I long ago developed the habit of waking up at 4:30 a.m. It’s a habit born of necessity - my unit’s physical training program started mighty early - but maintained out of an appreciation for how it shapes my day. It’s amazing how much can be accomplished in a few very quiet hours in the morning. On most days I’m able to catch up on the latest news, analysis and opinion, clean up any stray email I may have missed the previous day and generally lay the groundwork for a productive day.

an early and structured start to the day provides a much needed opportunity for study, exercise and reflection.Now that I’m in the middle of a major personal and professional shift I’m seriously thinking about moving my wake-up call to 5:30 a.m. I would enjoy the extra hour of sleep (or maybe be able to stay up an hour later each day to enjoy the company of my wife) and, I believe, still manage to effectively jump start my day. And, it turns out, I would be aligned with a number of successful business leaders who find that the first few (early) hours of the morning are critical to setting the tone for a productive day. As Jim Citrin discovered when he surveyed 20 top executives, an early and structured start to the day provides a much needed opportunity for study, exercise and reflection.

So, how about you? Do you like to get the most out of your day with an early start, or do you think that some extra time in bed is more beneficial? And regardless of when you get up, what specific morning routines have you developed to set the stage for a productive day?

(thanks, Bert)

UPDATE:  Post modified with the addition of a pull quote.