The Secret To Being A Power Woman: Wake Up Early
Michelle Gass, a president and recognized innovator at Starbucks, wakes up every morning at exactly 4:30 and goes running. When she travels, she brings her running shoes. She’s started her day like this throughout her 15-year tenure at the coffeemaker, rising from a team of just three to today managing 33 foreign countries. Her up-and-at-‘em routine, she believes, boosts her personal happiness and business success. “When I’m at my best, it’s because I’m taking care of myself,” Gass told me. “Morning runs clear my mind.”
As many of the world’s most powerful women have discovered, rising before the sun is more than just a personal bonus—it’s an edge in a cutthroat corporate environment. Avon chief Andrea Jung wakes up at 5 a.m., hits the gym and is at her desk by 8. Newswoman Ann Curry is out of bed at 3:45, and longtime Vogue editor Anna Wintour is on the tennis court by 6.
In fact, research shows that early birds really do get the worm. A 2008 study at the University of North Texas found that students who identified as morning people earned significantly higher grades. Similarly, biologist Christoph Randler found last year that those who wake up early are more likely to anticipate problems and be proactive, which multiple studies have linked with better job performance, greater career success and higher wages.
Studies have also correlated early-rising larks with character traits like optimism, stability and conscientiousness. And while night owls are associated with greater levels of creativity and intelligence, they are also more likely to exhibit pessimism, depression and neurotic behavior.
“If success is determined by high engagement, arousal and getting a lot done, larks have an advantage,” says Glenn Brassington, a psychology professor at Stanford and Sonoma State universities. He adds that waking up early may provide some practical business benefits as well: standardized tests and job interviews are often scheduled in the morning; West Coasters are more alert for the East Coast stock exchanges; and American businesspeople are better able to coordinate with European clients that are hours ahead. Read full article>>