Listen: Auri Schibli talks about how the 5:30 Club is revolutionising mornings
By Georgia FreeThursday 4 Mar 2021Hope BreakfastChristian LivingReading Time: 3 minutes
Mornings can be a little (or a lot) hectic. Headlined by cold cups of coffee, half-eaten pieces of toast or gridlocked Sydney traffic, they rarely offer moments of peace. However, a group of young people are taking back mornings for themselves and aiming to shake up the daily grind – for good. They call themselves the ‘5:30 Club’.
The premise of the 5:30 Club is simple. Every weekday at 5:30am, like-minded individuals meet in a café for one hour – to engage in what the 5:30 Club co-founder Auri Schibli calls a ‘power hour’. “A power hour is simply that time in the morning where you can focus on something that’s important to you,” Auri told Sam Robinson. “Whether that’s reading, whether that’s studying, whether that’s planning your day…we have found that coming together as a community really helps to keep each other accountable.”
Although the 5:30 Club is quickly gaining popularity, it began a mere two years ago – from humble beginnings. Auri, who is also a Christian, wanted to spend more time in devotion each day, but struggled with balancing that time in his regular routine. So, he began getting up earlier, going to a Cronulla café and reading for an hour with his friend, Brenton Parkes. Thus, the 5:30 Club was born.
“We told people about it…it just developed into a bigger community,” Auri said. “It really was just a private habit that became a public opportunity.”
At first, the 5:30 Club expanded organically, but soon began branching out into additional locations. “We had friends of friends reach out and ask if they could do this in their suburbs, and we thought – why not?” Auri remarked.
Auri has found that no matter why people join the 5:30 Club, most of them are searching for the same thing. “People want to grow in three areas – clarity, community and consistency – that’s the power hour,” he said.
The 5:30 Club has the unique benefit of being both entirely individually motivated, but with the option to engage in community. As well as providing space for people to read, study and write, new business ventures – Vonnimedia and The Good Gun – have been formed as a result of connections made at the club. “Like minded people, when they meet together, are almost unstoppable,” Auri said. “It’s a time where nobody needs you. So you can really focus on something that matters to you.”
Auri’s time in the club has also proven productive, joining with fellow 5:30 Club co-founder Byron Dempsey to launch the 5:30 Club podcast, full of tips on how to reach your full potential, and make the most out of your day.
Today, the 5:30 Club boasts 19 locations around the country – and Auri encourages others to get involved. “It’s totally free,” Auri said. “We wouldn’t dare to charge for such an experience. You can come to any club, any time…we love welcoming people. We have seen people increase in happiness, increase in mental health and increase in productivity because they have taken this time, every morning.”
To find your nearest club (or to create your own), head to the 5:30 Club website and follow them on Instagram. You can listen to Auri’s full interview with Sam Robinson in the player above.