Wednesday, October 17, 2012

7 Reasons to Get Up Early



After several days straight of slamming my snooze button multiple times, rolling out of bed groggily and then chastizing myself for getting such a late start, I managed to get up bright (well, actually, dark :) & early this morning. I planned to jump on here and blog a recipe, but then, while showering, began thinking of all the benefits to getting up early and decided to jot them down - not only as a reminder to myself, but for those of you out there who agree that early is the way to go and could use that extra motivation to haul yourself out of bed!
  1. Getting up early allows me to finish my own morning routine (shower, brush teeth, put in contacts, dress) before my family is up. I'm then much more present and focused on enjoying time with them once they do rise, and feel more on track in general the remainder of the day.
  2. My brain functions a lot more clearly after sleep than before it, so I'm much more effective at tackling "cerebral" activities (such as blogging) early in the morning than late at night.
  3. Moving my personal initiatives to the morning allows me to spend more quality time with my hubby in the evening.
  4. Rising early correlates with a more consistent sleep schedule and more intentional time usage. When staying up late, there's no firm "deadline" for when I need to hit the sack, so I (more than occasionally) end up "stalking" my FB news ticker or doing some other frivolous task just to avoid going to bed, and then my quality and quantity of sleep suffers for no good reason. When I choose the early bed/rise option instead, I not only get more consistent sleep but there's also a pretty firm stop time to adhere to in the morning for my personal initiatives, so I use that time much more intentionally.
  5. That morning cup of tea or coffee is considerably more enjoyable when sipped alone, undisturbed vs. crammed in along with 14329 other morning tasks
  6. The morning sky and temperature can be quite lovely. (A seasonal reason, to be sure - 6 AM outside in the middle of January is less becoming. :)
  7. And finally, I'm not naturally a morning person, so when I do manage to get up early (especially when I get some good shtuff accomplished) it gives me that extra boost of confidence which has a positive effect on the remainder of my day!

Do you agree that getting up early is the way to go, or do you prefer having a later schedule? How do you motivate yourself to stay on track?

14 comments:

  1. I am normally a morning persona - however, in the last few months I have trouble falling asleep and it is normally after midnight, which means that 6 is just around the corner. I have found myself staying in bed until the kids wake me up

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    1. I hear ya - 5 to 6 hours definitely isn't much sleep on a regular basis! Do you know why you're having trouble falling asleep?

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  2. I love getting up early. I don't often wake up before my kids in the morning but when I do I make the most of it. I completely agree that coffee and blogging are much more enjoyable while alone in the early morning.

    I get so much more accomplished with my blog before my kids wake up. I got a review posted this morning before 7am. Yay me!

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  3. I am a morning person ... I Love having the peace and quiet of the house as well as my brain thinks more clearly in the morning also. :)

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  4. I NEVER used to be a morning person...until I had kids lol. Because I've had to get up early for the last 5 years now, I've turned into a morning person...and I don't think I'd be able to sleep in even if I could or tried lol. I like making the most of my day now :)

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    1. Yup - feels good to be productive and make the most of time, doesn't it?

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  5. Love the picture of you and your little one as your header! I am not a morning person, but having 5 kids 7 and under means that sleep is sacrificed. Good for you for rising early, it is very productive!

    Jenna
    www.snymed.blogspot.ca

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    1. Wow, I could only imagine having 5 kids that young (well, 5 kids period. :) I'm already a little anxious thinking about having a newborn and a 2-year-old later this year!!

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  6. I've always been more of a morning person. My husband isn't so I'm always trying to wake him up in the morning to get our day started. :) I suppose I should just let him sleep in. Ha!

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    1. My hubby's the same. When I get up early I just let him sleep - win win. :)

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  7. I am up @ 5:30 each morning for many of the reasons you mentioned! When my day starts better, it much easier on all of us!

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  8. My job hours are 6-6, so I am accustomed to getting up very early! It's to the point now, where I can't sleep in even when I'm allowed :D

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