Some people swear their productive day starts at 4 a.m., while others sleep on factory floors to ensure they get the job done.
Not Mark Cuban. The billionaire serial entrepreneur and investor said he wakes up between 6:30 and 7 a.m. and spends an hour answering emails without getting out of bed in a recent “What Now?” told comedian Trevor Noah on an episode of. Podcast. He said getting organized early in the morning helps him stay productive throughout the day.
That’s partly a privilege, Cuban acknowledged. He was initially drawn to entrepreneurship because it gave him control over his schedule. His day job now is running a pharmaceutical startup called Cost Plus Drugs, one of the companies he founded.
“The value of being in this position is just being able to control my time,” said Cuban, 65. “It’s the only asset you can’t control.”
Psychology researcher Nicola Hughes told CNBC Make It in 2018 that starting your day with an email or text message isn’t necessarily good for your mental health. However, for Cuban, her inbox streamlines her schedule and communication, which helps her prepare and communicate for the day. Cut down on unnecessary phone calls and emails, he said.
Productivity doesn’t necessarily mean waking up early
Cuban isn’t the only CEO to prioritize morning time. Some people wake up earlier. Former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi wakes up around 4 a.m., she told Fortune magazine in 2012. Apple CEO Tim Cook reportedly wakes up 15 minutes earlier and works for an hour before going to the gym.
But these famous examples are statistical outliers. According to a 2022 Inc. magazine study, only 5% of CEOs actually wake up around 4 a.m., and more than two-thirds wake up before 7 a.m. It may be due to a simple fact, experts say. “How early you wake up is far less important than how much sleep you get and how you use your time in the morning.”
The specific benefits of waking up early are primarily centered around having time alone, which allows you to set goals, exercise, and complete personal tasks without distractions. You will get space for. Psychologist Joel Dioskin told Make It 2022 that just 20 minutes can set the tone for your day.
Sleep scientists typically recommend seven to nine hours of sleep each night for optimal physical health, mental health, and productivity. Consistency also helps. If you wake up and go to bed at the same time every day, you will feel less tired.
Cuban, who previously said he gets about seven hours of sleep a night, told Noah that his routine is consistent. After getting out of bed, I eat breakfast, exercise, and check my email again on my phone.
“Rinse and repeat,” Cuban said.
Disclosure: CNBC owns exclusive off-network cable rights to “Shark Tank,” on which Mark Cuban appears as a panelist.
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