Sometime in September or October I made the decision that I would start getting up earlier on week days to utilize that time for blogging, primarily, and doing other activities, when needed. I do understand that I am lucky for having the luxury to be able to make this decision. I do know that some people are leaving for work at this time or must get up at this time for their life circumstances, but for me this was just a decision to free up some time for myself.
When I say earlier, I mean I have been getting out of bed between 6:00 and 6:30am. Sometimes it means that I spring from my bed at 6:00am but sometimes I don’t go downstairs until 6:30am. I haven’t been consistent, in that if I am especially tired, I stay in bed.
In any case I hoped to document the outcomes of taking some extra time each day myself.
7 Outcomes of Getting Up Earlier
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- I have been more productive with my blogging because of the extra time. Before waking up early, I would use Patrick’s nap time for my blogging. I would also use the time after he goes to bed around 8:00pm. These are times I can still utilize but I have found that I have competing interests during those times of day. In the two hour-ish window in the afternoons while Patrick sleeps, I often need to clean, make dinner, return e-mails or phone calls, and do things that are hard to do while Patrick is awake. The after 8:00pm time is still usable but trickier. Two nights a week I usually go to the YMCA after 8:00pm and swim because that is an exercise I enjoy going while being pregnant and that is when the Y has open lanes. Additionally, if I am home after 8pm and it is a weekend, I like to use that time to spend with my husband. Sometimes he goes to the YMCA on week nights and I can use that time to write, but I find that I get distracted by other projects or um-Facbook. In any case, giving myself an hour or two in the morning for writing and enjoying a bowl of cereal can do wonders for my day.
- I am more present because I have taken sometime for myself before Patrick wakes up. I feel more present because I have taken sometime to meet my needs before I attend to his needs. Eating breakfast by myself allows me to not feel hungry while I am getting him up and dressed for the day. Getting breakfast ready for a toddler and me can be a challenge because he is always grabbing something off the counter or needing my attention. If I meet my breakfast needs before he gets up, breakfast goes much smoother. This might sound like a crazy overstatement but mealtimes are probably the most stressful times of the day for me especially during breakfast and lunchtime when I am home alone with Patrick. It can be hard to get food on the table, let alone eat.
- I can also be less present because I am thinking about what I will write next. Sometimes what happens is that I start writing a blog post before Patrick wakes up and I don’t finish it during my allotted writing time. Then I can’t stop thinking about what I want to say when I next have time to write. Selfishly, I do not want to push my writing thoughts away because I might forget them but I also realize that I am not being present during my Patrick time. One way I have been trying to combat this is by carrying around a small notebook in my purse where I can jot down notes or thoughts during the day. I take a minute to write down what I need to remember and hopefully return to the present.
- Sometimes I find that I have a fear of writing and I choose not to write at all. Sometimes I feel paralyzed when I wake up that I will not be able to write anything so I stay in bed and read Facebook or pregnancy forums until I hear Patrick stirring. I convince myself that I need to do this so I will be mentally ready when the new baby comes, but honestly this is my second pregnancy so I am not getting a lot of new information out of reading these forum.
- This morning time has given me more time to blog which has helped me find more satisfaction with my life. I find that blogging and writing more has helped put a new spring in my step. Writing is something that I have always enjoyed and while previously I mostly wrote for work or school, writing for myself has proved more fun than I could have ever imagined. I used to think that I would not know what to write about if I wrote for myself but it is much easier to do than I thought it would be.
- I understand why my husband is tired at 8 o’clock at night. Getting up earlier has given me more appreciation for my husband’s schedule. My husband’s alarm goes off at 5:45am and he usually gets up around 6:00am. I used to think to myself, “Why is he so tired, why doesn’t he want to watch three TV shows together and talk for an hour before we go to bed”? I understood intellectually, but now I have a better appreciation for what he feels in the evening.
- Even if I do chores during my early morning time I find that I am better prepared for my day. While putting laundry in the washing machine and emptying the dishwater do not give me as much of a kick as blogging gives me, I do feel more prepared and better focused on the day if I give myself this me- time in the morning. However, I find satisfaction in doing these things during my morning time only if I have a busy day planned. If the day I have planned is kind of mundane, it feels like a waste of good writing time to do chores.
Have you noticed any significant changes to your life when you changed your schedule? Share in the comments below!
