Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock You don't have to wake up early to get more done.
- Night owls might feel too intimidated (or tired) to design their own morning routine.
- But productivity experts say morning routines can be beneficial even if it's only a 10- or 20-minute add-on to your morning activities.
- Start by identifying one habit you wish you had - writing, reading, meditating, and so on.
About a third of people are night owls. They have difficulty waking up early, can easily stay up at night, and find that they're able to do their best work in the evening.
Understandably, they're not able to mesh with the new societal expectation of waking up at 4 a.m. to read a novel, do marathon training, cook a three-course breakfast, and write a few poems.
Though night owls might hate the morning time, it's important to make them at least a little enjoyable. Mornings set the tone for the rest of your day, Eric Barker, author of "The Surprising Science Behind Why Everything You Know About Success Is (Mostly) Wrong" told Business Insider.
And, according to productivity guru Laura Vanderkam, an ideal morning routine doesn't need to be an hours-long, sunrise experience.
"It doesn't have to happen at 5 a.m. to count as a morning routine," Vanderkam, the author of several productivity and time management books including the forthcoming "Off the Clock: Feel Less Busy While Getting More Done," told Business Insider.
"It's about having something that makes you feel like you started the day in a way you wish you started the day," Vanderkam added.
Here's how to design a morning routine that accommodates your night owl ways.