The Daylight Savings Time Hack

“Morning is an important time of day, because how you spend your morning can often tell you what kind of day you are going to have.”

― Lemony Snicket, The Blank Book

For most of my life, I relished staying up late, reading, and watching movies. When we had our first child, I was on morning bottle duty. Gus was an early riser and ready for his first meal before 6 am. I came to love the morning time. The quiet stillness. Gus’s tiny fingers grasping my thumb and pinkie like handlebars on either side of the bottle. The first light slanting through the windows. He trained me to wake early—a habit I kept long after he started sleeping in. The owl became a lark. And that has made a huge impact on my life. 

Morning routines have the power to shape our days. Just like the dead of night, the dawn hours hold few distractions. The difference is our energy. Our minds wake bright and alert or, at least, get there quickly after a jolt of Java. In The ONE Thing we shared that we can tap the full reservoir of our willpower to do foundation work. We can fill those dawn hours with exercise, reading, reflection, and planning. When you browse Tim Ferriss’s Tools of Titans, it’s impossible to miss how virtually every one of the 67 world-class performers launches their day with a morning routine. In the coming weeks, you can join them. 

On November 5th, most Americans will set their clocks back an hour. For most, this annual ritual of “falling back” is a chance to sleep in an extra hour. Or you can claim an extra morning hour with no sleep deprivation with this daylight savings time hack I learned from author Gretchen Rubin.*

Before bed on November 4th, set your analog clocks back an hour. On the 5th, instead of sleeping in, keep getting up at your usual time. Voila! You’ve gained a 60-minute jumpstart on the world. But don’t stop there. Invest that time in something that makes you stronger, healthier, smarter, or happier.

In The Miracle Morning, Hal Elrod wrote, “How we start our day determines how we create our life. Are you snoozing through your morning… snoozing through your life… and snoozing through your unlimited potential… Or are YOU committed to waking up each day with passion, purpose, and a plan so you can create the life you truly want & deserve?” Preach, Hal. 

One question to ponder in your thinking time: How can I launch my days with power and purpose?

Make an Impact!
Jay Papasan

Co-author of The One Thing & The Millionaire Real Estate Agent ​

* I shared this strategy in the November 4, 2022 newsletter. I’ll keep sharing it until Congress abolishes this out-dated and unhealthy time shift. It’s a game-changer!