Just when you thought sleeping in was the way to snatch those extra couple of hours of shut eye, along comes a concept that might make you rethink it. The 5.30 Club is all about getting up early to make a productive start to your day … and members are loving it!

Yes indeed, we’re talking about getting up when it’s still dark and turning up at a café at five thirty AM. Its brand message says that it helps members “find clarity, build consistency and grow in community” and there’s nothing negative about any of that!

Imagine having time to ‘squander’ on a personal project; time to reach out and connect with other people whose ideas could come in handy; time to do those little things you feel like you never have time to do. That’s the 5.30 Club.

Have you ever driven around your city in the wee hours wondering why on earth you sleep those peaceful, quiet hours away? It’s amazing how much a person can get done when the phone’s not ringing, email notifications are silent and there’s minimal traffic. It really does feel like a club, an exclusive club for special people. 5.30 Club members have turned that feeling into a reality that happens Monday to Friday.

How to use the extra time

Here’s what some 5.30 Club members are doing with those extra hours they found in their day:

  • Writing the book they’ve been talking about for years.
  • Reading their favourite junky magazine, just because.
  • Starting or returning to their journal.
  • Studying a course they didn’t think they’d have time for.
  • Indulging in actual letter writing to a loved one far away.
  • Learning a new language.
  • Reading the Bible from front to back.
  • Making a plan for the day ahead instead of plunging into it unprepared.

So how do you balance your need for sleep with your need for your ‘power hour’?

Easy! Remember how inviting and welcoming your bed is and climb into it earlier than usual. It’s surprising how many of us love bed so much but put off getting into it every night. Think of it as reallocating your ‘me time’. Instead of binge-watching Netflix and falling asleep on the couch, put yourself to bed at a reasonable hour and congratulate yourself for being good to you!

If you’d like to explore a 5.30 Club, they’re popping up all over the country, or you can start your own.