7: The Early Bird Really Does Get the Worm
Most of the successful people I know are already awake at six a.m.Not all, but most. Say what you will, but getting up early has been proven in studies to be a basic characteristic found in successful people. I don’t want to get nasty letters from all of you who don’t get up until ten and still have thriving, profitable businesses, so I’ll add that there are exceptions to every rule.
My own rule, however, is to get up in the dark and go home in the dark. While everyone else is still sleeping I find I can get a lot done, because once the office and the world come alive, your time is taken up with meetings and interruptions. Before normal hours is my best work time. When regular starting hours come around, that’s my people time. I want to give as much time as I can to employees and outside meetings, and to do that I need to be in as early as possible to get the other things done.
I’m in the office at five a.m., Arizona time, and I’ll take that time to watch the opening of the market, organize, and catch up on emails so that I’ve got answers by eight in the morning. I putter around and clear my head, and as it gets later I’ll walk through the building and find people to talk to. I have breakfast every morning with our chief financial officer and our special assistant to the CEO, and we talk about important issues for the day. I’ve got a routine, but it always starts early. I believe that the early bird gets the worm. Live your business life by the clock and you’ll be far more productive.
These seven principles have never let me down. They’ve been a road map that I’ve followed consistently.
Posted by Herb Baum at December 9, 2004 7:23 AM