Be the Sunshine of Your Own Life and Understand the Benefits of Waking Up Early

by Jen Monroe, UMW College of Business Class of 2018 and Leadership Colloquium intern

My phone rings and is the reason I get woken up, I can’t remember the last Saturday or Sunday that I slept in. Every weekend since the days when I had a flip phone, my dad will call me and say the same thing every time. The conversation usually goes something like this: Dad: “Did I just wake you up?” “Get out of bed” “Do something with the day” “Don’t be a lazy bum.”

One would think that at the age of 22 I would just let the phone ring and go to voicemail knowing what was going to be said, but I don’t. And this one’s for you Dad. Ever since I was a little girl I admired my dad for his work ethic. He is a self-employed painter and carpenter, and has been for over 35 years. I’ve watched my Dad answer customer calls from an old flip phone, write notes on the back of an old paper plate, reuse old coffee grind cans for paint buckets, use a paper map to get to his customer’s house, wear clothes that has paint from top to bottom and so much more. And nothing that he does has to do with technology, yet everything that he does is with the bare minimum, so that my siblings and I can have everything that we need to work hard and be successful.

My entire life I’ve watched my dad get up early and be productive throughout the day. Which makes me understand and reflect on my own work ethic. Because of his influence, I’d consider myself a morning person. So, my question to you is: Why should you be a morning person?

Getting up early is one of the routines successful people have in common. The fact is, everyone has access to waking up early, yet many refuse to take advantage of it. Be the sunshine of your own life and understand the benefits of waking up early.

1. You enjoy your cup of coffee
2. You feel more energized
3. You see the sunrise
4. Planning and preparing gets done
5. It’s common for morning people to have a routine they enjoy
6. You develop self-discipline
7. You increase your productivity
8. You’ll be more reliable
9. You’ll be more alert
10. You stay ahead of the world
11. You have time to read the news
12. You thrive in a distraction-free environment
13. You’ll be more proactive
14. You’ll stress less
15. Morning people are happier people
16. Early birds also perform better at school and work
17. You have extra time to exercise
18. More time to relax in the evening
19. You feel a sense of satisfaction
20. You are constantly amazed by the end of the day at how much you got done

Of course, it isn’t always easy to get out of bed, but that’s exactly why morning people have the competitive advantage over everyone else. They tackle the day while others hit the snooze button. Waking up early gives you time to yourself, to get ready and set your priorities for the day, before others are demanding your time and attention.

So, when the weekend comes and my phone rings and I know I would much rather be sleeping, I find that getting out of the bed is the hardest part. With the right mindset, everything else can be planned and accomplished- even with a little extra caffeine added to the day.

…and sometimes the phone call will end with “don’t tell your mother I called and woke you up.”