As I started to pursue a job in the field of work that I was going to college for, I decided that it was important for me to get on a “good” sleep schedule and become more of a morning person as office jobs are typically an 8-4 (or 9-5) type of schedule and that would require me to be alert and in a positive mood in the mornings. I do not consider it to be acceptable to arrive to work half asleep; the company is paying you to work, and I think that you should be giving 100% first thing in the morning. One of my biggest peeves in the office environment is when someone tells me that I cannot come to them with work questions until a good hour after the workday started.
I started going to bed quite early every night (when I could, sometimes my old work schedule did not allow this) and waking up early every day. My friends started calling me a grandma (do not take offense if you are a grandma) because of my early bedtime. I was quite the buzz kill. The way I looked at it though was that it would benefit me in my career and so it was worth it to me to be a buzz kill.
I am very much a creature of habit and enjoy a consistent morning schedule. Before I head off to work, I like to be able to take the time to drink coffee, check my e-mail, browse the many social media platforms that I use, and check my bank account (always watching that money!).
Midway through 2014, I decided that it was important for me to spend time reading the Bible and pursuing a deeper relationship with Jesus. Because I am always exhausted after work and I usually have to do homework as well, I decided that mornings were the best time to spend with Jesus. Due to my habitual nature, I knew that I needed to wake up even earlier if I wanted to be able to spend time checking e-mail and whatnot before work. Let me tell you, it was the best decision of my life. There is nothing better than spending time with Jesus before the day has started; I have never been happier. It is also amazing to see that even when I go over my “scheduled” (really, scheduling a time slot for God probably isn’t the best thing) time with Jesus, I still manage to get everything done that I want to. God’s power is amazing in how He is able to bend time and events in my favor and I am able to accomplish more in less time after I have spent time with Him. In these cases, sometimes I end up way ahead of “schedule”.
So here it is: I think that anybody can become a morning person if they just take the time to change their schedule and mindset. If you are having trouble changing your mindset, ask God for help—He will help you.
It has been over two years since I changed my schedule and I believe that becoming a “grandma” has benefited me in various ways; I was able to get over my morning crankiness (that took more time than becoming a “grandma”) and am now a very productive person in the morning (at home and at work). I now wake up at 5:00 a.m. every morning (except on weekends—I sleep in until 6 or 7) and am typically in my bed by 8:00 p.m. (lights out by 9 p.m.).
For me, it is important that I get ready for bed a good hour before I “need” to be asleep; my body needs time to wind down. I typically watch something on Netflix or YouTube on my iPad or read a book until I cannot keep my eyes open any longer. If I just drop into my bed at 9:00 o’clock, I will be awake for hours! That is my biggest tip to you: if you want to start going to bed early, try starting a routine that gets you into your bed to wind down for at least 30 minutes before you want to fall asleep.
Are you a morning person? Or no? Please let me know in the comments!
