I am not an introvert, but I do like my alone time. I like to have time without noise or distractions where I can think and just do what I want without interruption. The only time I have available is before everyone else gets up in the morning. I have tried staying up late, but teenagers can always outlast me.
Yesterday, I had a lot of things I wanted to get done. I drew up a list Friday night. I found this works better for me since I usually forget by Saturday morning and then waste an hour or two trying to figure out what needs to be done. In keeping with my post from last week, I tried to keep it to only those tasks that must be done. Still, that quickly extended into a list of a dozen things. From past experience, I knew I was in trouble. I usually can’t get that many things accomplished in a day.
When we were going to bed Friday, my wife asked when I was going to get up. I replied 6:00 to which she laughed. Six o’clock on a Saturday? That helped stiffen my resolve and I made it up by 6:30. That little goading by her probably saved my Saturday. Without the dig, I probably would have been happy to sleep in and give up on my ambitions. Instead, by the time the family was up, I had already completed my weekly review and had taken the car in for an oil change and tire rotation. Two things checked off before 9:00!
The rest of the day went very well and I was able to cross everything off my list except one – this post. By the time I got to it, my brain was too tired and my body too sore to want to tackle it. I felt good about putting it off until today.
Getting up early really helped me focus and get moving before the distractions began. But I can’t do it day after day unless I get to bed earlier. I have two teenagers that thrive on staying up late. That part has to change for me. I have to find ways to go to bed, even when the family does not.
I used to scoff at the people who said they loved getting up in the mornings. I thought it too difficult. I am a night person and prefer staying up late. That part still hasn’t changed, but I do agree with the early risers now. The morning is the best part of the day for getting things done.
Augusto Pinaud
March 28, 2010 at 10:23 pm
I am glad you did your Weekly Review. Wake yourself up early is hard, but worth it every time. People (like me) insist on the night work, when really we are much more effective on the morning, I think in my case, that came from the times in witch I was busy, instead of effective.