By Kisha Fox, co-author of “The Art of More” | Get weekly mindset boosts at www.driven-us.com.

I know a lot of people in search of the perfect 9 to 5. Guilty. Will I fit in? Will I like my new boss? What about the commute…how long of a drive will it be? Will I be able to pickup and drop off the kids in time? What should I wear? All of these decisions to be made. And yet many of us make them while sleep deprived. We overlook the most important 9 to 5…and that’s going to bed by a decent time (9 p.m.) and rising early (5 a.m.).

Sleep deprivation

According to Forbes, fewer and fewer American’s are getting the proper amount of sleep. The internet’s lure is to blame. And, so are the corporations that are getting more work from fewer people. Extensive work hours are becoming an epidemic. Even our kids are suffering and are getting less and less sleep.

Sleep deprivation can lead to physical illnesses in the long run, which is why we’ve taken the topic to heart.

If you surveyed people in business, the people who are really successful, are likely the ones who get a good amount of rest. You may find a few who believe that just 4 hours of sleep per night will do. Here’s the deal with the 4-hours-will-do mentality…in the end there is a price to pay. Productivity suffers and ultimately, so does one’s health. It’s not a chance I’m willing to take. How about you?

We’ve made recent changes in our household. It was necessary. Launching a new business takes time and we found ourselves burning the midnight oil well into the wee hours of the morning…sometimes netting only a couple hours of sleep. Not the precedence we want to set. So, we took a step back and reassessed how we might be more productive during the day so we can sleep like babies at night.

It seems simple, but we decided to commit to the perfect 9 to 5. The kids and I are down by 9 p.m. I rise at 5 a.m, which gives me 3 solid hours of productivity without distractions. Here’s what I’m finding…3 hours with no distractions = 8 hours of productivity with constant distractions. Winning!

Commit to the perfect 9 to 5 today! Your body will thank you for it, so will your spouse and kids. I’m more vibrant, energized and productive.

This article was originally posted on the blog section of our website.