The 5 a.m. club is a popular concept amongst entrepreneurs and personal growth fanatics. But, what might it actually look like to set a 5 am club morning routine? I experimented with this concept for a full week, here are my findings!
this post is all about The 5 AM Club Morning Routine
What is the “5 am” club?
The 5 am club is a concept that involves waking up at 5 am. You then spend the first hour of your day focused on yourself. Waking up at 5 am is meant to minimize distractions, and allow you to focus on habits boost your productivity.
5 am Club Rules
- Wake up at 5 am Simple enough, you can’t be part of the 5 am club unless you’re waking up at 5 am! This is going to give you more time in the morning to focus on your productivity.
- Follow the 20/20/20 rule That’s 20 minutes of movement (exercise), 20 minutes of reflection (journalling, meditation, etc), and 20 minutes devoted to your personal growth (habit builders, learning, reading).
What people are saying about the 5 am club
The 5 am club is a bit of a controversial topic. The concept was popularized by author Robin Sharma who wrote the book “The 5 am Club: Own Your Morning, Elevate Your Life”. While the concept itself isn’t terrible (and there are many proven benefits) it’s the culture that’s slowly evolved from this thinking that doesn’t quite sit well. Mostly, the concept has been adapted by entrepreneurs and is used as a way to increase productivity by promoting hustle culture. “Wake up earlier!” “Optimize every second of your day!” “Hustle!” (it’s kinda sorta an advertisement for the 24/7 grind).
However, there is also a large group of people who’ve joined “the 5 am club” not because of hustle culture but because of the desire to live a slower more intentional life. The 5 am club concept is just a tool, and like anything in life, can be negative or positive depending on how it’s used.
The 5 Am Club Morning Routine
Here’s what my 5 am club morning routine looked like, for those interested in an alternative approach:
5:00 am – alarm goes up
5:15 am – roll out of bed
5:15 am – 6:30 am – Read
6:30 am – 7:00 am – Exercise
7:00 am – Make a matcha
7:30 am – shower & get ready for the day (husband wakes up)
8:00 am – breakfast with my husband
9:00 am – work day ready!
Benefits of the 5 am club
I experimented with waking up at 5 am for a full week (okay, maybe 5 am ish haha) and I can confidently share my findings about the benefits:
Slower Mornings
I am a sucker for slow mornings! There’s nothing worse than waking up 30 minutes before you have to drag yourself to the desk (or drive to the office if you don’t WFH). I want my mornings to feel relaxed and leisure. Waking up between 5:00 – 5:30 am every day allows me to have the most luxuriously slow start to my day.
Intentional Me Time
My husband and I both work from home 90% of the time. We live in a two-bedroom condo so we don’t exactly get much alone time or personal space. Waking up at 5:00 am meant I had a solid 2.5-3 hours of me time before he was going to wake up, and before I spoke a word to anyone. I love my husband and I love spending time with him. I also love spending time with me, so this felt nice.
Less Stress / Hustle in the Day
A typical day in my life is so jam-packed with meetings, tasks, and chores that I’m usually left feeling guilty about not having the time for personal goals. I’m sure this is something you can relate to! After a few days of not hitting my reading goal or squeezing in time for a peloton ride, I end up jamming it into my already-packed schedule just so I can tick it off. Waking up at 5 am allowed me to fill my mornings with the things that bring me joy that I don’t always have time for, and it relieved the pressure of having to cram it in during the day. I read for a full hour! and was able to do longer peloton rides instead of my usual rushed 15 minutes.
Increased Productivity
By the time 9 am rolls around and you’re ready to actually start your work day you have already spent your morning filling up your emotional cup. I felt so energized and taken care of that I was ready to crush my days to-do list.
5 am Club Morning Routine Tips
- Go to bed no later than 10:00 pm the night before.
- Set your alarm for earlier than 5 am in case you need time to slowly get up.
- Don’t use your phone until the time you’d usually wake up (i.e. maybe 8 am) so you have an unplugged morning.
- Start your day with water instead of caffeine for increased energy and hydration.
- Don’t beat yourself up if you get up a bit later than 5 am.
in summary
In order to join the official 5 am club you need to wake up at 5 am and follow the 20/20/20 rule, however, there are many people who’ve adapted the rules to fit their lifestyle. Waking up at 5 am doesn’t need to be about hustle and productivity, it can simply be about quality time with yourself. If you’re struggling with waking up at 5 am try going to bed earlier, setting your alarm for slightly before 5 am, and keeping hydrated.
this post was all about The 5 am Club Morning Routine
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