Most Successful Entrepreneurs are Early Birds: How to Become One in 5 Doable Steps

Being an early bird affords you a tremendous advantage over your competition.

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If we are being 100 percent real, the world of business and the whole deal with being an Entrepreneur, well, a successful one at least, is meant for those who wake up ridiculously early. I mean, with all the meetings, to-do lists, more meeting, etc. One will have to make as much time as possible in their day if they stand a chance of being productive.

Being an early bird affords you a tremendous advantage over your competition. Folks will marvel at the inexplicable amount of stuff you are able to get done. Now, waking up early is no big deal to some, and the hardest thing in the world to do for others.

I guess it all depends on your long-term orientation. AKA, what you are used to. based on data provided by NFIB, here are 5 ways to become an early bird.

1. Reform Your Evening Routine

“The key to having a productive morning is preparing the night before,” says Harrison Doan, director of analytics for mattress company Saatva. “Check your to-do list and schedule out your morning ahead of time. Get your workspace clean and organized, and wrap up any loose ends at the end of the day. Starting fresh with clear goals makes it much easier to start working effectively.”

You may need to form new evening habits to help you get up earlier. You can commit to leaving the office by a certain time, go to bed earlier, or eliminate screen usage in the last hour or two before bed.

2. Establish a Morning Routine

Mornings can be overwhelming when your full inbox and lengthy to-do list seems insurmountable. To make the most of this time, establish a routine that helps you manage stress, get energized, and focus on the tasks ahead of you.

“I usually try to devote my mornings to quiet meditative activities before going to the gym,” says Ajay Yadav, founder and CEO of Roomi, an app that helps find room rentals and roommates. “When I start my days off like this, I’m usually much calmer and happier by the time I get into work.”

Kate Bagoy, a life and business coach for entrepreneurs, has found a combination of tricks are the key to avoiding the snooze button:

Putting the alarm clock across the room or in another room;

Drinking a full glass of water immediately after waking up—sleepiness can be disguised dehydration;

And going for a walk or run or dancing to your favorite music within 10 minutes of waking up.

3. Build Momentum with Smaller Accomplishments

Joe Robison, consultant and founder of e-commerce SEO consulting firm Green Flag Digital, recommends setting up two 15-minute tasks to do every morning.

“By accomplishing these two tasks every morning, you’ll feel an early sense of accomplishment and have the momentum to continue on to larger tasks,” he says.

4. Try an App

If the biggest obstacle to morning productivity is getting over the alarm clock grogginess, follow Blu Skin Care Founder and CEO Zondra Wilson’s advice and use an app like Sleep Cycle.

According to Wilson, the app employs sound analysis to monitor your movement through the night, timing the app’s alarm to go off during your lightest sleep phase so you awake feeling well rested.

5. Take Short naps during the day

Taking short, one-hour naps during the workday will go a long way to help you wake up early the next day. This technique can work for anyone who wishes to master the practice of waking up early in the morning.

For 9 to 5-ers, it helps to try to steal an hour or two when you get home from work to refresh one's energy. Taking short naps during the day will help makeup for the time lost when you wake up early the next morning so as not to feel so drained during the day.