Why You Should Be A Morning Person

What is the one thing that all successful people share? They wake up early and take advantage of their morning. Here's why:

The early start gives you the chance to reflect before the hum of the day gets underway. Simply put it's "you time" -- the time to write down your goals throughout the day. You can work against them before other people have a chance to grab your attention and time. This puts you in control of your day.

Of course, it's very difficult to get up however that's exactly the reason early risers have an advantage over the rest of us. They get up and go as others doze off.

Here are a few examples of highly successful early risers:

Virgin Branson, the founder Richard Branson wakes up at 5:45 a.m., even when the island is his own, and makes use of the time to exercise and eat breakfast before preparing for the day.
Michelle Obama is the First Lady of America. Michelle Obama starts her day at 4:30 am to do an exercise session before her children awake
Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook gets up at 3:45 am each morning to check emails, workout, and go on a Starbucks breakfast before going to work
Starbucks Chief Executive Howard Schultz gets up at 4:30 am to work out in (often cycling along with his spouse) -and then of course to pour himself a cup of coffee to kick off his day.
Disney President Bob Iger rises at 4:30 am and makes use of the morning hours to read the newspaper and exercise and enjoy music or check emails and take in a show
Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour wakes at 5:45 am to play tennis for about an hour before hitting the gym.
GE President Jeff Immelt wakes up at 5:30 am and begins an exercise routine while reading the newspaper and watching CNBC

Did you observe a similar pattern among super-successful individuals? Their morning routine of everyone includes exercise as a major aspect.

Alongside the general physical and mental health benefits, research has shown that moderate-intensity exercise for 20+ minutes provides mental and emotional energy throughout the next 12 hours! This means that executives are more focused, productive, and efficient in their work as a direct consequence of their exercise routine in the morning. The time spent exercising also helps them think and think through problems in a non-stop manner which means they can are able to get going once they arrive at the office. Exercise in the morning is an extremely efficient way to use time.

Alongside waking up early and working out there are other morning routines to help start your day off in the best direction

Drink 16 oz. of water after waking pre-hydrate following seven to eight hours of sleep
Get Your Bed -Every morning can lead to better performance throughout the day.
Get a healthy Breakfast to fuel your body to meet all the challenges of your workday (led by a diet of energy-rich fruits and veggies)
Drink 1 to 2 cups of Coffee -Give yourself a healthy early morning energy while reaping scientifically proven health benefits
Keep up with the News Make use of your quiet time to learn what's happening in the world around you.
Prioritize Your Day Set your top priorities, and think about the best ways to address them.

This ensures you are successful prior to the time the "work day" even begins in whatever form it might have for you. Being an early riser isn't just reserved for only C-level executives. Everyone can benefit from implementing these practices.