13 Early Morning Jobs If You Want To Jump-Start Your Day

Whether you are looking for full-time early morning jobs, or if you are looking for a side hustle that you can squeeze in early in the morning, there are definitely early morning jobs out there. I know many people who side hustle in the morning as a way to make some extra money before they…

Michelle Schroeder-Gardner

Last Updated: January 2, 2024

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Whether you are looking for full-time early morning jobs, or if you are looking for a side hustle that you can squeeze in early in the morning, there are definitely early morning jobs out there.

I know many people who side hustle in the morning as a way to make some extra money before they start their day job. Some people work a side job in the morning because it’s when they feel the most motivated.

I had several different early morning jobs when I was paying off my student loans. I usually woke up a couple of hours before I had to leave for my day job so that I could make extra money.

Finding jobs with morning hours allowed me to pay off my debt much more quickly. I was able to put all of my extra time towards making extra income, even if it meant I had to wake up very early.

While it was very tiring at times, working side jobs early in the morning is something that I am very happy I did because it helped me change my life!

There are many other reasons for why you may want an early morning job as well. This may include:

  • You’re a morning person and work best in the morning.
  • You’re wanting a work schedule that works well with other things going on in your life, such as going to school, managing a household, etc.
  • You want to get your work done early so that you have more daylight hours or evening hours when you’re out of work.

As you can see, there are many reasons for why you would want an early morning job.

Here are 13 early morning jobs.

 

1. Barista

Coffee shops are one of the first early morning jobs that I think of because everyone needs their coffee in the morning.

As a barista, you will most likely start quite early in the morning. You may be making drinks, ringing out customers, cleaning the coffee shop, and so on.

Related content:

 

2. Deliver newspapers

Delivering newspapers can be a good way to make some side money.

Usually, these shifts start very, very early, sometimes as early as 1 or 2 am.

When I was younger, I helped a friend’s family with their newspaper run whenever I’d sleep over at their house. They used their van to deliver a ton of newspapers, and I got to come along. We typically finished up when it was still dark — that’s how early we started!

 

3. Get paid to take surveys early in the morning

When I had student loans, one of the ways I would use my mornings to make extra money was by taking online surveys

It was easy to simply check my email inbox first thing in the morning to see if there were any surveys that I could get paid to take. If there were any I qualified for, I’d simply get them done quickly in the morning.

This was nice because there’s no commute, and I could literally sit in my pajamas and answer survey questions before I got ready for work.

Taking surveys would be one of the best early morning jobs for moms because you’re staying at home, and it’s very low stress.

You can get paid to answer surveys and test products, and survey sites are free to join. I recommend signing up for as many survey companies as you can so that you can get the most chances to get paid.

Below are the survey companies that I recommend joining:

Here are 11 Paid Online Survey Sites if you want to learn more.

 

4. Stockist

Stores tend to stock items in the morning hours before customers come into the store. Or, they do it in the morning right after they open because the store isn’t as busy.

As a stockist, you may work at a grocery store, retail clothing store, electronics store, and so on. You may even get a discount at the store you’re working at.

early morning jobs

5. Resell items

This isn’t a job that is 100% in the morning, but many times when you are looking for items to resell, the morning is the best time to find things. Just think about when estate sales, yard sales, and garage sales start. They open first thing in the morning, so it’s the best time to find good items.

You can sell items that you find for resale in places such as:

  • Facebook buy/sell groups
  • Thrift stores
  • eBay
  • Craigslist

I recommend signing up for the free webinar Turn Your Passion For Visiting Thrift Stores, Yard Sales & Flea Markets Into A Profitable Reselling Business In As Little As 14 Days to learn how to make money by reselling items that you find.

 

6. Loading trailers at Fedex/UPS/etc.

These jobs can have shifts all throughout the day, but there are always early morning shifts that need to be filled.

With this early morning job, you may be loading and unloading packages into truck trailers, sorting packages depending on postal codes, and so on.

This is a very manual and tough job (due to moving large boxes all shift long), but it usually comes with benefits, like health insurance, tuition reimbursement, etc.

 

7. Pick up trash 

Many businesses like trash to be picked up before their store opens so that customers are welcomed by a clean property.

This is a small business that you can start on your own, and you can get paid $30 to $50 an hour.

This is one of the early morning jobs that doesn’t take a lot of money to start. You will need a broom, dustpan, and grabber tools, and you can have a fairly flexible schedule.

You can learn more at Get Paid $30 – $50 Per Hour To Pick Up Trash.

 

8. Create a blog to work from home

One of the other side hustles that I did early in the morning before I went to work was that I would work on this blog.

I spent as much time in the morning as I could on my blog because it was when I had free time. It wasn’t usually for a super long time, but even just an hour in the morning each day would help me build my blogging business. 

This is one of the best decisions that I’ve ever made. It helped me make extra money to pay off my student loans, I was able to quit my day job to blog full-time, I have a flexible schedule, I’m my own boss, and more.

You can learn how to start a blog with my free How To Start a Blog Course.

 

9. Freelancer

Freelancers are people who contract out their services to other businesses. One thing many freelancers like is that you can set your own hours, and the morning is a great time to work for some people.

I know freelancers who work in the morning before they go to their day job, moms who freelance in the morning with kids at home, and so on.

If you are interested in learning about different freelance opportunities, here are some ideas

And there’s so much more.

Recommended reading: How to Make Money in One Hour

10. Teach English online

Working as an online English teacher is great early morning work if you have experience working with kids and have at least your bachelor’s degree. You can make around $14-$22 per hour, and you don’t need a degree in teaching or English.

Most companies have you teaching English to students in China, Korea, or Taiwan, so it works best for the time difference to teach in the early morning hours or late in the evening. 

Here are the top three companies I recommend if you’re interested:

  1. VIPKID
  2. Qkids
  3. Education First

11. Walk dogs

Walking dogs would be a fun way to make money in the morning if you’re a dog lover. Plus, you would get a nice walk in the morning before you start the rest of your day.

Dog walkers make around $15-$20 per walk, and some dog walkers walk multiple dogs at a time. 

If you are wondering, “Where can I find early morning jobs near me for dog walking?” I recommend Rover. You can create a profile, list your services, and find dog walking clients where you live.

12. Do yard maintenance

One of the best times of the day to do yard work is in the morning, especially in the summer months because it gets so hot during the day.

You can mow laws, weed, trim, water plants, clean gutters, etc. 

If you’re interested in making extra money doing yard maintenance, you can:

  • Create a Craigslist ad for your services
  • Advertise your services on your personal Facebook page
  • Bring flyers advertising your services around to different neighborhoods
  • List your services on online community bulletin boards

13. Personal trainer

Did you know that mornings are the most popular time to work out? 

People love starting their day with a workout, which is why working as a personal trainer is one of the best early morning part-time jobs.

You can work as a personal trainer, yoga instructor, coach, or some other kind of fitness professional. You will need some kind of background or training to work those jobs, but you can also look at gyms in your area to see if they are hiring receptionists for early morning hours.

Recommended reading: How To Make Money Without A Job

How do I get used to work early in the morning?

If you’re not a morning person, then working first thing in the morning may be an adjustment.

Here are my tips so that you can get used to working early in the morning:

  • Set an alarm. Okay, this is a no brainer, but if you find it hard to wake up with an alarm, then you may want to try different kinds of alarms. There are alarms that play music, alarms that mimic the sun rising (you can see these here), and more.
  • Go to bed earlier. You will most likely have to switch your sleeping habits so that you can get a full night’s rest.
  • Make sure to open your curtains/shades before going to sleep. This can help you to wake up with the sun.
  • Don’t rely on the snooze button. Just wake up! You will probably be more tired if you hit the snooze button over and over again.
  • Move your alarm across your bedroom. If you tend to hit snooze, then moving your alarm further away can help you wake up because you’ll have to get up to turn it off.

Learn more at 9 Tips To Wake Up Early & Why It Feels So Good.

What jobs require you to wake up early?

Besides the list of early morning jobs you’ve just read through, there are still many other jobs that require you to wake up early in the morning. And one of these may be one of the best early morning jobs for you.

  • Baker: Working in a bakery means you have to be up first thing in the morning.
  • Ticket agent: Airports need ticket agents to work first thing in the morning for those early flights.
  • Mail carrier: Postal workers start working first thing in the morning, and many finish their day in the early afternoon.
  • Truck driver: You will need a commercial trucking license for this job, and the early morning hours allow you to miss busy rush hour traffic.
  • Farm worker: Farmers are usually up before dawn starting on a long list of tasks, like feeding, milking, cleaning barns, planting, and more.

 

What are the best early morning jobs?

As you can see, there are many early morning jobs that may suit you.

Some start extremely early, such as just after midnight, and others may start at around 5 or 6 am. Some may have a more flexible schedule, and others may mean that you have to go in at an exact time each day.

Most won’t require any type of certification (some may have some equipment training), and you can start improving your earnings and make great benefits right away. Plus, by having an early morning job, you will be able to get off work earlier in the day and enjoy your Friday and long weekends!

Most of the jobs above will offer a competitive wage and possibly even shift flexibility or four-day workweeks (with three-day weekends!). Overtime may be an option, along with job training so that you can learn how to do the job the best way.

There are other early morning jobs that you may be able to find as well. Such as becoming a rideshare driver and simply just taking passengers early in the morning. Finding an early morning shift at Amazon, finding an early morning shift at a delivery service, and more.

If you are one of the early birds and early risers, then finding early morning jobs may be the best bet for you.

There are plenty of options, you simply have to find what works best for you.

What do you think are the best early morning jobs?


Michelle Schroeder-Gardner

Author: Michelle Schroeder-Gardner

Hey! I’m Michelle Schroeder-Gardner and I am the founder of Making Sense of Cents. I’m passionate about all things personal finance, side hustles, making extra money, and online businesses. I have been featured in major publications such as Forbes, CNBC, Time, and Business Insider. Learn more here.

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  1. It’s amazing that how many opportunities there are now in the world to actually side hustle and make more money than your traditional 9-5 job.

    I like the idea of earning a little money before I even start my day job.. This post does have me thinking of knowing ways to earn a little extra money.

  2. Inspiring article. There’s lots of satisfaction when I get things done bright and early. Thanks Michele!

  3. Abhay Gautam

    Hello Michelle,

    Great Post! Thank you so much for sharing this post on Early morning jobs. And I must say all the jobs mentioned in this list is a must think for every human being and coffee is a must thing.

    Instead of going to barista, I really like making my own coffee at my home and then do the rest of the work. Dog walk can also be useful if weather is great. 🙂

    Keep up the Good work and Keep sharing such articles.

    Cheers,
    Abhay

  4. I love this post! There are many of us that like to start the day early then have the rest of the day to do as we please. I’ve been cleaning litter from parking lots for 40 years and have loved nearly every minute of it. No traffic, no stress. Very peaceful that time of the day.

  5. Lisa

    Such a great post! I recently did a post on ways to make money, but I didn’t even think of any of these! Such great ideas! =) Shows how much money-making potential there is!

  6. What better way to start the day than to make a little bit of extra money before the W-2 even starts! This is a great idea, and even Warren Buffett used to run routes to deliver newspapers.

    Thanks for the inspiring post — definitely giving me some ideas to shake up my morning routine!