How I (unplanned) became part of the 5 o'clock club

From night owl to early riser: How it all began

I never really wanted to be like that... And yet I am now a more or less voluntary member of the 5 o'clock morning club. How could that happen?

‍

The magic of early hours — first on vacation, then in everyday life

For a long time, I would have described myself more as a night owl. For me, getting up early was synonymous with torment — a necessary evil at most when making appointments or traveling.

‍

I had the first positive experience of getting up early while surfing. In the morning, the waves are usually at their best, the wind calm, and the line-up is still empty. It's magical when you're the first to hear your steps in the sand, walk into the water and dive through the first wave. For the first time, I enjoyed being awake before dawn — at least on vacation.

Back then, I would never have thought it possible that I would ever get up so early voluntarily, even in everyday life in Germany.

‍

Children as game changers: Getting up early becomes routine

Then came our kids — and with them, getting up early became the new normal. When the nights were restless, at some point the question automatically arose: When is it even worth lying down again? We were tired anyway.

At some point I decided for myself: I'll get up at 5 o'clock. Then I'd rather use the time wisely — working, reading or simply having a coffee in peace. Assuming the kids are still sleeping.

‍

The 5 o'clock morning and its silent power

Over time, I realized that the days I started at 5 o'clock were special. I was productive, focused and did more in two hours than usual in four. No emails, no phone calls, no distractions — just me, my desk, and my thoughts.

‍

Work on Business — instead of just in Business

I specifically use the early hours of the morning to working on my business instead of just working in business — be it for strategies, content, or automation. If you want to know which tools I use to work particularly efficiently, have a look at my post on The best AI tools of 2025 on.

‍

Books, routines, and conscious decisions

At some point I began to write books like The 5 AM Club or Miracle Morning read — and began to consciously set the alarm for 5 o'clock.

‍

More focus, more peace, more me-time

Today I'm enjoying these hours early in the morning. The peace, clarity, productivity — and the good feeling of having already achieved so much before the hustle and bustle begins. It makes the day better. I know that when my energy wanes later, I can go to exercise with peace of mind or take a break — without a guilty conscience.

By the way: If you want to strategically improve your website, it's worth taking a look at my article Why your website isn't making money — and how to change that immediately.

‍

An early start with meaning — especially for your own projects

I find the morning hours particularly useful for my own projects: social media content, online courses, internal processes. Only when there is really a lot of customer business coming up, do I dedicate myself to other projects right in the morning.

I often use this concentrated time to further develop my website or create content. You can find out which specific tools I use for this in the article about The most important Webflow professional tools.

‍

Honestly, without children? Probably not

Of course, getting up early remains hard at first — and the bed is tempting. But I've always regretted lying down only to be woken up by the children and having to function immediately without start-up time.

Would I be in the 5 o'clock club without kids? Probably not.
Would I be in the 5 o'clock club without self-employment? Not really.
But with two small children and my own business, it's currently my path to more focus, more clarity — and a more relaxed day.

And my own development shows that this time in the morning is also worthwhile for continuing education: I am now as Client-first expert certified — a decision that I definitely made during the quiet hours in the morning.

‍

And you? Have you ever tried it?

Will I stick with it when the kids are older? Who knows.
But right now, that's exactly what's helping me.

And you? Have you ever set the alarm for 5 o'clock?