When my coworkers told me about the ?5 a.m. club? a few years ago, I thought it was absolutely ridiculous. The idea was this: You wake up an hour before your spouse and your kids and use that distraction-free time to focus on your personal well-being, with a mix of exercise, meditation and reading or learning. The point is that you?re fueling your mind, body and soul for the day.
At the time, I was waking up at 6:30 a.m. during the week and that already felt super early. And my personal well-being really wasn?t a top priority, having taken a back burner to my family and career.
But the seed had been planted and I kept hearing about this ?club.?  I learned that some very successful people are part of the club, and those people say they feel more energized, focussed and productive throughout the day. I decided it couldn?t hurt to learn more about it, so I picked up The 5 AM Club by Robin Sharma to see what all the hype was about. It definitely got me thinking. I recognized that as a mom of a six-year-old and an eight-year-old with a full-time job, a husband and a dog, I wasn?t getting much alone time. For years, I?d relied on that precious hour or two at the end of the night when I?d park myself in front of the TV with a big glass of wine. But that time wasn?t actually restorative for me. I felt exhausted constantly, and even a bit resentful towards my family and my work for their needs taking higher priority.
By the time I was halfway through the book, I was convinced. I de...