Ivy says:
So far this morning, I’ve been a hairstylist, a garbage (wo)man, a pharmacist, a taxi service, and a waitress. Welcome to mornings at Chez Ivy. I can’t even tell you what I would give for kids who knew how to straighten their own darn hair.
This all got me to thinking, however. When I get up early, I get more done during the day. If I sleep in, I slack. I don’t know why this is, but I find it’s true with many people. Think about the people you know that work third shift- now, there are people who have been working third shift for years who have gotten good at it, but most third shifters I know basically just work and sleep. Even though it seems like there shouldn’t be any difference, there is.
My mom always said that the earlier you get up, the more you’ll get done. I figured these were just words of a steenkin’ morning person, but the older I get, the more I see she was right. Everyone has their natural circadian rhythm and some people are, indeed, morning people while others are definitely night people. But I find getting up even an hour earlier than my normal wake time causes me to get things done.
So, if you’re unhappy with your productivity, try getting up earlier. You might be surprised with the results!
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{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m a high school home ec teacher and I have to be at school at 6:45 AM. I get up at 4:30. So, when I am off over the holidays and summer, I still wake up by 5 or 5:30. I get so much done during the morning, I hate to sleep in…I know my window of opportunity is passing me by!
This is so true! Just this morning, I resisted setting the alarm again for another 1/2hour and just got up, got myself ready, got some laundry started, and wasn’t freaking out at the kids because we slept in, and had to rush rush rush to get out the door. And everyone was in a good mood, I’m still in a good mood because of it! Now if I could do this every morning….;)
My husband works 3rd shift and has now for almost a year. At first, you are exactly right…work, sleep, work, sleep… now he’s gotten a little better and we can squeeze in dinner and a little bit of together time before he goes to work but not enough to actually get much done, maybe only a few hours.
During the week I’m up by 5:15 at the latest (sometimes it’s 4:00 – or just whenever I wake up).. and that’s my ME time. I can drink coffee, go slow, read the entire internet, do whatever *I* want to do. I’m a much friendlier and happier person to the rest of the world if I get some time in for myself first.
Besides… I’m always convinced that I’ll miss something if I sleep too late!
I agree with this as well. I usually sleep in until 8 or 9 on the weekends, but this past Sunday my puppies woke me up at 6:30 a.m. (earlier than I usually get up for work!) I got so much done – I ran errands before the stores were busy, I did a few things around the house, and I even took the puppies to the park. It was great.
I have always been a morning person. I like to get up before the sun, watch the news and enjoy the sun rise. I like to get my work done early so I can relax for the rest of the day.
I’d get the exact same amount done if I lived alone. Because I get the most stuff done between 4 and 8 pm. If I didn’t have to go to bed early so that others could sleep, I would easily work until 2 am and then sleep in, but since hubby leaves at 5:30 and the kids at 7 I get up out of guilt. I can easily sleep till 8 and still get to work on time and often do.
If my schedule followed my natural rhythm, I’d get up around 9, work until 2, take a nap, then work until around 2 am. I’d still get 7 hours sleep and I wouldn’t have to fight my natural rhythm. If only the real world revolved around me.
I’m definitely a night person, but I’ve had to adjust since I’ve had kids. These days they’re getting me up by 6, which means that not only am I up earlier than my body and brain want to be, I also have to make myself go to bed earlier, during what’s normally my most productive time.
That said, I do get stuff done in the morning, as long as the rugrats are occupied…
I know you’re right, but, honestly, since the kids have moved out, I just LOVE sleeping till 8:00! I spent years getting up at 5:15 to get them going on their newspaper route and then off to school, and I got to bed at probably midnight most nights. Utter sleep deprivation for years!
So now I sleep in. And I get almost nothing done.
I’m going to have to re-think this, because I miss my clean house, my finished craft projects, and my hearty breakfasts.
Sigh.