Rising at 5 am maximises your productivity and sets you up for a day of structured focus and serene mindfulness. Whether you head to the gym before work or meditate. It makes you feel strong and in control of your day. Does it, though? Craig Tyson finds out…
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Five is an evenly balanced odd number. Four is too sharp and six is too flabby.
Nobody likes to get up at four, i.e. the middle of the night, and six is too late if you want to smash the day ahead. So, five is the number that sets phones buzzing next to the beds of those who swear by an early-morning routine.
What’s so great about getting up at 5 am?
‘Starting your day at your peak dramatically changes the quality of your days,’ says Robin Sharma, the man who wrote the book about it, ‘and great days become the great years that make a gorgeous life.’
It allows you to avoid distractions and think clearly and differently about life’s challenges—or just the day ahead. This approach may help you find the path you’re seeking or allow you extra time to get stuff done.
Depending on how good you are at it, an early wake-up could be alarming or as smooth as a Ken doll. I’m not, so at 5 a.m., my eyes are crusty, various pains pierce several bodily membranes, and I have a strange metallic taste in my teeth as I stagger into action.
After a while, I feel good about doing so. It’s the day’s first positive feeling, and I hope to harvest a few more in the hours before the workday starts. First thing, I need an espresso. The caffeine sizzles through my bones and sweeps away any lingering twinges. It’s the second reward I savour within 15 minutes of daybreak. Nice start.
Can I keep up the pace? Can I make this a habit that ‘changes my life’?
I spoke to three paid-up members of the 5 am Club to see how their lives have changed.
One person who’s read the book, got the app, walks the walk, and talks the talk is Deon van Schalkwyk, CEO and founder of Nucleus Financial Services. He took to the 5 am idea in earnest during the COVID lockdown. He says it’s about discipline and consistency.
‘Getting up early is me-time; it’s just me and the waking sounds of sunrise. Meditation calms me, setting the mind to zero for the day, while exercise energises me. Those three hours have infinite potential. By 8 am, I have achieved a lot. The benefits are tangible; I feel the difference if I don’t follow this routine.
Deon’s morning routine:
‘I rise between 5 am and 5.30 and meditate for one hour. I gym for half an hour three times a week, incorporating a cold-water bath in my routine. Once a week, I do a three-hour outdoor walk. I’m at work by 9 am and leave around 6 pm. I have dinner with my family at home and get between seven and eight hours of sleep.’
Can anyone benefit from a routine such as yours?
‘People, ordinary or extraordinary, can achieve extraordinary feats. It takes an inner focus, which you will achieve through meditation and exercise, as well as some form of routine and discipline. But it takes work. Discipline takes practice. Going out until late the night before or having a long, boozy lunch with clients can get in the way of the routine. The alarm clock is my friend.’
Can these small daily achievements lead to big results?
‘Yes. As they say, you eat an elephant one bite at a time. Setting 15-minute goals is far more achievable than setting lifetime goals. Lifetime goals are like carrying the world on your shoulders – you’ll buckle. You’ll eventually reach your lifetime goal by achieving the short-term goals.’
If you are productive and have many things to do in a day, you’d better get used to being a morning person.
In his book The 5 am. Club Robin Sharma suggests following a 20/20/20 rule: 20 minutes of exercise, 20 minutes of reflection, meditation, or journalling, and 20 minutes devoted to growth (reading or listening to a podcast).
‘Taking a 60-minute “victory hour” while the rest of the world sleeps gives you a gargantuan competitive advantage,’ he says.
But is it necessary? Aren’t there enough hours in one day to do what you must without the 5 am shock?
‘In my case, an early start is required to live the life I want. It’s not a choice; it just must be done,’ says Maurice van Heerden, CEO of Planet World, specialising in sound solutions, cinema and smart home automation, and car audio solutions.
‘I don’t think anyone enjoys the painful sound of their alarm ringing while peacefully asleep. I don’t believe there are “morning people” and “evening people”. If you are productive with many things to do in a day, you’d better get used to being a morning person.
‘I stumbled into the habit as my life became more demanding. I have three kids and a wife who I adore. We love spending quality time together, which wouldn’t be possible if I didn’t wake up early.
I also have a business with around 160 employees, which requires me to be fully engaged. I also have several hobbies that take up my spare time, so I need all the hours in the day to get the most out of each one.’
This is Maurice’s Routine:
‘I wake up at 5.15 am. I drink strong coffee and spend an hour checking emails, preparing for the day. I then do the most painful thing of the day: a three-minute plunge into four °C ice-cold water. It never gets less painful, but I’ve converted a chest freezer at home to shock me into action and make me feel amazing.
‘I cook breakfast for my kids around 6:20 am and have a morning catch-up. At 6:45 am, I leave for the gym for an hour of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, boxing, or strength work. At 8 am, I drive to work. I use this time to make phone calls and ensure I am entirely focused on work.
‘It’s the same routine from Monday to Friday – even with a hangover, even if I didn’t get enough sleep. On weekends I am more relaxed. However, I always make time for at least an hour’s exercise. This routine only gets difficult if you give yourself an out. So, I don’t!’
Kylie Hanekom, one of SA’s top mountain bikers and Swiss Epic rider, says she finds meeting a group of friends who hold her accountable the best way to force herself to get out of bed for an early training session.
‘Starting early gives me a sense of control and purpose,’ says Kylie, head of content and marketing at Bike Hub. ‘If you’ve carved out the time to do something essential for yourself in the morning, you can tackle whatever comes after that with a much better perspective.
‘Starting the day with something you enjoy dramatically improves your quality of life. It’s possible to achieve far more than you imagine if you learn to control your time and focus on what is important to you.’
The final word belongs to Maurice:
‘Life is quite easy. If you design your perfect life and work towards it, you’ll get closer to it each day. To achieve something big takes time and commitment. Someone who runs 5 km daily will be far healthier, stronger, and fitter than somebody who runs 15 km twice a month.
‘If your goal means enough to you, you’ll find time to take the necessary steps. Once you do it, you’ll be planning the next goal. And over the years, you’ll achieve things and live a rich, successful, and meaningful life. ‘So don’t wait for New Year or your birthday. Just start! There is no better time than right now.’
Waking up at 5 am can significantly boost your productivity, enhance your focus, and provide a sense of control over your day. Whether through exercise, meditation, or planning, the benefits of rising early are clear. As Craig Tyson and the members of the 5 am Club have demonstrated, this early start fosters discipline, consistency, and personal growth.
Start your day right and watch your life change! Learn more and join the 5 am movement at a Virgin Active gym near you.