Random Post: Early to Rise

If I could have it my way I would start my day at 9:00 a.m. and go to bed around midnight. But that isn't the kind of schedule I get to have. Instead, I have a full-time job I need to be at on time and a kid to get ready in the morning. I am not exactly what you call an early riser. I hit snooze as many times as I can get away with before I have to jump out of bed, rush around the house to get myself together, make sure my son is dressed and ready and be out the door within 25 minutes. Eeks!  

In the middle of the week, I had to get out of bed at 6:00 a.m. to register my kids for another round of swimming lessons. Registration opens at 6:00 a.m. and the classes fill up fast. It is just easier to be sitting at my computer ready to hit the register button when 6:00 a.m. arrives.

Wow! It was actually really nice getting up that early for a change. My husband is an early riser and has to be up early every morning. Normally I sleep right through everything he does in the morning. I never hear his alarm. Since he is up so early, he helps me wake up earlier.

The last half of this week I have been getting up and starting my day at 6:00 a.m. After my husband leaves early in the morning, it is so quiet in the house. I am able to have a productive morning. I'm not rushed. It is a wonderful, calming feeling. That one little hour in the morning is the only hour of the day where I get to have quiet time with no interruptions. I am able to get myself ready for the day, sip on two cups of hot coffee, check email, and mark a few things off my to do list.

The night before I will take a few minutes to think about what I want to accomplish the next morning. I have my set routine I can get done in about 20 minutes. But now that I have some extra time to fill, there are plenty of things I can do until my son wakes up: unload the dishwasher, prep for dinner, clean the kitchen, work on a small project, check emails, catch up on my favorite blogs, even make my to do list for the evening or things I need to accomplish during the week, menu planning, make a list of errands I need to run, pay bills, or do a little cleaning.

Just by having that extra time in the morning makes our evenings more relaxed too. I am not cramming my evening trying to get my to do list done. I have already marked off a few items, because I completed some in the morning.

How do you make the most of your mornings? Are you an early rise or would you rather sleep in?

-Susan