Becoming a Morning Person (as a Former Night Owl)

Has there ever been a piece of advice that you received from a more seasoned mother that you scoffed at? For me it was advice to wake up early and get tasks done before the baby wakes up. I always thought people were crazy for suggesting that. I am not a morning person.

My son is three now, and at the beginning of the summer, after school let out, I found myself struggling to find balance in my life. I wasn’t able to go to the gym as much as I had been going before, and I was struggling to carve out space for my small business tasks. So . . . I begrudgingly became a morning person. Here are some lessons I’ve learned.

Adults need routine just as much as toddlers.

I think we tend to forget that humans need routine to an extent. Structure helps calm the chaos in our minds. Ever since I started to wake up early to start my day a few hours before my son, I have felt great improvements in my mental health. I feel like I can think a bit more clearly, I get more tasks checked off my to-do list, and I feel that I am also filling my cup. As the saying goes, you cannot pour from an empty cup.

I don’t feel more tired.

One of the biggest fears I had about waking up early to start my day was that I would feel even more tired throughout the day. This hasn’t been the case. As parents, I think we all function on a level of tired, but I would say that getting up early hasn’t really affected this. I still feel the normal “mom tired” but nothing more, and sometimes I even feel slightly more energetic.

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Nature heals.

There is something magical about the healing powers of nature. I have enjoyed being up before the sun comes out and experiencing the quietness of the day. It helps me feel more centered, and I am able to connect more with myself.

Chronic night owls, try it.

For my self-proclaimed night owls, like me, I suggest trying this out. You may hit a rut in your life where the routine, or lack thereof, is keeping you stagnant and frustrated. As resistant as we can be to change, I suggest giving this a try.

You may hate it, you may love it, or like me, you may just hate that the morning people were right!

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