Start Overcoming Busy Right Now – Early Morning Prep Time
January 8, 2010 by Marci
Our “Start Overcoming Busy Right Now” took a little hiatus over the holidays. Well, it’s back for the new year and no one needs it more than I. In our house, this is the first week back to our “normal” schedule and it is kicking my butt! I am not keeping up with all I need want to do during the day. It seems I am constantly playing catch-up all day long.
At first, I blamed it on my kids. I thought they were just to demanding and needy. I mean, really, they wanted me to stop my reading to make them breakfast? Then, they wanted to do an art project in the kitchen. The nerve! I hadn’t cleaned up the kitchen from breakfast! Then, I blamed my unorganized home. Why else would toys be all over the living room, unfolded laundry be piled up on my bed and mail be scattered over the kitchen island? Last, I blamed the lack of hours in the day. No matter how late I stay up, I can’t get it all done. What happened over the holidays to make time speed up?
This morning, as my daughter woke me up and I gasped at the time on the clock, I realized the real theif of my time and sanity. It wasn’t my kids. They were fine. My house is pretty organized when I take the time to actually put things away! So, what was it? It was me! I had gotten used to staying up late and sleeping in over the holidays. I have still been keeping those hours this week. It just doesn’t work.
That brings us to this week’s way to start overcoming busy right now. Get up early. I mean before anyone else, when the house is still quiet. Prepare for the day while no one is clambering for your attention. Take your shower. Fix your hair and makeup. Spend your quiet time reading and praying up for the day. Get your computer time in. Prepare the kids’ breakfast. Start a load of laundry. Whatever you need to do to get your day started off right. If you are not playing catch-up all day long, your day will go so much smoother and your stress levels will be so much much lower. By just getting up a little earlier in the morning, you will be prepared for whatever the day holds. Getting up early also means going to bed earlier at night. That might take some adjustments to your nighttime routine and some discipline.
It looks like tonight I will be going back to a earlier bedtime so I’ll feel like waking up before the kids tomorrow. I am not a morning person, so this is not the easiest practice for me, but is it so rewarding. I am excited about actually staying on top of things again.
Do you need some extra prep time in the morning? Do you wake up before your kids? What is your morning routine?
Comments (8)
I so need this right now. This is my hardest resoution to keep. I can make it to the gym, cut out cheese and weeknight drinks, but getting up early – or even on time – forget about it. When I manage it my day is AMAZINGLY brighter.
Oh my goodness, I could swear you are my lost long sister! LOL. I love this, I am so behind this week and now I am beating myself up. But you are right! Get up earlier! Wow! That’s my answer!
Thanks and great post girl!
Marci- this is so true…the earlier the better. I always get up before my kids…those few quiet moments, (before the fighting over the space heater in the kitchen) are so precious to me. It does help clear your mind and organize my thoughts.
DO I need some early morning quiet time? Oh YES! Do I make sure it happens?? Not nearly…It’s been on my mind a lot though and I’m going to make more of an effort for sure. I’m such a night owl at heart, I find it so hard to say goodnight when theres so much fun to be had creating, reading, relaxing, enjoying time with hubby all UN-interrupted!!
What time do you usually go to bed and rise when you’re on an early time frame?
Usually, I go to bed at 11pm and read for a while and then get up at 7am. My goal is to start going to bed at 10pm and getting up at 6:30am at first and working back to 6am. I made the 10pm last night but still got up at 7 today!! Lets see what tomorrow holds!
Thanks for the good reminder. I have been getting up early since my husband has been leaving around 6:30 for work. But I haven’t been making use of the time. I need to put some routine in my early morning time. I am not a morning person either. SO I force myself to get up to see my hubby off and it really helps me stay up. (Especially if I make the bed before he leaves.
I know this would start the day off great, but getting up early is the problem. Like you, I am not a morning person. I would LOVE to be able to get up early enough to have those things accomplised before anyone else rises…maybe I will give it a try for a week and see what happens (if I survive). ha ha!
Thanks for the nudge to try. I think I need to go to bed now.
Marci, I don’t want to hear this! I like my bed. I like my sleep. I like justifying how it’s okay to hit the snooze button twenty times…
But you’re right, oh so right. I KNOW, know know know that my day is a hundred times better when I show a little self-discipline. I’ve been getting back into in the last week, but I’m still struggling with my lapse of routine over the holidays… and my own laziness, heehee.
Thanks for the challenge and reminder.