How to Have More Hours In a Day

I love 3-5 am! It’s hard for you to wrap your head around that time of day? When it comes to peace and quiet for me, 3-5 am takes the cake! I haven’t always been a morning person.  Several health issues, a couple of little humans springing out of my body at 40 years old and being an entrepreneur finally forced the behavior.  Clearly, I couldn’t ignore it any longer. So, I thought I would share the crazy logic that lead me to that decision. Please consider my top 5 reasons for a morning routine.

Never have enough time?

• Are you struggling with not having enough hours in a day?
• Just plain exhausted all the time?
• Do you have plenty of time for exercise?
• Been wanting to start journaling?
• Know your heart needs quiet reflection, prayer or meditation?
• Do you just need to get caught up on the laundry and the dishes?
• Want to read a book?
• Maybe you really just want to KonMari the heck out of your pantry or sock drawer.

Those were just a few of the missing pieces in my world.  Running a business, having kids, keeping a house somewhat together, and making sure everyone gets where they need to go can be exhausting.  Ever try to chill after dinner or your kids are in bed, watch a little TV or try to read a book and just end up falling a sleep? Me too!

Top 5 Reasons For An Early Morning Routine

1. Early to bed = healthy body:

   If you’re looking for heart disease, diabetes, irritability, scattered head and a foggy brain then staying up late, falling asleep on the couch and then moving to the bed, and wearing the badge of “I only need 4 hours of sleep” is the recipe! No? That’s not what you want?
   

2. Sleep quality = well rested.

   This plays off the natural rhythm thing.  You actually get better quality of sleep during the hours before midnight. Bedtime between 9-10pm is perfect if you want to be up and be well rested by 4-6 am. Melatonin rises as it gets dark, so by 9 pm-ish you will be chilled out.

3. Practicality = a clear head:

   I’m big on what makes sense. You’re at the end of your day, continuing to task away without rest, what is the quality of your work? How clear can you be? If you go to bed earlier,  tasks and work are more organized and you feel less scattered and pressured. I write early in the day, because my head is so cluttered in the evening, nothing would have been able to escape. Your brain is the biggest user of energy. It needs time rest to process all the input from the day.

4. No interruptions = soul self-care.

   This is my most favorite reason for my morning routine. Do not look at your phone or mindlessly scroll social media. No one is awake except the dog, quietly sleeping near my right shoulder on the top cushion of the couch. Hear that?  Shhh… Nope, me either.  Nothing to hear here. Because everyone is still resting peacefully upstairs in their cozy beds.  I am also cozy in my robe and blankets, hot coffee and a warm laptop to keep me company.
   This is when the soul care can happen.  Grab your hot lemon water, coffee or tea, grab your journal, meditate, do some yoga or exercise for 30 minutes, organize one thing. This is YOUR time. No one is bothering you, and your head is clear and rested.
   

5. Plan the day = less stress.

   When you have some extra time in the morning you create space for productivity.  You can make sure everyone has a ride lined up and lunches are ready to go, a couple loads of laundry are done, the kitchen is clean and ready to go for the day. If you see a conflict, you can handle it early instead of everything being last minute and stressed out. Even if you aren’t up at 4 am, what if you went to bed even 30 minutes earlier and got up 30 minutes earlier. What would your day look like when you have a plan?

The peace and quiet of the mornings are the best part for me. No one in my personal or energetic space. I can breathe. I can dream about what I want my life to look like in 10 years. What helps me embrace the early hours when I am awake for no apparent reason and can’t get back to sleep? I can get up and get some things done. I have learned to leave the dishes in the sink and the laundry in a pile, DVR my favorite shows and go to bed! All of those tasks can happen I the morning and I am going to be a happier camper all day.