Waking Up is the Hardest Part
And other lies I tell myself working the early morning news shift
Every week, Monday to Thursday, as my watch alarm gently nudges me awake at 3 a.m., my first thought of the day goes through this same cycle:
Monday — “Just three more times this week”
Tuesday — “We’re half-way there”
Wednesday — “One more day”
Thursday — “Today we can nap”
I’ve been working the 3 a.m. shift exclusively for about six weeks now. And can honestly say waking up is the worst part.
Four days a week, my sleep cycle is in complete violation of my circadian rhythms. Thanks to a consistent wind-down routine, blackout curtains and a sleep mask, I manage to fall asleep around 7 p.m. Even with the sun still out.
But waking up and forcing my brain to work in the middle of the night? That’s just sheer willpower.
There’s no snooze button. Hit it once and you’ll never get up.
It’s the “first thought of the day” that gets me moving. A daily reminder that if I wake up this early now, it’s one day less I need to wake up this early.
From there my day is surprisingly enjoyable.
My last assignment usually goes to air between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. From there I’ll either make myself a coffee or treat myself to one at my local roaster (the one with the really good almond croissant).
I have a second breakfast and start wrapping my head around the to-do list for my consulting business. Maybe I’ll follow up on a pitch. Develop a segment. Or take a LinkedIn course on some new aspect of business that doesn’t quite feel natural just yet.
I still have time to go to the gym.
I can walk the dog whenever she needs it.
And I’m ready to call it day after working two jobs by 4 p.m. That’s when I make dinner and start my wind-down routine.
Here’s the thing. Even though I start my work day at 3 a.m. and generally don’t finish until 4 p.m., it doesn’t feel like I’m overworking.
As a two-time burnout survivor I’m hyper-aware of how I spend my time and energy. I know how easy it is to let work take over my life and suck all the joy out of me.
You would think this schedule would set me up for exhaustion, but it doesn’t.
Maybe because it’s not constant. I take frequent, long breaks. I’ll run errands during the day to break up tasks. And I usually return from these errands with brand new ideas and refreshed energy.
Maybe it’s because even though I’m breaking my circadian rhythm by waking up in the middle of the night, I still have my old energy cycles. My creativity still sparks mid-morning and mid-afternoon, so I schedule creative work for those times.
Maybe it’s because I don’t force it. Yesterday my energy level was low. And I was feeling stressed about money (taxes specifically. With three income streams and a severance package, they’re hella complicated this year). I had enough brain power to work on one client project, so I did the one with the closest deadline.
I still have the rest of the week and my flex Friday to tackle everything I need to for my consulting business.
By the time the weekend hits, I no longer feel the need to “recover”. Even after four days working 12-, 13-hour days. Instead weekends are about rebooting and reconnecting with the other things in life that make me happy. Visiting the farmer’s market. Taking the dog for a hike. Hanging out with friends (just not on a Sunday).
Every now and then I have a moment where fatigue hits like a bus and I question why I decided to work this schedule. Then I remind myself: it’s temporary. True, I can’t live on my consulting business alone. But I’ll get there.
I don’t know what “morning thought of the day” this stage of business development falls under. But I feel like I’m somewhere between “we’re half-way there” Tuesday and “just one more day” Wednesday.
After all, waking up is the hardest part.
