The amount of time spent in a day is arguably the most frequent grievance. We use it as an explanation for why we don’t work out frequently and a fallback for why we can’t seem to advance in our personal or professional lives.

But it’s just an excuse. And it’s one that a lot of accomplished people have conquered. They are indeed the ones who manage to fit in a workout, look and feel good, and are productive at work. What is the key to their success?

They awaken early. Early risers are out and about while everyone else is still sleeping or pressing the snooze button. We’re not just referring to senior executives at major firms who have an early flight or commuter train to catch. Additionally, we’re referring to famous people, entrepreneurs, and professional sports who make it a point to start their days strong.

What Time Do Wealthy People Wake Up?

When Business Insider’s Max Nisen and Gus Lubin questioned 29 CEOs about their regular wake-up hour, the answers ranged from 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. — the fact that these top executives arrive at work hours before their rivals and even their coworkers are a recurring theme.

The rich and incredibly successful claim that what you do once you wake up is far more significant than the precise minute you awaken. Time management and making the most of each moment are frequent topics.

Here are a Few Morning Rituals of The Wealthy and Their Motivations

Work Out

Research has shown that engaging in a vigorous morning jog or workout is a smart method to get your body ready for the day and reduce stress later in the day, in addition to simply being healthy.

People that get up early and immediately head to the gym do so because they get their energy there and can continue working out all morning.

Engage in Personal Projects

Several of the most successful CEOs in business devote their morning hours to side projects they can’t complete during the workday.

They enjoy working on these projects, giving them more energy for the challenging tasks they have to complete throughout the day.

Invest Time in Your Family

Considering how many families are dispersed and on the go from 5-8 p.m., the traditional sit-down, family-style meal has become increasingly rare in modern culture.

Timeframe. The new time for catching up with your partner or enjoying yourself with your children before you head your separate ways is in the morning. According to a study, those who achieve this balance at work are more balanced.

Network

One CEO said she only gets one chance each day to sit down and connect with employees in the morning. Meet with prospective customers, business partners, acquaintances in your field of work, or anybody else who could be a useful link at this time.

Everyone appreciates a free coffee meet-up invitation. Additionally, you won’t feel nearly as pressured as you might when making “lunch plans,” as work could potentially cause a meeting to be delayed or interrupted.

Study the News

It is truer than true that “you can’t alter the world if you don’t know what’s going on in it first.” Utilize your smartphone by reading the news first thing in the morning. All your interactions with individuals over the day will keep you informed.

Plan Your Day

Do you frequently arrive at work rushed and, in a go, -go-lo frame of mind? Do you have a never-ending list of things to do that you hardly ever check off? If you rise early, you will have some time to organize your day and make a realistic plan of what you can do.

Set time limits and deadlines for yourself (for instance, tell yourself that you will spend three hours on the assignment due tomorrow and only an hour on the one due next week). You’re more likely to have a productive day when you can take the time to plan ahead.

Work on a Project of Utmost Importance

If you’re naturally a morning person, you’ll be at your sharpest to take on that difficult and urgent project in the morning.

The world’s most successful people occasionally get up early to concentrate on a variety of high-priority projects when they are still awake, but more importantly, when they won’t be disturbed by colleagues or employees.

Email

Some people claim that delaying email until later in the day will be more beneficial. However, opinions on this matter are rather evenly divided.

Even before you drink your coffee or do anything else in the morning, the powers that be advise checking your email as the best practice when it comes to email. If your inbox is overflowing, scan through it while setting priorities from most important to least important. And concentrate on writing any lengthy, intricate emails during breakfast.

Final Note

The advantages of rising early are numerous. However, this shouldn’t come as a surprise that those with the longest and most demanding jobs (and salary levels) are frequently the ones that get up early.

They rarely take weekends off, which is even more astonishing, and their days are frequently extremely busy. In other words, a schedule carves out every second of their day, right down to when they go to bed at night—starting with their early rise.