Business Daily (BBC World Service)

Episode: Does getting up early breed success?

Date: September 3, 2025
Host: Matt Lines
Guests: Merrick Watts (Comedian/CEO), Lauren (Fitness Instructor), Jamie Smith (Ice Bath Café Owner), Anya Meyeritz (Journalist), Shaw MacLean (Assistant Professor of Management, University of Oklahoma)

Episode Overview

In this episode, host Matt Lines explores the increasingly popular belief that waking up early — epitomized by the “5am Club” — is the secret to heightened productivity and career success. Embarking on a personal experiment, Matt dives into a week of 4am starts, seeking insights from commuters, fitness enthusiasts, experts, and those who've monetized the morning routine trend. The episode investigates whether early mornings yield tangible professional benefits or are just another self-optimization fad driven by influencer culture and the wellness industry.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Rise of the “5am Club” & Early Morning Routines

• Influencer & Celebrity Endorsement

  • Social media influencers widely share tips for 4am/5am routines, presenting a “personal 5 to 9” before the traditional workday begins.
  • High-profile figures like Michelle Obama (4:30am), Jennifer Lopez (4:45am), and Bob Iger (4:00am) are cited as early risers.

    “There’s even a best-selling book called the 5am Club which tries to encourage us all to get up early to maximize our day.” – Matt Lines [03:15]

• Questioning the Hype

  • Despite noisy advocacy, is waking early truly behind professional achievements, or do successful people just have the luxury to shape their schedules?

    “Sometimes the reverse is true, that the success allows the person to engage in the routine.” – Shaw MacLean [01:50 & 17:07]

Matt Lines' 4am Experiment: Field Notes

• Routine Breakdown

  • Brushing teeth, press-ups, breathing exercises, journaling, reading, and the now-trendy ice water facial dunking (inspired by influencer Ashton Hall).

    “All right, here we go. That’s quite cold.” – Matt Lines (after the ice water dip) [05:12]

• Outcomes

  • Initial productivity boost: Feelings of accomplishment, energy, and enhanced focus, especially earlier in the week.

    “Every day I’ve ticked off the entire list. So I think there is something to this maybe.” – Matt Lines [14:38]

  • Fatigue sets in: By Thursday/Friday, exhaustion grows, and productivity declines.

    “Yesterday was my least productive day of the week. I didn't finish my to do list as I have done all the rest of the week.” – Matt Lines [17:50]

Perspectives from Guests & Practitioners

Merrick Watts – Comedian, CEO, Early Riser

• Routine Highlights: Wakes “around about 20 to 5” (4:40am), drinks water, takes a cold shower, walks the dog, then does physical activity before work.
• Motivation: Enjoys the “mental win” of getting up before others, paying himself time first.

  “I’d like to be a member of the club that’s before the 5am Club so I get that kind of mental win...” – Merrick Watts [06:25]

• Perceived Benefit:

  “When you carve out that time in the morning you kind of pay yourself first… I just feel like I am the best version of myself going into my workday.” – Merrick Watts [06:52]

Lauren – Fitness Instructor

• Routine: Alarm at 4:45am, coffee, leads morning exercise classes.
• Community Effect: Finds peer support and accountability motivating; early activity creates a pre-work “buzz”.

  “You do feel good. It’s so true. When you move your body and you’re up before everyone else… you’ve got a wee buzz about you.” – Lauren [07:47 and 10:25]

Jamie Smith – Ice Bath Café Owner

• Describes the popularity of early ice bath sessions as part of a growing wellness trend; regulars jumpstart their day before work with “run clubs” and recovery dips.

Anya Meyeritz – Journalist

• Industry Critique: Early-rising routines have spawned a market of “optimization products” — specialty journals, ice rollers, and high-end self-care items — which may be unnecessary.

  “There’s no real difference between that [an ice rollerball] and getting a cube of ice made with tap water from your freezer and putting it on your face.” – Anya Meyeritz [12:31]

Insights from Academic Research

Shaw MacLean – Management Professor

• Routines = Automation: The true benefit lies in automating minor decisions, freeing mental energy for meaningful work.

  “The benefit of a routine comes from automating things that really aren’t that important so that we can focus our energy… on things that really matter.” – Shaw MacLean [15:26]

• Role of Employers: Encourages workplace respect for personal routines, noting disruption can lead to anxiety and reduced productivity.

  “Those employees end up at work more anxious, more mentally drained, and they are less productive that day.” – Shaw MacLean [16:47]

• Privilege & Context: Early starts work best for those with schedule autonomy; don’t assume suitability for all professions/lifestyles.

  “[Waking up early] doesn’t necessarily work when people have other things such as maybe child care responsibilities or are working multiple jobs…” – Shaw MacLean [17:07]

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• [01:19] Merrick Watts: “There’s a lot of high achievers in the 5am Club. I’d like to be a member of the club that’s before the 5am Club.”
• [06:25] Merrick Watts: “I’d like to be a member of the club that’s before the 5am Club so I get that kind of mental win…meeting the day before a standard that other people would aspire to.”
• [10:25] Lauren: “I always say Wednesday is the day I have like the most energy at work.”
• [12:31] Anya Meyeritz: “[On expensive wellness products] There’s no real difference between that and getting a cube of ice made with tap water from your freezer and putting it on your face.”
• [15:26] Shaw MacLean: “The benefit of a routine comes from automating things that really aren’t that important so that we can focus our energy… on things that really matter.”
• [17:07] Shaw MacLean: “The success allows the person to engage in the routine…people at the upper echelons of the economy might be more allowed, have greater autonomy to wake up.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:09] – Introduction and framing of episode
• [01:19-03:15] – Social media influence, celebrity routines, the rise of 5am/4am clubs
• [05:24] – Matt’s first day on the 4am routine (includes ice water facial experience)
• [05:30-07:13] – Interview with Merrick Watts on his early routine and motivations
• [07:20-08:17] – By 4am at an early morning exercise class with fitness instructor Lauren
• [10:13-11:00] – Joining a 5am run club in Manchester
• [11:14-11:52] – Visit to an ice bath café; integration with wellness trends
• [12:31-13:54] – Analysis of the ‘optimization’ industry with journalist Anya Meyeritz
• [15:26-17:45] – Expert commentary from Prof. Shaw MacLean on routines, productivity and privilege
• [18:37] – Matt’s week-long reflection and conclusion

Conclusion: Does Getting Up Early Breed Success?

• Personal Takeaway: For Matt, early mornings boosted productivity on some days but weren’t sustainable long-term due to fatigue.

  “For now I’ve decided to switch off that 4am alarm.” – Matt Lines [18:37]

• Broader Takeaways:

  • Some people thrive on early routines, reporting improved mood and efficiency.
  • For many, the routine itself (not necessarily its timing or content) is what creates focus and supports productivity.
  • Influencer & Wellness Hype: Beware of commercialization — you don’t need expensive tools to benefit from structure.
  • Caveat: Not everyone can (or should) adopt extreme early starts. Flexibility and personal context matter most.

Final Thought

Early rising might help some people feel more productive and focused, but it isn’t a universal success formula. The value comes more from routine, intention, and self-awareness, rather than the hour on the clock. Listeners are encouraged to reflect on their own habits and experiment to find what genuinely serves their productivity and well-being.

Listener prompt:
Are you an early riser? Has it helped your work or well-being? Share your story by emailing businessdaily@bbc.co.uk.