Why Getting Up At 5am Sucks (but I Do It Anyway) - LinkedIn

LinkedIn recommends the new browser from Microsoft. Download now dismiss

Agree & Join LinkedIn

By clicking Continue to join or sign in, you agree to LinkedIn’s User Agreement, Privacy Policy, and Cookie Policy.

Sign in to view more content

Create your free account or sign in to continue your search

Sign in

Welcome back

Email or phone Password Show Forgot password? Sign in

or

By clicking Continue to join or sign in, you agree to LinkedIn’s User Agreement, Privacy Policy, and Cookie Policy.

New to LinkedIn? Join now

or

New to LinkedIn? Join now

By clicking Continue to join or sign in, you agree to LinkedIn’s User Agreement, Privacy Policy, and Cookie Policy.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is better on the app

Don’t have the app? Get it in the Microsoft Store.

Open the app Skip to main content

My alarm shocks me out a deep sleep and a bleary-eyed glance at the clock reveals that it’s 4.55am. As I stumble out of bed, I am immediately replaced by one of my dogs who snuggle up in the warm space left behind. After quick shower to try and wake myself up, I change into my gym gear and I’m out the door. As I begin to scrape the ice off my frozen windscreen I ask myself “why am I do doing this again?”

It hasn’t always been this way. I, like most sane people when confronted by early mornings and sub-zero temperatures, would choose to stay in bed rather than get up and run around in the cold. However, in the last six months I have been making the effort to get up before dawn and exercise before my day begins.

“Why the sudden change?” I hear you ask, “Did you sustain a head injury?”

Well it actually all comes down to a number of articles that I have read on LinkedIn. It has been well documented that successful people such as Richard Branson, Tim Cook (CEO of Apple) and a number of other high-achieving people routinely get up early and start the day with some exercise. They also start the day off by pursuing passion projects, practising mindfulness and a number of other activities.

While I wasn’t prepared to go as far as pursuing a passion project first thing in the morning, getting up and exercising had a certain appeal. My previous routine consisted of sleeping as a late as possible, showering and heading to work. Around mid-morning I would usually get hungry and order something dripping in fat and grease from the cafe underneath my office. When I finished work I would think about going and exercising, however more often than not ended up on the couch watching TV and eating fast food. Hardly a sustainable lifestyle.

So how did I break the cycle and get into a new routine?

After signing up to a gym and getting myself some suitable attire I was all set. All that was left was to set my alarm. I flinched when my alarm clock told I was going to get approximately 5.5 hours sleep.

For the first couple of weeks I struggled. Adjusting to a new routine is never easy, and there were quite a few times I hit the snooze button and just stayed in bed (much to the dismay of my dogs who missed out on a prime sleeping position). I felt constantly tired and was considering chucking in the whole stupid endeavour.

However after about a month it became easier to get up. My routine had gradually adjusted so that I was going to bed slightly earlier and waking up just before my alarm. I found that when I got back from the gym in the morning I had more time, so I started cooking a healthy breakfast that helped to bring my diet under control. Once breakfast was done, I had plenty of time to get ready for the day ahead. Also, since I had already exercised, I felt less guilty if I chose to veg out on the couch when I got home.

Since adopting this routine I have lost weight, have more energy and generally just feel better and more alert during the day. I still have the occasional 3pm crash, but to combat this I’ll schedule a meeting, have a snack or go for a quick walk. Anything really to make sure I’m active and not staring blankly at my computer.

So yes, getting up at 5am can suck, but you should give it a try. It certainly helped me.

Like Like Celebrate Support Love Insightful Funny Comment

• Copy
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• X

Share 91 17 Comments John C. Shuey 8y

• Report this comment

Awfully early and the high desert is definitely chilly then.

Like Reply 1 Reaction 2 Reactions Dennis Brew 8y

• Report this comment

Looks like exercising DOES run in the family! While I routinely get up at 5.00 AM, I go to work early and then exercise every afternoon - five days a week and then, more often than not, go for a long walk-run on a weekend. Being married to fitness nut, also helps! Keep it up, mate!

Like Reply 1 Reaction 2 Reactions Dean Alburey 8y

• Report this comment

Good effort Liam, I am also on a bit of a fitness journey myself...not at 5am in the morning though haha. I hit the boxing gym after work 3 nights a week and find that not only my physical fitness but my mental state has improved tenfold. Can't recommend it enough, whether it be before work or after work exercise is a game changer!!

Like Reply 1 Reaction 2 Reactions Nicole Thomson 8y

• Report this comment

Great work! I admire your determination, getting up that early is not easy and I can genuinely say that I wouldn't have the discipline. Thumbs up!!

Like Reply 1 Reaction 2 Reactions See more comments

To view or add a comment, sign in

More articles by Liam B.

• A Train Lovers Mystery Feb 3, 2023

  A Train Lovers Mystery

  Norman was a man who lived for trains. He was an avid collector of model trains and had a vast knowledge of trains from…

  11 1 Comment
• Mind the gap Jan 13, 2017

  Mind the gap

  As a recruiting expert I review many CVs every week. Some are perfectly to the point and written specifically for the…

  21 3 Comments

Others also viewed

• Power up your winter mornings: Morning habits to energize your body and mind

  Apollo Pharmacy 11mo

• Wellbeing: From Knowing to Becoming

  Pawan Gupta 2y

• Breathe - Part 1

  Chintan Patel 5y

• Self-Care for Your Future Self

  Apekshit Khare 1y

• Are You Tired Of Being Tired? Find Out How To Energise Your Life.

  Ian Worthington 6y

• 2023’s Game-Changing Habits: The Six Takeaways I’m Bringing into 2024

  Rosana Fernandez 1y

• How running can beat your Imposter Syndrome

  Ian Browne 2y

• 6 Simple Steps to a Healthier and Happier You

  Utkarsh Sharma 1y

• 9 Vital Activities for You in 2018 :)

  Jean-Francois Cousin 8y

• Happier Mornings: Starting Your Day on the Right Foot

  Laura Hess 1y

Show more Show less

Explore content categories

• Career
• Productivity
• Finance
• Soft Skills & Emotional Intelligence
• Project Management
• Education
• Technology
• Leadership
• Ecommerce
• User Experience
• Recruitment & HR
• Customer Experience
• Real Estate
• Marketing
• Sales
• Retail & Merchandising
• Science
• Supply Chain Management
• Future Of Work
• Consulting
• Writing
• Economics
• Artificial Intelligence
• Employee Experience
• Workplace Trends
• Fundraising
• Networking
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Negotiation
• Communication
• Engineering
• Hospitality & Tourism
• Business Strategy
• Change Management
• Organizational Culture
• Design
• Innovation
• Event Planning
• Training & Development

Show more Show less