Some say we gain an extra hour of glorious sunlight, others gleefully refer to it as “springing forward,” but all of us groan at the thought that we are about to lose an hour of sleep on Sunday, March 13th, 2016 @ 2:00 am. For entrepreneurs, it means losing an hour where you could be catching up on emails, getting a jump start on your week, or attend a networking event.
Entrepreneurs and independent insurance agents are already hard pressed for sleep, so losing an hour is the last thing you need. Most people appreciate daylight savings falling on the night between Saturday and Sunday since it gives them a day to adjust, but for the self-employed and independent business owners of the world, Sunday is often just another day to better your business and pursue your passion.
As an entrepreneur you know the importance of being ahead of the game, so get ahead of the time change and start preparing a few days early so that you don’t lose a precious moment of time you could be focusing on your business.
Start by setting your alarm 15-30 min earlier in the morning, and going to bed 15-30 minutes earlier at night. And then be disciplined about it, just like you are with your business. Discipline is essential to being successful. Thinking ahead is also a great tool for any entrepreneur, so stop procrastinating when you know that “the time change” is coming.
Waking up extra early can also have its advantages. Sure, the first 5 minutes aren’t going to be fun. But, waking up before the world can give you much needed peace and tranquility to organize your thoughts, make a mental (or physical) to do list for the coming week, and prioritize your daily tasks. It is also important that you still take a little time to yourself to go for a run, stretch, or make yourself a delicious breakfast.
It would sound logical that you simply allow yourself to sleep in an extra hour on Sunday and just ignore the time change, but this just means you’re prolonging the inevitable until Monday. You don’t want a slow start to a business week, so suck it up and getting up a little bit earlier each day. Sleeping in beyond your normal sleep will only disrupt your pattern and have a negative effect on your day. So, whether it’s Daylight Savings or just a regular Sunday, stick to your normal sleep schedule.
For more tips on how to succeed as an independent business owner, reach out to your network at AAI.