Jet Lag: The Unexpected Productivity Hack You’ve Been Overlooking

Staring at the near pitch-black ceiling that is only visible thanks to the single ray of light from the lamp post two blocks down that slipped through the crack of the window shades, I wonder how much longer I can lay here. I tap around my nightstand like a game of whack-o-mole in search of my phone. 4:17am.

Goddamn way too early. I knocked out at…I don’t know…10pm? So I suppose that gives me 6 hours of sleep. Is that really enough? Technically, I did get like 7 hours of sleep across two flights. Actually, that was supposed to be for the other night of sleep we completely missed. Honestly, I’m so confused at how much or how little sleep I’ve had. 4:26am.

Alright, I’ll scroll for a little bit and see if I can fall back asleep. The timeline is weak. Already bored. 4:39am.

Okay, I’m awake. There’s plenty I need to do anyways.

Fireplace = on. Toast = buttered. Water = filled. Let’s get to work.

Time passes

Jet Lag is the pill from the Limitless movie.

I’m not kidding. And it’s not the sleep deprivation talking either. How many different TikTok influencers or LinkedIn entreprenuers have slapped you silly preaching how the key to domiance is waking up before the sun while the rest of the world is asleep?

The issue with getting up before the rooster crows is your bed pulls you back down. You’re tired, you’re drained, you might be a little depressed.

Jet lag, your sleep is so off the rails that your body thinks you should be awake. The timezones provide enough of a barrier to confuse how much sleep you think you should be at. You just spent days or weeks away from your responsibilities you kind of forget how much they suck your joy.

Everything that prevents you from getting up during your regularly scheduled day is wiped away!

So, now that you’re up…at 4:45am…what do you do?

I was so productive I reached out to our energy provider for in depth explanation on our energy usage! Like WTF.

I even texted some people back AND reached out to people!

No, but on a more serious tone, it’s 6:45am and I’ve managed to get organized from two weeks away across 7 different aspects of my life and start knocking off items on each list. The cherry on top to all of this, I’ve actually enjoyed doing so. It didn’t just feel like obligation or a chore. It’s felt calm and pleasant. No coffee, just music.

This is not the only sample size either.

When I came back from Sicily, I was getting up about 4:45am for 3-4 days. I would nest in the corner of the couch, turn on a Christmas YouTube ambience and read. I managed to finish a book and a half.

When I came back from Paris, rinse and repeat. Same thing but with a fall ambience.

It’s really easy to dread the return from of an unforgettable trip but if you get the ultimate productivity hack as the dessert, it only adds to the whole experience.

So, going forward, if anyone asks why you’re going on an international trip or why you like going to Europe so much, just tell them it’s for the productivity benefits that come with it!