The Early Bird Really Does Get The Worm
People whose performance peaks in the morning are better positioned for career success, because they’re more proactive than people who are at their best in the evening.
According to Harvard Business Review, biologist Christoph Randler surveyed 367 university students, asking what time of day they were most energetic and how willing and able they were to take action to change a situation to their advantage.
A higher percentage of the morning people agreed with statements that indicate proactivity, such as “I spend time identifying long-range goals for myself” and “I feel in charge of making things happen.”
Though evening people do have some advantages—other studies reveal they tend to be smarter and more creative than morning types, have a better sense of humor, and are more outgoing—they’re out of sync with the typical corporate schedule.
When it comes to business success, morning people hold the important cards. My earlier research showed that they tend to get better grades in school, which get them into better colleges, which then lead to better job opportunities.
Morning people also anticipate problems and try to minimize them, my survey showed. They’re proactive.
A number of studies have linked this trait, proactivity, with better job performance, greater career success, and higher wages.
