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| I copied the routine of a company director who gets up at 3:30am every day - here's what it was like | I copied the routine of a company director who gets up at 3:30am every day - here's what it was like |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Dan Lee is a company director who starts his day at 3:30 a.m. | |
| Lee's incredibly early start allows him to get the very maximum out of his days (he has often completed more by 7:15 a.m. then some do in an entire day.) | Lee's incredibly early start allows him to get the very maximum out of his days (he has often completed more by 7:15 a.m. then some do in an entire day.) |
| Successful people in all walks of life have often risen in the early hours. Apple CEO Tim Cook is known to get out of bed at around 4 am while sporting greats Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Tiger Woods have been known to hit the gym at before the sun rises. | Successful people in all walks of life have often risen in the early hours. Apple CEO Tim Cook is known to get out of bed at around 4 am while sporting greats Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Tiger Woods have been known to hit the gym at before the sun rises. |
| So I thought I would give Lee's gruelling early starts a go, for one week. | So I thought I would give Lee's gruelling early starts a go, for one week. |
| Here's how my morning routine looked during the week. | Here's how my morning routine looked during the week. |
| 3:30 a.m. — Wake up, drink two litres of water, two cups of coffee or tea, and a smoothie. | 3:30 a.m. — Wake up, drink two litres of water, two cups of coffee or tea, and a smoothie. |
| 3:45 a.m. — I then began reading as, unlike Lee, or Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian, I do not have a pet to spend quality time with. | 3:45 a.m. — I then began reading as, unlike Lee, or Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian, I do not have a pet to spend quality time with. |
| 4:45 a.m. — A 45-minute run around north London, usually a distance of roughly 5 miles (8 kilometres). | 4:45 a.m. — A 45-minute run around north London, usually a distance of roughly 5 miles (8 kilometres). |
| 5:30 a.m. — Return home, quick breakfast, shower, post a story for work. | 5:30 a.m. — Return home, quick breakfast, shower, post a story for work. |
| 6:15 a.m. — Leave for work, arrive at the BI UK office at around 7:15 a.m. to start my working day. | 6:15 a.m. — Leave for work, arrive at the BI UK office at around 7:15 a.m. to start my working day. |
| Sunday night was nerve-wracking. | Sunday night was nerve-wracking. |
| As Sunday night drew closer, the reality I would be getting up at 3:30 a.m. for the next five days really hit me and suddenly I started worrying. | As Sunday night drew closer, the reality I would be getting up at 3:30 a.m. for the next five days really hit me and suddenly I started worrying. |
| I fretted about making sure I got to bed early enough, and ended up turning off the lights at 7:30 p.m. — which I now know was way too early as I did not fall asleep until nearer 10:30 p.m. | I fretted about making sure I got to bed early enough, and ended up turning off the lights at 7:30 p.m. — which I now know was way too early as I did not fall asleep until nearer 10:30 p.m. |
| Monday morning hit hard. | Monday morning hit hard. |
| Before I knew it my alarm was going off and my first day of the experiment had begun. I really struggled to actually get up and seriously considered the possibility of either not doing it at all or simply just lying and saying I did it when I didn't (who would know?). | Before I knew it my alarm was going off and my first day of the experiment had begun. I really struggled to actually get up and seriously considered the possibility of either not doing it at all or simply just lying and saying I did it when I didn't (who would know?). |
| The first morning felt pretty weird. | The first morning felt pretty weird. |
| Part of Lee's daily ritual is drinking large quantities of water, coffee, and a smoothie first thing. At best, I usually manage a glass of water before I get to work. So my body definitely suffered a shock. | Part of Lee's daily ritual is drinking large quantities of water, coffee, and a smoothie first thing. At best, I usually manage a glass of water before I get to work. So my body definitely suffered a shock. |
| The large amount of sugar and caffeine I had consumed, however, certainly helped wake me up. Whether a nutritionist or dietitian would approve is another matter. And I did get fairly regular headaches, although these decreased in regularity as the week went on and my body adjusted. | The large amount of sugar and caffeine I had consumed, however, certainly helped wake me up. Whether a nutritionist or dietitian would approve is another matter. And I did get fairly regular headaches, although these decreased in regularity as the week went on and my body adjusted. |
| 3:45 a.m. reading was both good and bad. | 3:45 a.m. reading was both good and bad. |
| Lee — like many other successful businessmen and women — makes sure to factor in plenty of time in his day for reading. Bill Gates famously said he tries to read a book a week. | Lee — like many other successful businessmen and women — makes sure to factor in plenty of time in his day for reading. Bill Gates famously said he tries to read a book a week. |
| Personally, having time each day to read was great, but sitting in my living room at 3:45 a.m., knowing that I had a full day of work and commuting ahead of me, did not create quite as relaxed an atmosphere as I would have liked. | Personally, having time each day to read was great, but sitting in my living room at 3:45 a.m., knowing that I had a full day of work and commuting ahead of me, did not create quite as relaxed an atmosphere as I would have liked. |
| Early exercise is excellent. | Early exercise is excellent. |
| The early morning exercise that Lee factors into his schedule was definitely the biggest positive for me from his brutal routine. I have lost count of the number of times I have packed my gym bag in the morning intending to work out after I leave the office before just heading home instead, so Lee's method eliminates this and I got my daily exercise for the day out of the way early. | The early morning exercise that Lee factors into his schedule was definitely the biggest positive for me from his brutal routine. I have lost count of the number of times I have packed my gym bag in the morning intending to work out after I leave the office before just heading home instead, so Lee's method eliminates this and I got my daily exercise for the day out of the way early. |
| Running on totally deserted streets was a bit strange but it was a brilliant way to wake up and definitely put me in a more positive frame of mind for the rest of the day. | Running on totally deserted streets was a bit strange but it was a brilliant way to wake up and definitely put me in a more positive frame of mind for the rest of the day. |
| Commuting and chill. | Commuting and chill. |
| Commuting in London at rush hour is pretty grim, as millions would tell you. For the majority of people it is the first thing they do and is quite frankly a horrible way to start your day. | Commuting in London at rush hour is pretty grim, as millions would tell you. For the majority of people it is the first thing they do and is quite frankly a horrible way to start your day. |
| Personally, my morning commute seemed a lot less stressful and tedious than usual, possibly as I had already been up for hours and had nearly two hours of reading and exercising behind me. | Personally, my morning commute seemed a lot less stressful and tedious than usual, possibly as I had already been up for hours and had nearly two hours of reading and exercising behind me. |
| Mornings simply vanish. | Mornings simply vanish. |
| Once I got into the BI office in east London my mornings just disappeared, it genuinely felt that no sooner had I sat down then I was getting up for lunch. Whether I was actually any use in the office or just a sleep-deprived zombie you would have to ask my colleagues! | Once I got into the BI office in east London my mornings just disappeared, it genuinely felt that no sooner had I sat down then I was getting up for lunch. Whether I was actually any use in the office or just a sleep-deprived zombie you would have to ask my colleagues! |
| However, I did have to make a lot of trips to the bathroom after having drank two litres of water before the day had really begun. | However, I did have to make a lot of trips to the bathroom after having drank two litres of water before the day had really begun. |
| Afternoons became a living nightmare. | Afternoons became a living nightmare. |
| While the mornings went fast, I only wish I could say the same for the afternoons. My early starts really began to hit me and it felt like I spent my whole time watching the clock. I'm not sure about Lee but I really struggled to get anything substantive done. Also, my eyes began to sting and staring at my computer screen became a real struggle. | While the mornings went fast, I only wish I could say the same for the afternoons. My early starts really began to hit me and it felt like I spent my whole time watching the clock. I'm not sure about Lee but I really struggled to get anything substantive done. Also, my eyes began to sting and staring at my computer screen became a real struggle. |
| The rush to get to home and get to sleep was so great I ended up making stupid errors. | The rush to get to home and get to sleep was so great I ended up making stupid errors. |
| If my morning commute was a stress-free zone, I can't say the same for my journey home. I was so desperate to get back as soon as humanly possible that I basically sprinted from my office to the train station, with anyone having the audacity to walk slowly, get stuck at a ticket barrier, or just get too close to me receiving an exhausted but angry glare. | If my morning commute was a stress-free zone, I can't say the same for my journey home. I was so desperate to get back as soon as humanly possible that I basically sprinted from my office to the train station, with anyone having the audacity to walk slowly, get stuck at a ticket barrier, or just get too close to me receiving an exhausted but angry glare. |
| I was so panicked about getting home that I managed to get on the wrong train twice during the week and the wrong bus on no less than three occasions. Fail. | I was so panicked about getting home that I managed to get on the wrong train twice during the week and the wrong bus on no less than three occasions. Fail. |
| My appetite went all over the place. | My appetite went all over the place. |
| Usually I have a fairly set eating pattern during the week. During my week of following Lee's routine my eating habits fell apart. Due to the fact I was having a proper breakfast in the morning and consuming all that water, smoothie, and coffee, meant I was not hungry until about 3 p.m. at work. | Usually I have a fairly set eating pattern during the week. During my week of following Lee's routine my eating habits fell apart. Due to the fact I was having a proper breakfast in the morning and consuming all that water, smoothie, and coffee, meant I was not hungry until about 3 p.m. at work. |
| At that point, I would then have an unnecessarily huge lunch (Pret a Manger did very well out of me during the week.) All this meant by the time I got home I was not hungry and too worried about the time to wait till I was to have any dinner. So effectively I ate two meals a day for a week, as well as not really sleeping. | At that point, I would then have an unnecessarily huge lunch (Pret a Manger did very well out of me during the week.) All this meant by the time I got home I was not hungry and too worried about the time to wait till I was to have any dinner. So effectively I ate two meals a day for a week, as well as not really sleeping. |
| And when it was all over... | And when it was all over... |
| I felt both a sense of relief and achievement that it was all over. As expected I grew more and more weary as the week went on as I had no opportunity to try and catch up on the sleep by body and mind needed. | I felt both a sense of relief and achievement that it was all over. As expected I grew more and more weary as the week went on as I had no opportunity to try and catch up on the sleep by body and mind needed. |
| I also became more and more irritable and took no real pleasure out of my days. Plus, it goes without saying, my days just seemed unnaturally long – which I struggle to imagine I could ever get used to. | I also became more and more irritable and took no real pleasure out of my days. Plus, it goes without saying, my days just seemed unnaturally long – which I struggle to imagine I could ever get used to. |
| So while a super-early start might suit giants of the business world, I'm certain it is not for me. | So while a super-early start might suit giants of the business world, I'm certain it is not for me. |
| Read more: | Read more: |
| • 13 useful life hacks you can learn in a minute• Why Microsoft's chatbot turned into a racist• Everyone is worried that the China bubble will pop | • 13 useful life hacks you can learn in a minute• Why Microsoft's chatbot turned into a racist• Everyone is worried that the China bubble will pop |
| Read the original article on Business Insider UK. © 2016. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter. | Read the original article on Business Insider UK. © 2016. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter. |
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