Photo by diana827
“I am up before the sun.
My day is full of moments and I make them all count.
I see that my needs are met.
I am strong and reliable.
I always want to feel this alive.”
I cut this quote out of a magazine ad many years ago and stuck it in a journal for inspiration. I don’t even remember what the advertisement was for (Running shoes? Granola bars?) What I do remember is that reading it then provided me with a sense of balance… a visualization that brought instant relaxation… and the same is true today. Making moments count, meeting needs, feeling strong… yep, that equals balance for me.
The key to this quote for me, though, is the first line: “I am up before the sun.” This has been an important part of my quest for balance. I’ve often wished for more hours in the day, more time to get things accomplished. And while my earnest wishes haven’t been granted, I have found that early rising helps. I don’t consider myself a morning person. I’m not one of those folks who can wake up early without the alarm, or who is chipper and energetic right out of bed. Quite the opposite is true. My husband jokes that he waits to talk to me until I’ve been awake for a couple of hours and had my breakfast and cup of tea. Before then, he usually only gets grunts and dirty looks in response to his questions.
But I have found that rising before the sun and before the rest of my household allows me more time for myself. I often use that time for exercise, or reading, or writing (this post, for example), or whatever suits me that day. I have that time to gather my thoughts, fully wake up, and gain motivation for the rest of the day. As soon as everyone else gets moving and the sky turns orange with the peeking of the sun, the day kicks in to high gear quickly. Having some time to bring it in slowly before then brings a sense of balance and much-needed me-time.
If you are interested in trying this early rising as a method to balancing work and family roles, there are a few tips that may be helpful.
· First, adequate sleep is a must. None of us function well on less than optimal sleep, and so we have to make time for shut-eye. That means that in order to rise early, you must go to bed early as well. An average of 8 hours is suggested by most sleep experts (although some people require more or less), so plan your schedule accordingly. I have tried to stay up late, thinking surely I will be able to get up with that alarm… but when it goes off a few hours later, I’m tired and unmotivated. So, early to bed, early to rise.
· Establish a consistent sleep pattern. Go to bed the same time each night (even weekends) and get up the same time each morning (yep, even weekends). Our bodies are like biological clocks. Once they get accustomed to a routine, they stick with it. Two weeks is usually all it takes to establish a new sleep routine, so figure out your optimal pattern, and stick with it.
· If you have other people in your home who are impacted by your wake time, talk with them about your plans. Nothing hampers good intentions to rise early more than an unsupportive partner who complains about the alarm going off before the sun rises or who keeps you up later than you’d like at night. Come up with a plan that works for everyone and that is realistic for you.
· Use the alarm! Yes, sleep experts indicate that if you are getting adequate sleep and are maintaining a healthy sleep pattern, you should not need an alarm to wake up. I have found, however, that especially when starting out with a new schedule, you need some additional help. The alarm ensures you stick with your plan and provides some extra motivation in those early hours to rise and shine.
· Plan an enjoyable activity for yourself ahead of time that you will want to engage in upon rising. If you have something fun to look forward to, you will be much more motivated to get up early. This is a great time to get in some exercise or have some quiet time for hobbies. Make sure what you plan is realistic (no drum practice if you have others at home, for example!) and something you look forward to.
· Reap the benefits! Try your new schedule for 2 weeks and see how it makes you feel. Do you have more energy later in the day? Do you get more accomplished by having that extra time in the morning?
Early rising ensures you have a full day of moments that you can make count. It starts you off in a state of relaxation, as opposed to a hair-on-fire mode of hurry, hurry, hurry. So give it a try and see if being up before the sun can be part of your simple balance.
What do you think about early rising?
My day is full of moments and I make them all count.
I see that my needs are met.
I am strong and reliable.
I always want to feel this alive.”
I cut this quote out of a magazine ad many years ago and stuck it in a journal for inspiration. I don’t even remember what the advertisement was for (Running shoes? Granola bars?) What I do remember is that reading it then provided me with a sense of balance… a visualization that brought instant relaxation… and the same is true today. Making moments count, meeting needs, feeling strong… yep, that equals balance for me.
The key to this quote for me, though, is the first line: “I am up before the sun.” This has been an important part of my quest for balance. I’ve often wished for more hours in the day, more time to get things accomplished. And while my earnest wishes haven’t been granted, I have found that early rising helps. I don’t consider myself a morning person. I’m not one of those folks who can wake up early without the alarm, or who is chipper and energetic right out of bed. Quite the opposite is true. My husband jokes that he waits to talk to me until I’ve been awake for a couple of hours and had my breakfast and cup of tea. Before then, he usually only gets grunts and dirty looks in response to his questions.
But I have found that rising before the sun and before the rest of my household allows me more time for myself. I often use that time for exercise, or reading, or writing (this post, for example), or whatever suits me that day. I have that time to gather my thoughts, fully wake up, and gain motivation for the rest of the day. As soon as everyone else gets moving and the sky turns orange with the peeking of the sun, the day kicks in to high gear quickly. Having some time to bring it in slowly before then brings a sense of balance and much-needed me-time.
If you are interested in trying this early rising as a method to balancing work and family roles, there are a few tips that may be helpful.
· First, adequate sleep is a must. None of us function well on less than optimal sleep, and so we have to make time for shut-eye. That means that in order to rise early, you must go to bed early as well. An average of 8 hours is suggested by most sleep experts (although some people require more or less), so plan your schedule accordingly. I have tried to stay up late, thinking surely I will be able to get up with that alarm… but when it goes off a few hours later, I’m tired and unmotivated. So, early to bed, early to rise.
· Establish a consistent sleep pattern. Go to bed the same time each night (even weekends) and get up the same time each morning (yep, even weekends). Our bodies are like biological clocks. Once they get accustomed to a routine, they stick with it. Two weeks is usually all it takes to establish a new sleep routine, so figure out your optimal pattern, and stick with it.
· If you have other people in your home who are impacted by your wake time, talk with them about your plans. Nothing hampers good intentions to rise early more than an unsupportive partner who complains about the alarm going off before the sun rises or who keeps you up later than you’d like at night. Come up with a plan that works for everyone and that is realistic for you.
· Use the alarm! Yes, sleep experts indicate that if you are getting adequate sleep and are maintaining a healthy sleep pattern, you should not need an alarm to wake up. I have found, however, that especially when starting out with a new schedule, you need some additional help. The alarm ensures you stick with your plan and provides some extra motivation in those early hours to rise and shine.
· Plan an enjoyable activity for yourself ahead of time that you will want to engage in upon rising. If you have something fun to look forward to, you will be much more motivated to get up early. This is a great time to get in some exercise or have some quiet time for hobbies. Make sure what you plan is realistic (no drum practice if you have others at home, for example!) and something you look forward to.
· Reap the benefits! Try your new schedule for 2 weeks and see how it makes you feel. Do you have more energy later in the day? Do you get more accomplished by having that extra time in the morning?
Early rising ensures you have a full day of moments that you can make count. It starts you off in a state of relaxation, as opposed to a hair-on-fire mode of hurry, hurry, hurry. So give it a try and see if being up before the sun can be part of your simple balance.
What do you think about early rising?
Posts
I get up at 5 a.m. every day so that I can have some "me" time before my son wakes up. I go for a run, take a shower, and generally get my head on straight for the day. Something about seeing the sun gradually illuminate the world makes me excited about what else might be revealed that day.
ReplyDeleteAlso, although I naturally wake when I "ask" myself to the night before, my internal alarm is not 100% reliable and thinks a 30 minute window on either side of my request is adequate - but I detest being jangled awake by the sound of most alarms. My husband bought me an enzo clock, and it is so much nicer to be awakened by the gentle sound of gongs than the abrasive "WONK WONK!" of an alarm clock.