Keeping one step ahead of the sunrise

Before my kid came along, I was the type of guy who laid in bed until the last possible minute on a work day. After fourteen months of parenting, I’ve discovered that an early morning is the secret to a good day – or the last line of defense, at least, against a total write-off.

I’ve told you about my old resolution to start my days early, and I’m glad to say I’ve mostly stuck to it. What I didn’t know at the time is how much of a slippery slope it could become; as soon as I get used to getting up at a new time, I start thinking about getting up even earlier the next morning.

I’ve never considered myself a morning person, and to be honest, I still don’t. But I have discovered that I work really well in the mornings, and that giving myself a little time to breathe before I head to work makes me feel a lot less rushed throughout the day.

If I don’t take that time in the morning, I run the risk of forfeiting it for the day. After a full day at the office, I usually head straight home to spend some time with my kid. Once I’ve tucked her in, I’ve got an hour or two to spend with my wife before she heads to bed herself. If I wait until then to do my own thing, there’s a good chance I won’t have the energy to do it.

That’s why I value the mornings, any why I tend to crave more of them when things get busy. A 6:00 AM start is great, but imagine what else I could do in a day if I got up at 5:45 AM. And from there, a 5:30 AM start wouldn’t be much of an adjustment, right?

There’s a limit, of course. Rolling out of bed early in the morning is still often easier said than done. But when I push myself to do it, the rest of the day has a way of falling into place.

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