Waking up at 3 or 4 in the morning

Since I started trying to wake up at 3 or 4 a.m., it feels like I get “bonus” time that isn’t on anyone else’s calendar.

It’s not about chasing productivity. There’s just something about that hour that makes my brain work differently. I’ve been doing it for a few weeks now, and a few things stand out.

The first thing I noticed is that it’s quiet.

No notifications coming in. No office group chat suddenly blowing up. Nobody tagging me everywhere.

It turns out “focus” isn’t about how strong you are at resisting distractions. It’s about picking the hours when the distractions aren’t awake yet.

The second: one hour at 4 a.m. feels like three hours in the middle of the day.

I don’t know if that’s scientific or not. But work I usually put off for days gets done in 40 minutes at that hour. Drafting a piece of writing, thinking through strategy, writing code that needs concentration: it all flows.

But honestly, there’s a trade-off.

By 9 p.m. I’m already really sleepy. If there’s a family event or I’m talking with friends until late, the next day is a wreck. This rhythm is fragile. Miss it once and it takes 2–3 days to get back.

So it’s not a free “life hack.” It has a price.

But is it worth it? For me, right now, yes.

Because the bonus time isn’t just extra hours. They’re hours of a different quality: calm, focused, and not yet mixed up in other people’s business.