I’ve been a “morning person” for as long as I can remember. When I was a teenager, it was common to be up before my parents. My summer job was working at a golf course, which required to be up early. It was a good fit. I was thinking about some of the advantages that come with being a morning person.
Working without interruption
In just about every position I’ve held in my career, hours have been fairly flexible. They’re the most flexible at Bungie, where we have core hours, but I’ve always had some control. I’m thankful for this because I love, love, getting in early and knocking out some work before the day gives way to meetings, emails, and other necessary interruptions. My best start to any work day is when I leave a task done at like 10% the day before, and get a good win to start the day.
Dodge the traffic
I regret ever complaining about traffic before moving to Seattle. It’s definitely the worst here, than anywhere else I’ve ever lived. I don’t go into the office terribly often. Working to get back to once or twice a week. One thing that that slows me down…figuratively and literally, is traffic. However, being an early riser helps side step. It takes me about 10 to 15 minutes to get to work in the morning. If I left at a more “traditional” time, it would take twice as long. Is it enough to change ingrained habits? No but do I benefit from it? Absolutely.
Beat the heat
One habit that was absolutely torpedo’d by Covid was my workout schedule. I’m not completely back on the train, even years later, but I am working on it. I was a long time runner and that continues to be my favorite exercise. I love running with my dogs but they are pretty sensitive to the heat. Getting up and knocking it out in the morning helps keep them cool. I’m an extremely pale person so getting that time in before the sun comes up fully, is also a benefit.
These are just some things that work for me. I think, if you can, you should do what works best for you. I think the idea of core hours at any workplace is really smart and helps people work when it’s best for them and their efficiency. I feel like as a natural morning person, I get a bit of a cheat code.