Jim Cramer, host of CNBC’s “Mad Money” and co-anchor of “Squawk on the Streets,” adjusts his morning routine for optimal success. He starts by waking up at 3 a.m.
To the average person, “this will sound extreme,” he says. But by waking up early, he can get a lot of work done before appearing on “Squawk on the Street,” which airs Monday through Friday at 9 a.m.
“Right now, I have kind of a legendary routine: I wake up at 3:15 a.m. and work out with my trainer, and then between, say, 5 and 6:30, I write a bunch of stuff for Mad Money,” Kramer says.
He uses the extra time before appearing on live TV to research Squawk on the Street and prepare for the CNBC Investing Club’s morning meeting, he says.
That’s why Kramer’s top tip for laying the foundation for success is to “set your alarm 15 minutes earlier each week until around 4:30 a.m.” “That gives you a real advantage over everyone else.”
Set your alarm 15 minutes earlier each week.
Jim Cramer
Host of CNBC’s “Mad Money with Jim Cramer”
Research shows that getting out of bed before the sun rises can improve your concentration, memory and creativity.
Kramer said he developed the habit of waking up at 3 a.m. while working at Goldman Sachs. Back then, he woke up at 3:30 a.m. every day and was at his desk by 4 a.m. He says that’s what sets him apart from his colleagues.
“My best career advice has to do with my work at Goldman Sachs, where I knew everyone was really smart,” Kramer says.
“I knew they were smarter than me, but I also knew I could outdo them. And what I did was set my alarm 15 minutes early every week until I got there around 3:30. And then you can train yourself.”
He admits that waking up early comes at a cost. Recordings for Mad Money typically take place between 4pm and 6pm, and after a dinner break, he’s “right back” to the next day’s research.
“Last night I finished work and went to bed at 11 o’clock. At the end of the year, I’m probably in bed by 12 a.m.,” he says.
“I know that’s not the amount of sleep I should be getting, but I have to deliver quality work to my audience, my boss.”
The amount of sleep a person needs each night to feel rested varies from person to person, says Shelby Harris, a licensed clinical psychologist and sleep health director at Sleepopolis. Still, Harris doesn’t recommend getting less than six hours of sleep each night.
“It can range from seven to nine hours, sometimes as much as six hours,” Harris told CNBC Make It in 2022. “It doesn’t have to be the magic 8 hours. People who can sleep well in 7 hours and try to force themselves to sleep for 8 hours may actually worsen their symptoms.”
Harris said that getting enough sleep can have a big impact on your productivity levels: “The more you sleep at night and prioritize your rest, the more efficiently you’ll be able to do what you need to do during the day.”
“I think my work-life balance is a little irrational and it takes a little bit of a toll on a lot of other parts of my life, but that’s what you have to do when you’re young,” Kramer says.
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