Does the early bird really catch the worm — or are we being sold a myth?

Does getting up and clearing your inbox before the sunrise really make you a more successful person?

This morning I was bombarded with quotes about how early risers are more successful. This one stood out:

“People whose performance peaks in morning are better positioned for career success” via Unreasonable Group

It piqued my interest, because being up at 6am scrolling through Twitter, I felt good about myself. But then I thought: hang on a second, is this even true anymore?

The cult of the early riser

In general, I find most leadership and productivity material lauds those that have run 10k, cleared their inboxed and written 500 words of their new memoir before most people have even stirred in their beds.

And this appears to be backed up with a fair amount of evidence. The quote above comes from a Harvard Business Review study from 2010.

There is something to be said for the calm of an early morning before the streets (and our inboxes) get clogged with the activity of the day.

But is this all outmoded thinking?

In an era when most people showed up to the office for the 9–5 shift, maybe getting up early was a real competitive advantage. But how does that…