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I have always been very interested in increasing my productivity and being able to finish stuff fast and efficiently. I have pretty much every productivity app anyone could imagine and I constantly calculate my time on different tasks in order to understand where I stall and where I am fast so that I can develop techniques that would make me faster and faster.

Well, I can’t complain. Over the years, I have seen my productivity getting better and better and there have been days when I was actually really proud of me and my efficiency.

However, the more I grow up, the more I realize that my productivity is imbalanced and not always regulated, as I thought it to be. And, honestly, sometimes life can be so unpredictable that even the most productive people can have a slip. And I am one of those people.

I have tried several productivity tips and tricks and I cannot say that I have completely managed to reach all my goals. And as a traditional night owl, I would never think that waking-up early in the morning could actually be the game changer in my productivity levels.

As a person who has worked for years as a freelancer, I had the luxury to manage my time according to my projects and, to be honest, the most satisfying thing was that I could work anytime I wanted and whenever I wanted within the day. So, a huge amount of my work was done during the evening and nighttime. I can’t even begin to remember how many times I was out for drinks up to 1 am (Greeks are late!) and then got back to working. Ahh, nice times.

Even when I started the business (yes, I am now a proud business owner, stay tuned for more insights on that!), I was the last one to come to the office (and the last to leave it, for what is worth) and I can say that I felt so excited that I didn’t have to go to 9-5 never again.

However, as the business moved forward, meetings with potential and new clients started piling up and I couldn’t support my working style anymore. I tried but eventually it wasn't functional, aka I was so sleep-deprived that I could barely stand awake. Amidst meetings, actual work and other stuff I saw my productivity levels drop dramatically and I realized I needed to take action. It was this time that I started a part-time job (for the experience and networking mainly) with a US company where the general mood was wake-up early and work-life balance.

I started getting interested in the vibe of waking up early and I did a little research on the benefits of waking up early and if they are valid or another trick to support capitalism by being awake all day long.

What I found? Interesting stuff. Many online people and influencers swear on waking up early and a lot of books of business management as well. Research suggests that the earlier we wake up, the more productive we get and get shit done.

Well, considering that I used to get things done for many years and completely random time schedules, I initially thought that all these were just words to fill the paper or the Instagram caption. But, since I never say no to a new challenge, I decided to try it and see what happens. Best case scenario, I would become the most successful person in the worl,d or I would be the most tired person in the world, and I would blame all the aspiring productivity gurus of the internet.

How it started

I find it very efficient to start everything I have in mind on Sundays. Whether I want to establish a new healthy habit or I want to stop a bad one, I find Sundays a very convenient start day, first because I have the time to see the differences without risking being at work and second because Monday puts already a pressure for the upcoming week, so I try to not get me overwhelmed with a life change.

So, the previous night, I set my alarm for 6 am. I set another for 6:15 and another for 6:30 in case I won’t manage to wake up with the first attempt. This way, I create a safety net so that I stick to my goal. Also, my phone goes far away, out of reach, so that I don’t get tempted to put off waking up on time. Of course, I couldn’t go to bed early and I mentally prepared myself that I would be groggy the next morning.

So, on Sunday I was up at 6 am, sharp. I made it! Honestly, it was brutal, but I was determined to achieve my goal. And I didn’t want to let my discomfort overwhelm me. I got my coffee; I stayed away from the phone -who is awake that early, after all?- and I took some time to acknowledge what was happening. After a while, I starting feeling that I wanted to move a bit so I started doing some house cleaning and laundry.

By noon, I have finished laundry, I meal prepped for the week and I have edited a couple of articles that need to be delivered by the end of the following week. Oh boy! So many things were done that I couldn’t believe it was just noon.

Was it a coincidence?

In the beginning, I thought that it was just a coincidence and I was just fast, despite the lack of sleep. However, I wanted to be sure of my assumptions, and of course, I continued waking up at 6 am the following days and see how this will eventually end up.

Well, I have some great news to share: waking up early actually works for your productivity. There are many studies that support the fact that mornings are usually the ideal time to finish all our important tasks because our brain functions better. Therefore, when you wake up that early, you give yourself some extra hours of productivity and, consequently, you finish more tasks during those hours.

Also, the fact that you wake up so early in a peaceful house creates the perfect opportunity to make some decisions in a distraction-free environment where the clutter of a busy day can’t reach you. Waking up at 6 am is a great chance to stand still and enjoy your morning without having to rush out of the door (or jump to your laptop) without time for yourself. If you wake up early enough, you can have a nutritious breakfast, get dressed, and enjoy your beauty routine without the guilt of being late. It is a great time to workout as well. I am usually a morning person when it comes to working out but I would storm in my Pilates 9 am class sleepy, not having coffee and would almost sleep for the first 20 minutes of the class. After starting to wake up at 6 am, I had already done some of the morning preparations and also had enough coffee to make my workout more efficient.

Imagine how many things you don’t usually do in the morning, you are able to achieve only by setting your alarm at 6 am every morning

And this is the key to great productivity. Early, undistracted mornings are the best option to empty your to-do list and manage your time more effectively with almost zero distractions. This is even more appealing considering that you free up your afternoons and replace errands with fun things. In my case, waking up very early motivated me to get into business early, tackle all my tasks for the day (and even some tasks for the whole week) and be able to find more time for myself and my loved ones.

Also, since I had time to get ready for work, my diet got better since I had the time to prep my meals and have a great breakfast before heading to the office.

Did it last?

It did. Alright, during the weekend I allow myself to stay in bed a bit more but during the week, I aim to wake up no later than 6:15 am and go to bed early, no matter how tired or not I am. I have made my schedule around this time and I still can’t believe how much free time I have during the evening. Also, considering that a habit takes about 21 days to be established, then probably my body is used to waking up early ever since I got into the challenge of doing so.

However, the decision of your wake up time is a personal choice and it really depends on your lifestyle, work and preferences. If it aligns with those then you can give it a try and check whether is the right decision for you and it can have a positive change to your productivity and well-being.