5 Early Birds Share Everyday Productivity Strategies
by Lydia Dishman for Fast Company
Aaron Kwittken is featured in the following story:
The early bird catching the worm is more than just a tired chestnut, it’s a proven fact. Research by Christoph Randler, a biology professor at the University of Education in Heidelberg, Germany, found that people who started their days earlier were more active and goal-oriented , more active, and felt more in charge—just the right cocktail for business success.
Though we can’t all be bright-eyed and bushy tailed at 6 a.m. (or 9 a.m.) there are some strategies that most morning people use such as exercising, eating right, and eliminating distractions in order to start their day in the most productive way. Fast Company got five early-rising, successful executives to dish about their a.m. routines and how they make the rest of the day work for them.
Feel the Burn
When Aaron Kwittken, CEO and managing partner, Kwittken + Company Worldwide , lost his father to congestive heart failure, he decided to take workouts to a whole new level. So in addition to running his multi-specialist public relations and marketing agency with offices in London, Canada, Germany, France, Spain, Brazil, and Hong Kong, he’s been in 40 triathalons and is training for the New York/New Jersey Ironman Championship race this August. So far he’s only rested for three days.
Early Bird Strategy
“I wake up at 4:25 a.m., drink a shot of room-temperature espresso made the night before and then take the dog out because it is impossible to sneak by her. I do a quick check of email and respond as needed. I already packed a gym bag the night before and I keep my swim gear in my car at all times. I’m in the water at 5:15 a.m. and I am back home by 6:45 a.m.
I usually make my kids breakfast (pancakes) and myself a smoothie of low-fat chocolate milk, a banana, oats, peanut butter, flaxseed oil, chia seeds and rice protein powder.”
Making the Day Work for You
“I check email again and may take a quick call with our London office. I put one of our kids on the bus and then I go for an 8-mile, slow, hilly run outside for about an hour and 15 minutes. When I am running or biking indoors, I watch HBO GO (currently Game of Thrones or The Wire)—that’s 2,500 calories burned before 9 a.m. Then, I go to work. I am usually in bed before 10 p.m. every night.”
