Every entrepreneur understands the value of routines. With all the tasks, decisions, and meetings they have to juggle, it’s essential to implement certain structures and habits that can help them get in the right mindset and streamline their days.

But while I’ve come across many worth adopting over my career, there’s one particular daily routine that I’ve found to dramatically improve not just my business but also my mental and physical health, overall focus, and productivity—rising early.

In a bid to get a good jump start on my day, I get up every morning at 4:30 a.m., and I’m not alone in this practice; entrepreneurs like Tim Cook, Richard Branson, Ursula Burns, Kara Goldin, and Jack Dorsey swear by it to improve their personal and professional lives. It may seem like an insignificant change, but waking up early can have a profound impact on your ability to be the leader your organization needs to continually drive it forward.

Why it works

First and foremost, routines of any kind provide numerous benefits, including increased efficiency and minimized stress. They do this primarily by reducing the number of decisions you need to make, whether you’re following a meal plan, exercise regimen, or structured work schedule. Though the decisions these routines negate are relatively simple, they can still contribute to decision fatigue, or “the idea that after making many decisions, your ability to make more and more decisions over the course of a day becomes worse,” as defined by psychiatrist Dr. Lisa Maclean for an article from the AMA. By taking them off your plate, you can relieve yourself of at least some mental burden, allowing you to dedicate greater brainpower to more important endeavors.

Speaking specifically to the habit of rising early, this routine allows you extra time to ease into your day before the demands of work and family hijack your attention. This helps you naturally shake off sleep inertia, the temporary disorientation that lingers for about thirty to sixty minutes after waking, enabling you to be more focused and alert by the beginning of your workday. Further, you have more hours to eat breakfast, exercise, set your schedule, and do whatever else you need to prepare without feeling rushed—something that may only increase your stress and decrease your motivation.

The resulting effects on your performance at work can be massive. An article published by Washington State University summarizing research on the habits of successful businesspeople notes that those who wake up early are more proactive, better planners, and anticipate problems better than their late-sleeping counterparts. And when you’re at the top of your game day in and day out, there’s no limit to what you—and, subsequently, your team—can achieve.

An important note

Keep in mind, however, that these benefits are only available when you change your bedtime accordingly. If you’re giving up hours of sleep in order to rise early, you’ll likely experience the opposite effects: a lack of energy, increased irritability, brain fog, and forgetfulness. For better health and optimal performance in any area of life, you should aim to get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep every night, shifting that number higher or lower based on your body’s specific needs. For some, that may mean an early-morning habit isn’t feasible, such as if you work in an industry with late nights or feel at your most productive in the waning hours of the day. But if you ultimately decide to give this habit a shot, do so with care, being mindful to always prioritize quality sleep to ensure maximize returns.

Getting into the habit

If you aren’t accustomed to waking early, the adjustment can certainly be a challenge. The good news is that everyone can become a “morning person” with the right discipline and strategies. To start, avoid trying to do it all at once—tweak your current bedtime and rising time in fifteen- or thirty-minute increments until you reach your new sleep schedule. In addition, follow the lead of Robin Sharma, author of The 5AM Club. In an interview with Forbes, he outlines five keys to adopting the routine with success.

Give it some time
It can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months to form a new habit, so fortify your resolve and patience. Your brain will need time to adapt to the behavior, forming and organizing new neural pathways, until it becomes easier and automatic.

Get support
It may sound odd, but Sharma suggests joining a group that has already mastered the habit of rising early. (And, yes, they do exist!) You can also make the change with friends and family, ideally ones who live with you. Either option can help provide accountability and support to keep you motivated as you work toward your new sleep routine.

Track your accomplishments
In a similar vein, Sharma advises keeping a daily checklist of what you want to accomplish, with getting up at a predetermined time being the first item on it—wake up, get up, and check the box. The goal is to string together consecutive successes, which will help reassure and inspire you to continue.

Give yourself grace
You’re not going to be perfect, so prepare to be OK with that. There may be days when you get up later than planned, but it doesn’t mean you’ve failed. As long as your overall progress is positive, you’re heading in the right direction.

Use a delayed clock
Sharma keeps an old-fashioned analog clock he sets ahead so that when he wakes up, he can be pleased to realize he’s got more time than he thought. Tricking your brain like this, especially when you’re first adjusting, can help make your new habit permanent.

Rising early is a simple but powerful routine that can benefit any entrepreneur. By giving yourself the gift of time, you can gain the ability to do whatever you need to prepare for the day ahead, in turn improving your productivity and overall performance. Start making this small change today, and you may soon see a positive transformation in your business and your life.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Luke Acree is an authority on leadership, a lead-generation specialist, and a referral expert who has helped more than 30,000 entrepreneurs and small businesses grow their companies. He hosts Stay Paid, a sales and marketing podcast, and has been featured in Entrepreneur, Forbes, and Foundr.com.

TAKE ACTION:
Assess your current daily schedule to assess whether rising early could benefit your focus and productivity, and, if so, take steps to begin adopting the routine.