Over a third of UK employees who consider themselves “successful” wake up at 5.30 am.
This is according to research from CV-Library, a UK job board, who found that 35 per cent of UK workers who would deem themselves “successful” wake up at 5.30 am with a further 37 per cent stating they only get 6.5 hours a sleep a night.
Some even admitted to waking up at 4.30 am every day. CV-Library asked employees what they would like to do with the time they get in the morning, with the top 10 responses being:
- Catching up on emails (43 per cent)
- Reading the latest news (32 per cent)
- Scheduling the day ahead (31 per cent)
- Spending time with loved ones (23 per cent)
- Checking social media (22 per cent)
- Walking the dog (12 per cent)
- Networking over a coffee (11 per cent)
- Texting the partner (8 per cent)
- Meditating (7 per cent)
Under three-quarters (71 per cent) believes waking up this early makes them more alert, 68 per cent also believe it allows them to get ahead with work. However, over half (53 per cent) of UK workers do not think waking up early does not actually benefit their career.
Lee Biggins, founder and CEO of CV-Library said:
Let’s face it – not everyone can be a morning person – and for some people, the prospect of doing anything but eating your breakfast before work can seem a bit much. However, our research suggests that ‘successful’ people tend to wake up earlier, despite getting less than the recommended amount of sleep.
Naturally, you’re going to pack a lot more into your day if you make the most of the early hours, but only if you’re fully awake and ready to be productive. Tasks like working out or meditating can set you up for a great day ahead, but there’s no use trying to start a routine that’s not sustainable in the long run.
Getting the right amount of sleep can help you to stay healthy, alert and ready to tackle the day ahead. You’ll naturally feel happier, stay calm under pressure and forge positive relationships in the workplace. If you’re thinking of shaking up your routine, make sure you’re waking up early for the right reasons; if you’re doing it to crack on with your work before the day has even begun this might be counter-productive and could suggest it’s time to find a new job altogether!
In order to gather these results, CV-Library asked the opinion of 2,000 UK professionals.
Darius is the editor of HRreview. He has previously worked as a finance reporter for the Daily Express. He studied his journalism masters at Press Association Training and graduated from the University of York with a degree in History.
