Getting Back to an Early Morning Routine

Now that I’m working again, I’m trying to get myself back onto an early morning schedule. During the last two months, I never really slept in all that much – I’d still get up in the mornings, around the same time Liz did… and we continued our morning routine more or less. The only difference was that we’d walk down the block together, and I’d stop for coffee at New Wave, turn around, and go home.

In the past, I’d wake up super early and try to get things done before the day began. This was a schedule I adopted for a while, especially in grad school, back when I was doing real writing on a regular basis. That schedule came out of some really great advice from an old professor of mine, Bill Roorbach: to basically ensure that you get your most important work done, every day. Because if you don’t schedule time for writing, or for whatever it is you want to get better at… other things will fill up your time. If you keep waiting for that perfect window of time, the only thing you’ll get better at is waiting.

I’m testing things out this week, to see how early I can pull myself out of bed. A few years ago, when I had a project I was excited to work on, I could roll out of bed at 5:30 AM or earlier, excited to get to the keyboard. It’s been a while since that kind of energy’s taken over me, so we’ll see if I can make it more of a routine.

In addition to a new job, I’m going to be starting up with a new trainer at the gym this week. I’ve only ever really worked out in the mornings, and the only slot available was from 6-7AM. So at least one day a week, I’ll be doing the early morning routine… thinking about the old man at the gym. With me up early at least once a week, my hope is that it’ll be easier to follow suit, every other day.

I like the quiet of the early hours. The dark of the sky before dawn makes it hard to leave the bed, but there’s definitely a good feeling attached to how the sky begins to lighten as you’re sitting at a desk. Perhaps this is what people like about meditating – a feeling that the world slowly arrives to meet you. Or perhaps it’s the other way around.

[CC photo via niznoz]

Related:
Wakey Wakey: My Brief Appearance in Chicago’s RedEye
Up Late, Up Early