I’d like to talk about my former flatmate, Julian, who is probably the most dedicated early bird I’ve ever met. We shared a flat together in Leeds a couple of years ago when we were both at university, and whilst the rest of us were notoriously terrible at getting out of bed, Julian was completely the opposite.
He would routinely wake up at around five in the morning, seven days a week, without fail. Even on freezing winter days or after a late evening study session, his alarm would go off at dawn and he’d leap out of bed straight away. It honestly baffled me at first, because I’m definitely someone who hits snooze three or four times before dragging myself up.
As for his morning routine, he really made the most of those quiet hours. He’d start by brewing a fresh pot of coffee, and then he'd head out for a brisk run along the canal near our flat. By six thirty, he’d be back, showered, and sitting at the kitchen table reading or planning out his tasks for the day. While the rest of the neighbourhood was still fast asleep, he’d already ticked off several things on his to-do list.
I think he genuinely relishes waking up that early because of the sheer tranquillity of it. He once mentioned to me that modern life is so noisy and distracting that the early morning is the only time he gets complete head space to himself. Starting the day calmly like that meant he never felt rushed or stressed, and it gave him a psychological boost knowing he had a head start on everyone else. Watching him certainly made me wish I were more of a morning person.