I always say that I’m not a morning person and never will be. Apparently my kids have other ideas. The older 3 all sleep in no problem. They’re sleeping right now in fact. But those twins seem to think waking up at 6am (regardless of the fact they were up until almost 10!) is a-ok. So to justify my early wake ups here’s why stay at home moms should wake up early.
So if you were wondering, yes, the twins are grumpy and whiny. The truth is, though, I’ve been meaning to wake up earlier. It’s finally summer which means the sun is already up. I have more energy (at least when I take my allergy meds).
Summer vacation also means I don’t have as much time to work. I used to work from a local coffee shop while the twins went to preschool 2 mornings a week. Now not only have I lost that, I also have to fight the older kids for my computer.
Benefits to Waking Up Early as a Stay at Home Mom
Apparently a lot of successful people are early risers. According to Forbes (and several studies) waking up early can lead to better grades in school, being more proactive, make you more likely to anticipate problems, a better planner, and more optimistic. These are all things every mom can benefit from in her day. Especially staying home with kids or working from home.
Apparently early risers also sleep better although I don’t know how an early alarm for me will stop my kids from waking me up. Sigh.
How the Season Affects Waking up Early
Even though I need to be up at 6:30 am every morning while the kids are in school summer wake ups are way easier. Where I live on the prairies our winters are long and cold. When we get up on school days the sun isn’t even up! And it’s down before the kids are even in bed.
The extra sunlight makes it a lot easier to get out of bed in the summertime. I also suffer from SAD (seasonal affective disorder). So do many people, often without realizing it. When that improves in the spring I always have more energy.
The other bad thing about summer is my seasonal allergies are bad. This year we seem to have a lot of pollen. I’m stuck taking meds every day if I want to have any kind of productivity.
Apparently you can also acclimate to the heat which lowers your energy.
Moms should wake up early and do this:
How many times have you woken up early but then wasted that time? Before you know it the kids are up and running around. Or they’re already up but being good and you spend 2 hours on Facebook. Here’s some ideas of what you can do with that time.
Get some exercise
It’s twice as hard to find time to exercise as a busy mom. Use waking up early as that time. Do a home work out or make arrangements with your partner to go outside or hit the gym.
Do some work
I like to use my time to get some blogging done, like right now. I also can easily bill some work for my clients in the early hours of the morning. Working while the house is quiet with a warm cup of coffee is the best. Bonus points for watching the sunrise. This is also a great time to take work outside.
Tidy up
My other favourite thing to do in the early morning. Sometimes you don’t get everything tidy in the evening so the morning is a great way to catch up. This is also the time to tackle bigger projects while no one bothers you.
Relax
Although I did mention wasting time on Facebook and doing nothing as a negative it is OK to relax. Pick up a hobby, play a game, or spend your time reading a great book. Whatever you enjoy. Just don’t come out of it feeling like you wasted your time.
Spend time with your partner
Sometimes those morning hours are a great way to steal a bit of extra time with your partner. Especially if you’re both busy in the evenings or they work late. Enjoy a cup of coffee together and just talk. In peace.
What I’m doing
I’m planning on doing a bit of all these things! I’m so busy and always need a few extra hours in the day anyway. A few months ago a psychologist actually told me that the best thing for sleep isn’t what time you go to bed – it’s waking up at the same time every day. I’m going to try it.
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