I’ve been feeling greatly, lately.. I’ve gone back to waking up at 5 am and it could not get better. Well, maybe if I were to roll out of bed at 4:30 AM and be at my desk at 5 AM exactly, that would be a notch better. However, it’s okay to be where I’m at.

Attaching an image of what I worked on this morning. Our opening celebration invitation!

10 years ago

I used to wake up at 5 AM nearly 10 years ago, when I had just freshly graduated from dental school. That year was very productive for me, it’s when I actually got my first book written- Persevering. My book is still being read by others, despite it being old, and needing updates or a new edition! 

Why now?

The reason I began waking up at 5 AM again, after so many years of not doing so, is because I began to feel like I was drowning in work, and never had the energy or interest to get back to the laptop after a long day. 

Things take double the time at night. At least for me. I am tired after patient care, running behind the two little monsters, and exercising. All I want to do around 9 pm is crawl into bed and sleep. It takes herculean effort to do something productive at that point. 

Needless to say, I have a LOT of stuff I need to accomplish in preparation for the new business. There are a ton of administrative duties and there isn’t enough time in the day to finish those. Yes, this is despite having 4 full days to work on this. Even that seems less!

Advantages 

There are so many advantages to these 5 AM mornings.

I feel rested because I don’t wake up to the chaos of a household with little feet. I like to be the one waking everyone up rather than the other way around. It helps me start the day on an active note rather than a reactive one. I have Sahil Bloom to credit for that. If a dad can wake up at 4 AM and finish a 20 mile run before going home to be with his family, I can do it too. Just the waking up part, not the 20 mile run bit. At least not yet!

I also like the peace and quiet of the mornings and being able to get a head start on the day’s work. Even if all I do is journal and finish 1-2 tasks on my list, it feels powerful. 

Mentally sharp

I’m also faster and sharper at this time than I am at night. I am usually so tired by the time 7-8 PM rolls around, I am basically ready for bed at the same time as Aashvi. 

Quiet

Around 7:30 AM I start hearing cars and people outside the house. But, at 5 AM, I feel like I’m the only one who is awake, so psychologically I also feel like I have a head start on everyone else. Its almost as it I know a secret that nobody else does. Obviously that part is only in my head, I have no idea who is really awake at this hour and different people have different circadian rhythms. Some people are sharper at night. 

Anyway, I am not one of them, and just wanted to make a case for waking up at 5 AM. If you are a morning person and want to make the most of your day before the family wakes up, try it!