On a bright note I must admit that it felt good to end the challenge actually waking up before 5am, though it was for a completely different reason than work. This challenge was really fun to do -- it gave me blog fodder, challenged me to take a closer look at my morning/night routines, areas where I wasted time, and the benefits of pulling my life together and having some sense of time.
I'm not really one to participate in blog challenges, but this was something I'd been wanting to address and found it to be extremely helpful. Moving forward I think I'll continue to implement my abbreviated morning routine, along with setting a real schedule for going to bed and waking up.
What I Learned:
1. Waking up in the morning and NOT checking social media is a way to save time, ease into my day, and make sure that my foundation for the day isn't an instagram feed -- but instead I started praying before I stepped foot out of the bed and thinking about my intention for the day while I showered. I also consider walking my dog in the morning to be part of my meditation practice as it allows me to "zone out" and just feel my senses -- the sounds of the leaves as the wind passes through them, feel the morning air on my face, watch a beautiful sunrise... connect with my little 4-legged homey. It's awesome. Cutting back on certain things will allow for more time doing stuff I actually enjoy.
2. Sleep is really the foundation for having a good day. I've always been a fan of sleep, but I used to think getting 5-6 hours a night was adequate. I now realize (with the help of my fitbit) that I was living a lie and my sleep was in shambles. If I get 5-6 hours a night I'll be cranky, tired and usually rushing to get places. My new goal is a minimum of 7 hours a night, with 8 hours being the dream!
3. 5am is really too early for me to wake up during the winter. It's pitch black in Seattle and honestly too damn early to be doing anything. I do think 6-630a is a GREAT time to wakeup on most days. I'm going to adjust my alarm to include one for 6am, leaving my current one at 630a.
4. RUSHING IS FUCKING STUPID!!! Okay, this is something that most people probably know, but I just grasped how crazy it is to rush. Having time in the morning was great for my attitude, energy level, and job. I think this was my best week for getting to work at a great time each day in a LONG time. I'm proud of myself.
5. Preparation is key. I know that the more I can prep the night before, the more time I save in the morning (and can actually sleep in if I want lol). I think I'll start doing my hair more the night before AND picking out clothes for the next day. I'm definitely guilty of acting like I have nothing to wear and wasting time trying to pick an outfit. It's not a fashion show. It's not that serious. I'll pick something out cute the night before and have it ready to go in the AM.
