I used to really dislike mornings. I dreaded my alarm and would hit snooze over and over and over again until I would finally stumble out of bed at the last minute, fumble for coffee, not have time for a shower or anything other than rubbing my eyes before I had to wake my kids and get them moving too. Not an ounce of quiet before having both kids asking for help peeling bananas (I’ll spare you my issues with bananas for another day), finding matching socks, arguing over hair being combed and searching for shoes. Mornings were stressful and chaotic.
The way a day starts can set the tone for the rest of the day
When my days were constant chaos, I knew something had to change. If I wanted quiet mornings with less stress and more smiles, and days that were much simpler than before, I had to make a big change. I stopped being such a night owl and started getting up an hour before my kids.
My alarm is set for 6 a.m. and most days I am up before it goes off now. I make my coffee slowly. I drink my coffee slowly, while it’s still hot. I spend some time in the dark quiet in my favorite chair in the living room, listening to roosters crow and birds chirping as the sun comes up.
Then I’ll check my email, putz around on the computer for a bit and then go about getting myself ready for the day. I know we all have a routine that works best for us. The key is finding it. This works for me.
Once I’ve enjoyed some lazy quiet, I shower, get dressed, and then wake my kids up.
I discovered the key to better mornings was having more organized evenings. Before bed, making sure the kitchen is clean, the kids clothes are laid out – including matching socks and shoes, and lunch items are organized. I make lunches in the morning and it’s now quick and easy because there aren’t a million other things I am worrying about while shoving a sandwich and grapes and carrots into a lunch bag.
Beds get made when we each get out of bed – usually. Everyone gets dressed without too much drama, and by the time we’ve headed out the door, we are all usually smiling. A big improvement!
I’d like to say that it’s because of so many things – my kids are older now, my house is more put together, the laundry is regularly done. But the fact of the matter is the biggest single difference was me going from night owl to morning person. An extra hour in the morning makes a much bigger difference to my day than an extra hour at night. At night, I am either staring like a zombie at the computer or tv. In the morning, I am doing something. Getting ready for the day. It’s made all the difference.
How about you? Are you a morning person or a night owl? Or both? What makes your morning routine easier?
I’ve always had a very hard time waking up in the morning, but I love the idea of waking up before my kids do, but I’ve found that everytime I try it, they just end up waking up earlier.
I try and do all I can the night before too. I also find that the earlier I get started doing something productive (normally just starting a load of laundry), the better my day seems to go.
[Reply]
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by remodelingthislife and Hank, MoneyLifeNetwork. MoneyLifeNetwork said: {31 Days of Living Simply} Day 25 ~ Making Morning Easier http://bit.ly/aPGSWj [...]
Nights seem to be when we can socialise as a family so the washing up is left,’cos it turns into a nagfest otherwise. I function better if I am in bed by 10:30 pm, I read somewhere that it is better for your brain if you get a couple of hours in before midnight if poss! I get up between 5:30 and 6:30 am most mornings and wash up, this clears the whole bench including night drink and supper washing up. I feed the dogs and sometimes put on washing, empty the rubbish bins, put out recycling and compost and generally tidy the dining room. Then when other non-morning people get up we don’t have grumps we just ease into the day! At the other end of the day, I am tired, so often the grown up kids get to cook dinner or help out in some way.
[Reply]
I have always been a morning person and I get up at about 5:15… I don’t start getting ready for work until around 6:30. That is my time to relax – watch the news and catch up on my blog reading. I get so much done then. If I oversleep and miss that time – I feel thrown off for the rest of the day! And I hate rushing around in the AM. Just messes up my whole morning.
[Reply]
Honestly, I’m both a night owl and a {forced} morning person. I get a lot of sewing/blogging done at night after the children go to bed, but I also get up in between 4:45 and 5:30 most mornings. I need at least two cups of coffee and a good hour of quiet time before I have to start breakfast and homeschooling. There are times when staying up late and getting up early really get to me. Since I have some older children who are responsible to help around the house, I can squeeze in a short 30 minute nap occasionally. That’s always a treat!
Last Friday, I forgot to set my alarm and didn’t wake up until 7:30! In the past, I’ve always hated when that happened. I tend to be a grumpy person if I don’t have some coffee and alone time before I have to deal with children. ;D Sad, but true. BUT, when I walked out of my room expecting bedlam, I saw all of my children seated at the bar eating breakfast. My daughter had gotten up, made scrambled eggs and toast and rounded everyone up to the bar. I was so proud of her! I bragged on her all day.
[Reply]
I am 50/50. I have insomnia, & have to take a pill every night. Sometimes it takes awhile to kick in, which makes me stay up. I am a runner, & regardless what time I get to bed, will get up at 4 am, to go out.
My running set me day, it’s the one thing that is truly my own in my house, (though when my kids get older they want to come with me). I shower when I get back (before my husband is up), then get my kids ready. I put my husband’s lunch together the night before, & make sure our coffee mugs are clean.
This morning it was literally one thing after another in my house, I was getting frustrated, & once all the commotion was done, all was right again.
[Reply]
I’m working toward a 6AM wake up call for myself as well! It’s tough for this natrual-born night owl, but I sure do appreciate the benefits when I do rise earlier than the rest of my peeps. Now, if I can just impose my own early bedtime!
[Reply]
i’ve found that if i get up even 15 minutes before my kids, it make a tremendous difference for me. thanks for the reminder.
[Reply]
As a child I was taught that “one hour before midnight is worth two after” as far as sleep in concerned, and this is certainly true for me. 10.30pm at the latest, ideally, but I have married a night-owl. I find it really frustrating in the morning when he wont get started on something until midday. As far as I’m concerned, he’s missed the best part of the day.
[Reply]
I wouldn’t say I’m a morning person OR a night-owl. But I totally agree, the key for me, is quiet time to myself in the morning. And making sure my kitchen is cleaned before bed. It totally wrecks my morning to deal with a messy kitchen!
[Reply]
I recently started getting up earlier in an attempt to arrive to work earlier. I have terrible commuter traffic, but it’s amazing how much more settled I am in the morning when I’m not stressing about how late I’m going to be. Sometimes I even get a morning workout in, too, and that makes the day all the better!
[Reply]
Great post. I am a night owl but considering I am home educating 5 wee ones my day goes soooo much better when I get up early.
[Reply]
I have adopted this philosophy when it comes to “procrastination” and tending to the things that need to be tended to today….
“I no longer procrastinate for tomorrow is not mine to give.”
Each day will come with its own set of struggles, hardships and adversity, and whenever I am lazy about doing what must be done today and leave it to the last minute…my days are filled with stress, anxiety, turmoil and chaos.
Life is meant to be savored and experienced in-the-moment (and to its fullest). How can you do that if you’re trying to play catch-up?
Love your blog! Authentic, inspiring and delightful.
Blessings…Lori
[Reply]
Beth Reply:
October 25th, 2010 at 3:27 pm
Just wanted you to know that your post really inspired me. I wrote it down and am going to put it on my refrigerator. I am in the process of being a reformed procrastinator. What you said is so true. When you do everything that you are supposed to do today, tomorrow goes so much smoother. Living in chaos everyday is horrible. Thank you!
[Reply]
I am a night owl married to a night owl. It worked beautifully until baby came along.
Now we really struggle to find what are the best times and routines for our night and morning schedule. Just last night we were so tired we went to bed right after the baby. Super nice! And this morning I woke up before the alarm AND the baby. Super nice! I thought “this is great, I should do this more often, etc.” But when the baby got up I realized I was already in work mode and neither he nor I was able to settle in for a nice morning nursing session, one of my favorite times of the day. So now I don’t know what to do. AND my hubby is still a commited night owl. Any suggestions on how to get him to sleep earlier?! Just kidding! (kinda…)
[Reply]
Just had to say that I love your blog and this 31 day series. It is helping me & inspiring so much.
I have been a night owl but am trying to change to a morning person b/c I totally agree that the day goes much better if I have some time to myself before my two little ones wake up.
[Reply]
Thank you for this post! Something needs to change in our household because the current chaos is driving everyone crazy. This post just might have inspired this night owl to wake up an hour earlier!
I am worried that my waking earlier will cause the kids to wake up earlier but it’s worth a shot!
As it is now, the kids wake me up with their bickering, crawling all over me, dragging every toy imaginable into the bed, etc. Most mornings begin with both my husband and I yelling for all the noise & craziness to stop! It really makes us grumpy and angry for the rest of the morning.
I will say that I do make sure the kitchen is clean before I go to bed and it makes a huge difference in my day… but I also need to work on setting out mine and the kids’ outfits before bedtime.
Thanks for reminding me that our mornings don’t have to be chaotic!
[Reply]
You are right on about early mornings making for peaceful mornnings. I know this. I know it works. I know it’s right for me, too. So why am I so lazy? Why can’t I get up when my alarm goes off? Maybe I need to go to bed earlier?!
Thanks for giving me a good kick in the pants and a reminder of what makes my life run more smoothly. Tomorrow, it’s up one hour earlier for me!
[Reply]
You continue to inspire me and this is one area I need to change. My husband is a morning person….really a morning person…up at 5am most mornings. I however love to stay up late. Now with no children at home to get up and no job to go to…I’ve let myself sleep in a little longer and am realizing that I don’t get as much done as I used to and my days are gone in a flash. So I have been trying to get to bed earlier and get up earlier. It does make for a nicer day! Thanks again for all of your sharing in October. It’s been a blessing!
Connie
[Reply]
Recently, my husband has been getting up earlier than he needs to so that he can hang with Sam for at least half an hour before he goes to work. During that time, I reset the downstairs if it isn’t already, make Sam’s breakfast, eat my own, and just enjoy the quiet except for the occasional baby laugh from upstairs. I was shocked at the difference it made the first morning or two. Now it’s essential. I can’t imagine not having that time to gently enter the world. But I’m still a night owl. Case in point, my eyes are hopelessly droopy, and I keep reading blogs. Must. Sleep. Now.
[Reply]
I have been struggling with my morning routine lately so I have been writing a 5 days to a better morning series on my blog. I agree with you that how your morning starts off can determine how the rest of your day will go! Thanks for posting this!
[Reply]
About a month ago I decided I’d wake up at 6:30am every morning for yoga and then get ready for work. So far, I haven’t done it once. My alarm clock has dutifully gone off every morning at 6:30, even on the weekends. But I can’t “make” myself get out of bed. My reluctance to start my day really actually makes me sad. I suspect a lot of it has to do with life and job issues. It’s just hard to want to get up and deal with it. So I hit snooze and delay getting up.
I’m going to keep setting the alarm and keep telling myself that I’ll get up and start my day right. And I figure one of these days it actually has to happen!
[Reply]
I’m totally the same way. I used to stay up late and like to sleep in until the kids woke up. Recently I’ve started waking up early and having coffee with the husband. We’re up about 6 and he leaves at 6:50 for the day. It’s nice to have some quiet in the morning.
[Reply]
I am a morning person… but so are my kids! I’m assuming as they get a bit bigger this will change. And hoping too.
[Reply]
Sing it sister!
If I could evangalize ONE thing to new mothers it would be this: get up an hour or so earlier. I know we hear “sleep when the kids sleep” CONSTANTLY and so many people say that extra hour late night is their “me” time. I disagree.
I feel like I get ten extra hours in the day just by getting a jumpstart on my kids. As you say, I’m not terribly productive at first but just the act of being upright with a hot cup of coffee counts. I wake up slowly and then, get the urge to clean something or straighten something. Before I know if I’ve knocked something off my “to do” list and am ready to shower. Then wake the kids and interact with them.
Many of my friends scoff “oh but you’re just a MORNING person.” No, I’m really not. At all. I simply trained myself to be one through appreciating all the difference getting a jump start on the day makes.
On a perfect day I’m up, dressed, have the house in order, kids to school and dinner planned and oftentimes prepped – all before 9:00 a.m.
[Reply]