Basically, I'm a lazy person. That doesn't mean I don't work hard at doing things, but my nature is to take it easy... I won't go into my life's story and try to blame my mother for the way I turned out, but I have had to learn to run a home by trial and error...lots of error! And, believe me, our first several years of marriage were no bed of roses...poor Roger...he's a saint! Anyway, having lived a few years now, I know myself a little better and know that I operate best when there's structure in my day. As a matter of fact, I've been surprised at how calm and peaceful it can be when you set goals and boundaries in your life, not just with what you want to get done for the day, but in what you choose NOT to do (sports activities, church activities, computer,etc..). I was reading Crystal's blog and I've been re-inspired to get something in my life taken care of: My morning routine. I had mentioned in a previous post that I love to sleep. I like napping and can do it just about anywhere and at any time of the day. I like laying in bed after I wake up and just thinking... or praying... or listening to my Littles as the are getting around downstairs. Here's my dilemma... I have 5 children between the ages of 6-16. The bottom 4 are home schooled and my oldest goes to school. When they were younger, I taught them how to get their own breakfast. This was during the childbearing years when, between sleepless nights and nursing, my poor older kids wouldn't have had breakfast until 10:00 a.m. if they didn't learn how to do it themselves. However, this has allowed me to not have to be involved in breakfast...they can do it all by themselves. Well, now I feel like I'm missing out. I usually come downstairs as they are putting their dishes in the dishwasher (yes, we'll definitely continue with that!), but then my oldest is off to school while the younger are off to get ready for the day...etc... So, my little challenge to myself is to get myself up and downstairs to be a part of breakfast. Unfortunately, this means I'll need to get up earlier. Ohhhh, I wish I was a morning person. I WANT to be a morning person. In order to meet this goal, I will have to make myself go to bed earlier. So, here it is...
I, Trish Y., do solemnly promise to do my very, very hardest to go to bed no later than 10:30 each night. It's official...you are my witness...
The rest of my oath...
--get up at 6:30 (quiet time and get dressed)
--7:00 - breakfast with family (unload dishwasher)
--7:30 - set out dinner, start a load of laundry, make sure kids are ready for the day, tidy kitchen
--8:00 - start school
What do you think? I'm going to start tonight, just to give myself a running start for next week. How is your morning routine? Any of you "morning people" have any tips on how to make the most of my mornings? Or, any of you "night owls" that have good morning routines...how do you do it!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
13 comments:
Peek at my blog from this morning.. we are on the same page.. but I plan to go to bed by 10:30 and sleep until 7:30 until I can try for 7...
I need LOTS of sleep. Also.. we don't start school until 9...
but, that aside.. I am striving for a better routine. It is VERY hard for me. I am not a structured person and left to my own devices... well.. lots of pajama time and reading involved!
Good luck on this.. we can support each other!!
You can do it!!! I've become less of a morning person over the years. I'm married to a non morning person. I think having kids has dragged me down a little too. I now value sleep.
Non morning people tend to be annoyed by morning people. Ask my high school Bball team. We had practice every morning from 6am thru 1st period. They didn't like it when I would sing show tunes with big smiles. ANNOYING!(apparently) Anyway, one of the easiest ways to "get going" is to make sure you do something! Like wash your face, brush/fix your hair, get dressed or brush your teeth **immediately. It sets your day in motion. Just by doing something small you tend to be more alert and not crave the bed so much.
Wishing you the best in your adventure!!
Oh, girl! Yes, I am guilty of laziness. I've resorted to praying for God to squish it out of me. I used to be so full of energy and gumption that I COULDN'T sit still and my husband would beg me to sit down with him for just a few minutes. That is back when my oldest 2 girls were around 5-7 years of age and youngest was baby/toddler so it seemed like I could get NOTHING done during the day and waited for hubby to be home so I could accomplish something. Now my girls are old enough to take care of themselves, and yes, they learned long ago how to fix their own breakfast and rinse/load their own dishes in the dishwasher (not that they always do that without harrassment from me!). Anyway...I've been back with flylady and trying to get back into routines, but haven't posted A LOT about it on my blog...just a little. My morning routine: Up by 7 (this can be hard for me, yet I used to get up at 5-5:30 everyday???), coffee/devotions, dress to the laces, swish-n-swipe master bathroom, start a load of laundry (7:30). Then, usually by a little before 8 I am fixing my own breakfast. I used to start school at 8, but had to be up at 6 for that! We start school at 9 now. Or try to. Like Sherri, it's hard when left to my own devices. Our first year homeschooling was spent in pajamas, mostly! I AM exercising and eating healthier, though...since Monday, LOL! One day at a time. I've given it to God and decided the battle is His, now. Maybe we can hold each other accountable through this? In a way it's comforting to know that you moms who have been homeschooling longer than I have, and have more children than I do, have some of the same troubles. On the other hand, I'm worried that I'm in a cycle that will keep repeating itself forever. (kinda like my weight: lose 20, gain 25, lose 15, gain 20..... for 12 years!!!) Sorry this turned into a post instead of a comment!!! ;0)
It probably would help if I didn't own a bed that "eats" me...or so we call it. It's so comfy and SO hard to pull myself out of...especially on cold mornings like we had today!!! :0)
Well now don't I feel better. I thought this was only MY personal daily burden to bear. I mean you seem so productive these days that I can easily forget you were once more like me.
I would absolutely love to be a morning person and as most of the people in my life are, I usually spend most mornings feeling like a total loser and/or freak. I find myself repeating "This could be the most important day of my life and I still wouldn't want to get up for it."
Would you like a cup of coffee with that depression Shannon? I'm usually over it by 10:00 or so but UGH, what a daily battle for enthusiasm. Sleep would always win if I could freely choose.
It IS really hard to make yourself go to bed though if wired this way. I've been wanting to make a concerted effort to get to bed again too so-High five Trish! We shall overcome?? :)
As a knowing night owl, I'll start praying for you now! LOL!! But really, way to go with the goals. I've heard it said that you need to do something 28 times (or something like that) for it to become habit. Only 28 more days to go!
Oh, and speaking of doing something to get your day in motion, I religously make my bed everyday. It is a little victory to get the day going. It also is a visual victory everytime I walk into my bedroom. It's done and looks so nice and peaceful!
Well, I think you know that I am neither a morning person, nor a night person. I'm pretty good between 10:00am and noon! Therefore I have no great advice for you. I will say, having children that can get their own breakfast sure beats flipping 20 pancakes with my eyes half shut! But I could never imagine missing the chatter around the breakfast table. So, I am up and present at the breakfast table. And for the days when there is no breakfast chatter, I figure I need to be there to keep them from falling asleep in their oatmeal!
I have felt for a long time that I am a night person by nature - always seemed to be in my high school and college years. And into motherhood, being up late at night seemed to provide me with plenty of uninterrupted time to do things. However, motherhood has also many times required me to be up earlier. So I think that I've slowly adapted to being a morning person. You will find many nights that I am ready for bed by 8:00p.m. (In fact, I went to bed around 8:00pm the other night!) I find that I really do like to be up early in the morning and my days go better when I've been able to have prayer and in-depth Bible study time to start my day off with (no matter what time that is). So be encouraged! Transitioning to early mornings can be done with a night person!! :) I'm proof of that! I still have to watch myself because it can be easy for me to slip into staying up later because I want to do some things during those quiet hours. :) As you work on transitioning to earlier morning times, remember it does take time to build a new habit.
Hope you have a great weekend!
Karen
Gotta tell you, this is just funny to me. I have no choice!! We're up by 5 or 5:30 every morning because that is when Fred gets up...and usually one of the two younger children. It doesn't really bother me as long as I go to bed by 10:30pm.
I have to make my coffee FIRST thing. Stand up, walk to coffee maker, turn on. Wait for coffee, DRINK, start day. :-) I can't even read my Bible before coffee. Brain doesn't work.
Then we relax, make beds, shuffle around until 7am when we do morning chores and eat breakfast.
On the weekends, though, Fred always lets me sleep until 9am and I LOVE it. Then I get up, and he naps. It's just great.
Phooey, he has to work all day tomorrow!
Are you up? Or does it not count on Saturdays? (Tell my kids that!!)
How's it going? I used to require much less sleep, 4 hours I could live fine. (My dad was like this too), but this past year had really worn me down and I understand why people ejnoy 6-8 hours a night. I posted about our routine from Crystal's blog also. I'm reading through Large Family Logistics.
OMG---I never knew there were so many night-owls in the world. I dutifully (is that a word?) got up with my husband and kids every morning and made breakfast (cereal) and was there----sort of.
Then when the kiddo's were in the 7th grade they asked me NOT to get up with them. Because as one of your friends said---non-morning people are CRANKY in the morning.
I have a REALLY HARD time getting up in the morning and my energy increases as the day goes on and thus it has ALWAYS been.....
I wish you good luck in sticking to a routine. I do believe it can happen if you practice over and over and over.....
Post a Comment