Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise, or so the saying goes. If you ever needed a reason to get up earlier, a 2021 AARP study showed that people with considerable wealth outlived their less-wealthy counterparts.
The study also revealed that even among twins, the more affluent person outlived their not-as-rich sibling. To add a bit of perspective, some of the most well-known Americans, when considering net worth, get up well before the sun rises. Not only that, but they also actually prefer it that way.
However, there are some lessons to glean from these go-getters, so we've curated a list of the most popular and notable early risers to help you decide whether to join the “up and at 'em” bandwagon.
Barack and Michelle Obama
Together, this power couple has trailblazed for people of color, and it could have much to do with their mutual early morning routine. For the former President, exercise draws him out of bed before hitting the office by 9 a.m.
Meanwhile, Michelle's4:30 a.m. sweat sessionensures she stays in tip-top shape. She claims, “If I don't exercise, I won't feel good. I'll get depressed.”
Tim Cook
When Tim Cook took over as CEO of Apple after the death of founder Steve Jobs, his routine helped ensure the tech giant continued to rule the smartphone and computer space.
Cookrisesbefore 4 a.m. to fit in two rounds of email, a trip to Starbucks, and a session at the gym before he gets to work. “The thing about it is, when you love what you do, you don't think of it as work. It's what you do. And that's the good fortune of where I find myself,” he says.
Indra Nooyi
Even if you prefer co*ke, Pepsi CEO Indra Nooyi's morning routine is impressive. Usually up before 4 a.m., this hard-working woman. Although she stepped down from PepsiCo in 2018, her early start to her day is helpful, considering she sits on the boards of both Amazon and the International Cricket Council.
Her dedication to excellence and enjoyment of her job helps her counteract her lack of sleep, as she says, “They say sleep is a gift that God gives you … that's one gift I was never given.”
Jack Dorsey
Former Twitter founder and former board member for social network Bluesky, Jack Dorsey, lives by an early wakeup call. Awake and alert by 5:45 a.m., working daily to fit in a six-mile run.
He might not use any social media sites, but with a wakeup routine that starts with a long run, he'll have plenty of time to consider his next big adventure.
Sergio Marchionne
Sergio Marchionne lived to create reliable and sustainable cars. As the CEO of Fiat/Chrysler, his 3:30 a.m. wakeup created a phenomenon one executive referred to as “an eighth day.”
According to reports, Marchionne preferred holidays, such astraveling between Italy and America, to skirt mandatory and popular national holidays. Marchionne died after complications from surgery in 2018, but his enduring legacy holds as Fiat/Chrysler continues.
Howard Schultz
Starbucks founder Howard Schultz makes time to exercise before switching gears by 6 a.m. He also smoothly fits in a couple of times with an early morning bike ride with his wife most mornings.
Thankfully, his early routine never affected his work. Where would we caffeine addicts be without Starbucks?
Anna Wintour
Running one of the most popular fashion magazines in the world is a complex task. Innovation is critical as the digital world looks to eclipse print options.
One way Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour keeps on top of trends in the market for fashion and readership is to leverage a 5:45 a.m. wakeup routine where she promptly plays a round or two of tennis.
Magaret Thatcher
As the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990, Margaret Thatcher, known affectionately as The Iron Lady, was somewhat obsessed with “Farming Today,” a famous BBC Radio 4 broadcast.
She'd wake up daily by five a.m. (after a nightly bedtime around two to three a.m.) to ensure she caught every episode of her favorite program.
Vladimir Nabokov
In 1968, Russian novelist Vladimir Nabokov gave an interview to The New York Times in which he described his penchant for starting work “first thing in the morning.”
“After waking up between six and seven in the morning, I write till 10:30, generally at a lectern which faces a bright corner of the room instead of the bright audiences of my professorial days.” He mentioned a short break to have breakfast with his wife at 8:30 a.m.
Tim Armstrong
There was AOL before anyone pioneered apps like Tinder, Christian Mingle, or WhatsApp (America Online). Former AOL CEO Tim Armstrong stays on top of tech news and trending issues by waking by 5:15 a.m.
He used to send emails but realized that only some people were on my schedule, so I tried to wait until 7 a.m. Before I email, I work out, read, and use our products.” Armstrongleft his most recent role at Verizonin 2019. Verizonsold AOL and Yahooto Apollo for $5 billion in 2021.
Sallie Krawcheck
Former Citigroup Chief Financial Officer and current CEO and cofounder of Ellevest, Sallie Krawcheck, enjoys a 4 a.m. wakeup call for creative thinking time. In a post to LinkedIn, Krawcheck said, “I brew a cup of coffee, I keep the lights pretty low, I sometimes light a fire in the fireplace, and I let my daughter's cat sleep next to my computer.”
For Krawcheck, there's never a better time, as she feels most productive and mentally transparent in those wee morning hours when her creative side is awake and alert.
Frank Lloyd Wright
In his enlightening bookDaily Rituals: How Artists Work, author Mason Currey writes about how world-renowned architect Frank Lloyd-Wright enjoyed the three-hour morning. His favorite hours were 4 a.m. to 7 a.m.
The book credited him with saying, “I go to sleep promptly when I go to bed. Then I wake up around 4 a.m. and can't sleep. But my mind's clear, so I get up and work for three or four hours. Then I go to bed for another nap.”
Bob Iger
Disney CEO Bob Iger doesn't take running the world's most successful children's entertainment organization lightly; he takes it all seriously.
Contributing his 4:30 a.m. wakeup to his success, he says, “It's a time of day when I can be very productive without too much interruption. I ride a bike, use aerobic equipment twice weekly, work with a trainer, and lift weights. It's a good time to think. I believe that exercise relieves stress and improves stamina, which you absolutely need in a job like this.”
Vittorio Colao
Early riser Vittorio Colao headed Vodafone, a British telecommunications company looking to create worldwide digital connections, until 2018. His 6 a.m. start offers him plenty of time to fit in activities like exercise before his grueling workday, which ends around 10:45 p.m.
By 11:30 p.m., he's sound asleep but takes time out to have dinner with his family. Vittorio is the Vice Chairman of EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) at General Atlantic.
Oprah Winfrey
She certainly needs no introduction, but Oprah Winfrey is the CEO of the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). Sheno longer owns a majority stake in her namesake cable networkbut remains at the head.
Interestingly, this early riserdoesn't need an alarm to get her goingin the morning. “I have never set an alarm; I don't believe in them. They are alarming! I put the number in my mind and wake up before that, usually between 6:02 and 6:20, because the dogs are trained to go out around that time.”
Bill McNabb
Former Chairman of the Vanguard Group Bill McNabb wakes around 5 a.m. and is at his desk by 6:15 a.m. His early morningallows for productivity and the creative process.
“The quiet time between 6 and 7:30 a.m. is when some of my best work gets done. It's my time to read, think, and prepare for the day ahead. I try really hard to preserve that time.”
Bob Ferguson
Working as the Attorney General for Washington State, Bob Ferguson is a big believer in starting your day right. A practice he follows for himself with a cheery 5 a.m. call to start breakfast for his family.
“I'm a big believer that how your day starts is really important.” He discusses his busy day and adds, “I'm not always guaranteed much time with them [his wife and children] later in the day, so I liked to lock in that morning time.”
Caroline Burckle
Trained to wake up early for workouts, retired Olympic Bronze Medal Swimmer Caroline Burckle enjoys an energy bar after her 5:30 a.m. wakeup. Then, she energizes herself with running, interval training, or a long swim.
She's so used to her routine that her body typically wakes her before her alarm goes off. Although she does try “to have two days a week to ‘sleep in' to 6:30 or 7 a.m.”
Stanley McChrystal
Retired U.S. General Stanley McChrystal loves an early morning. He prefers to wake up around 4 a.m. and has conditioned his body to go without food until dinner.
“It just makes me feel better. My body has gotten used to it, so if I eat before dinner, I get kind of sluggish.”
Mellody Hobson
As President of Ariel Investments, businesswoman Mellody Hobson keeps her 4 a.m. wakeup from disrupting her day. She gets an energy boost from exercise and then enjoys a warm bath.
“I take a bath every morning and use the time to decompress and relax. When I'm running outside on cold days in Chicago, I run faster on the return leg, thinking about my bath.” Hobsonmarried producer George Lucas, trading chilly Chicago for sunny California.
Peter Balyta
Running Texas Instruments' education technology sector keeps Peter Balyta on his toes. A true lover of numbers, Balyta wakes up at 5:30 a.m. to exercise and do math about that exercise.
“I'm wired to be disciplined, especially when it comes to fitness. Not to geek out too much, but I use simple math to determine transition times and physics to determine how to leverage my body around a barbell.”
Melody McCloskey
For some, getting up before six in the morning takes a bit of training. Melody McCloskey, founder and CEO of StyleSeat, trained herself to be up at 5:45 a.m. Early morning allows her to organize her day and get some exercise before work.
“For a long period of my life, I stayed up very late, but I've since found my early morning routine to be the best way for me to sustain a high output and feel balanced and happy throughout the day.”
L. Rafael Reif
As former President of M.I.T. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), L. Rafael Reif believes an early morning is paramount to productivity and happiness. After waking by 5:30 a.m., Reif immediately checks his phone and responds to any urgent messages. Then, it's off to breakfast for nourishment and news.
“If I don't have a chance to check my email, I worry about what I'm missing. Even when I do check my email, I still worry. And it happens rarely, but if I miss breakfast for some reason, it throws me off for the whole day. The word ‘grumpy' comes to mind.”
Scott Adams
Comic strip artist and creator Scott Adams is the genius behindDilbertand, more recently, Dilbert Reborn. Feeling his brightest in the morning, Adams wakes at 4 a.m. to maximize the benefit of being his happiest and most creative.
“Some people are just morning people, myself included, so for me, it is easy to get up in the morning; that's the best part of my day,” says Adams. “Typically speaking, I'm happiest, smartest, most creative, and most optimistic between 4 and 8 a.m.”
Kara Goldin
A stickler for routine, Kara Goldin, founder and former CEO of Hint Water, rises at 5:30 a.m. “on the dot.” After checking that everything's kosher from the night, she takes time for a double latte and a hike with her husband and their dogs.
After that, she's ready to work and usually makes her first work-related call at 7:15 a.m.
