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By Michael Masterson
When I walked into FSP's London offices at 7:25 a.m. that first day, I expected the place to be deserted. I was surprised to find the lights already on - and when I approached my temporary office, I saw that Ben, Nick, Gary, and Woody were already there working. "Good morning!" I chimed, feeling that I had come upon new members of my secret fraternity. "You boys are here early!" "Early bird catches the worm and all that," Nick said. I went into my office with a smile on my face. These four early risers comprised half the creative team of FSP. The fact that they were at work more than 90 minutes before 9:00 a.m. impressed me. Their good mood impressed me even more. "I am going to be able to accomplish something here," I thought. You've seen the studies: Early risers are happier, healthier, and more productive at work. They stay in better shape, earn more money, and report that they are more satisfied with their lives. And even if you haven't seen the studies, you've read about them in ETR. "Get up early and seize the day!" we keep telling you. Lots of ETR readers I've talked to say they can rationally accept the argument that early rising is good. But they can't muster up the emotional or physical energy to actually do it. They tell me they are "night" people. They have more energy at midnight, they say, than they do at 9:00 a.m. In fact, they say, they'd prefer to go to bed in the wee hours and wake up at noon if their jobs/spouses would allow it. There is some scientific evidence to suggest they may be correct. Lots of research has been devoted to sleeping patterns in the past few years, and it's clear that for some people (about 15 percent, I've read), "late to bed and late to rise" really is more natural. But just because it's a little harder for you to be an early riser doesn't mean you shouldn't try. The benefits are just too great and too numerous to ignore: - You will get more work done.
- You will accomplish more important tasks.
- You will advance your career more quickly.
- You will be more respected at work.
- You will make more money.
- You will have more time to exercise.
- You will be healthier.
- You will be happier.
If you'd like to become an early riser but are having a difficult time convincing your body to cooperate, follow this 12-step program: Early Riser Step 1: Stop blaming yourself. It may not be a lack of willpower that is making you want to sleep till noon. It is more likely a combination of your genes, blood sugars, hormones... and bad habits. But aside from your genes, these are all things you have some control over. Early Riser Step 2: Take melatonin, not chemicals, at night. To get up early, you have to get to sleep early. If you have trouble falling asleep, try taking a melatonin supplement instead of a sleeping pill. Dr. Sears calls this hormone - which is produced by the body in response to darkness - "nature's sleep regulator."
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