whether waking up early really is the secret to artistic success here.

4. Choose working hours that will impress your employer

Did you know that starting your day a little earlier may also be a good move to climb the career steps?

A research carried out by University of Washington shows that managers tend to have an implicit bias toward early birds. Moreover, the results reveal that early risers have higher conscientiousness and performance scores than night owls.

5. Improve your work-life balance

Beat the traffic on your way back home. That gives you the opportunity to pursue what you love.

Be it an afternoon yoga, family time, meeting at school or simply time for your favourite book.

* * *

The early bird catches the worm goes the saying. Many famous and successful people, regardless of their motivation, wake up early. Starting your day earlier gives you more time for planning, strategic and creative thinking, as well as getting organized. You will soon realize that less time is wasted from being disorganized or making bad decisions.

Moreover, you benefit having fewer distractions from colleagues and getting done what you had intended. And a cherry on top is that you get to enjoy an afternoon pursuing your favourite activities.

So, are you ready to drag your tired body out of bed early tomorrow and make a change?

Sam.