Another Way “Early to Rise” Can Help You

Rising early has plenty of obvious benefits. For instance, adding an extra hour (or two… or three) to the productive part of your day is a surefire way to become more successful, faster. But there’s another advantage…

It can help you get to your travel destination.

It’s an old trick: Plan your flights as early in the day as possible. That way, you have the rest of the day to travel should anything go wrong.

This rule proved effective for me last week. Of three possible flights to get me to my friend’s wedding in San Jose, I picked the earliest. (Even though it meant getting to the airport at 5:00 a.m.) So when the flight was unceremoniously cancelled, the day was still young. And I had plenty of time to find an alternate route. I ended up in San Jose a few hours late – but at least I made it in one day. Had I originally opted for a later flight and faced a similar cancellation, I could have ended up in an airport hotel at the end of the day instead of on the Capitola beach.

Airline cancellations are reaching record levels. There have been over 65,000 so far this year, which – according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics – is almost as many as all cancellations in 2007. So make sure you use the “early to rise” travel strategy every time you fly. It could save you time, keep your stress levels down, and make sure you get to see your college roommate say “I do.”

[Ed. Note: Getting advice from people who’ve been in your situation – whether it’s traveling to a wedding or building a business – can help you succeed much faster than you would by yourself. Discover dozens of strategies that can help you avoid or resolve life’s little irritations right here.]