Tales from a Retired Night Owl
A couple tips to help make the most of your mornings
I’d always wanted to be a morning person but regardless of this desire, I couldn’t stop myself from pushing that snooze button.
Jumping out of bed with 15 minutes to spare was getting super old and it left me feeling drained the entire work day. It was time for me to figure things out once and for all.
For me, the dream of being an early riser was always for selfish reasons. It wasn’t about actually getting to work early. It was about allowing myself some personal time before focusing my attention on my job.
When you’re constantly running late, you aren’t allowed the benefit of being present and focusing on yourself. Over time, that can have an impact on your emotional well being. For me it sure did.
Taking a step back
Now I can’t pinpoint exactly what was keeping me from just becoming a morning person, but I did make one big change that seemed to help.
I decided to get a new job. I felt like my home life was next to perfect, but when it came to work, I wasn't happy. Some people might say, “well yeah, work just sucks” but I don’t subscribe to that. As a designer, I’m really proud that I chose a career that allows me to do what I love for a living. So when I admitted to myself that I wasn't happy, I knew I had to switch things up.
Now, about a year after making the decision to find a new job, I find myself in a completely different scenario. Most mornings I start my day by 5:30am, my schedule has some flexibility so my work/life balance is at an all time high, my productivity levels have gone up, and my outlook is much more positive.
Figuring out what works for you
This didn’t happen overnight, but I’ve slowly made the appropriate tweaks to reach my goal of becoming an early riser, and a more balanced person. Finding a schedule that sets me up for a succesful week and leaves room for some spontaneity is something that I’m constantly modifying, but I’m at a point where I can share what I’ve found works for me.
Maybe it’ll help inspire you into changing up your routine and making more time for yourself in the mornings.
Below are some of the things that I attribute to helping me be a work week hero:
1. Get your butt to bed
This should be obvious, but get yourself to bed at a reasonable time. I try to plan my sleeps in 90 minute cycles so that even if I’m getting a shorter nights sleep, I’m waking up at an optimal time within a cycle.
Something else I like to do is to give myself time to relax before bed. This means turning off my TV and other devices, looking over my schedule for the following day (and setting my alarm accordingly), and getting a bit of reading in.
2. Use a daily planner
To some this may be a no brainer but to others it might be something you haven’t done since grade school.
As a naturally forgetful person, this was a game changer. Pre planner I was known to double book and forget about commitments. This little booklet is now integral to how I manage my time and plan my mornings.
If you work as a freelancer, this is also a huge help in deciding which projects you should spend your time on or if you have time to take on new projects at all.
Seeing my work week laid out infront of me makes me want to get the most out of my day. Knowing ahead of time what needs to be tackled, helps get me out of bed a lot easier.
Tip: My current agenda of choice is made by Moleskin. Each day has it’s own page broken up into hours so you can plan your day to a T. I get the 3.5x5.5 inch planner in hardcover so that it can easily fit in any bag.
3. Move your workouts to the am
If you’re having issues getting up early like I did and you want to change your morning routine, try squeezing in an early morning sweat session.
I’m not suggesting you trade in coffee for a workout, but morning workouts have proved beneficial for me in terms of waking up my mind and body.
This also gives me a chance to be around people before starting the workday, which I’ve found really important since I work from home.
Tip: If you suffer from snooze button sydrome, I would suggest going to a studio where you have to sign-up for classes ahead of time. The studio I go to actually charges for no shows, at first this seemed like a negative but it gives me that extra push to make sure I don’t oversleep.
4. Make personal time a priority
Because I typically finish my workout by 7am, I still have time to spare before starting my work day.
I’ve come to cherish the 1–2 hour time that I have to devot to myself. What I do during this time varies but typically I’ll take my dog around the block, put a fresh pot of coffee on, tidy up my condo and sometimes I’ll conquer a bit of freelance work.
Ticking items off my to-do list in the morning means my evenings are now open for more family and friend time.
5. Don’t skip breakfast
Starting the day off properly means eating a healthy breakfast, in my case I normally eat two. One pre and post workout. This helps with my energy levels throughout the day.
Tip: I’ve started stocking my freezer with homemade granola bars and ziplock bags full of chopped fruit and veggies for smoothies. Having healthy food already prepared makes it way easier to fit a good breakfast in.
In conclusion
Now I’ll be real with you, just like when I was a teenager, I still love staying up late. Whether it’s binging Stranger Things or catching up on my reading, I can easily stay up until 3 am.
The difference is, now I can recognize the patterns. To set myself up for weekday success, I know that taking care of my emotional and physical wellbeing and getting a goodnight sleep is super important.
When I start deviating from the points I listed above, my routine can start to crumble and I fall into old habits of pressing the snooze button and sleeping in.
Create some accountability and set some short and long term goals to ensure that you put in a solid effort to wake up and make the most of your mornings.
