Since Daylight Savings Time ended in the United States this Fall, I have been getting up at 4am every day. (I had been getting up at 5am, and so my body was used to that time.) Do I do it because I'm better than you? Am I more virtuous than all the night owls out there? Heck no!
I get up at 4am every day for two reasons. The first is for good sleep hygiene It's best to get up at the same time every day and go to bed when you get tired.
The second is that I learned I do not want to do much of anything after my work day. I don't want to do housework, read anything difficult, or work on any sort of side project. I will just sit and watch television while doom scrolling on my phone.
But, in the morning, I have more mental and physical energy. So, I use the mornings for "me time". Because I work from home, I have 5 hours to spend doing things I want or need to do. The house is quiet because everybody else is sleeping. So, I can have a quiet cup of tea and then read a bit. I can tidy up around the house so my head isn't cluttered with a chore list during my work day. I have time for my hobbies, and I have time to pursue side interests.
The lesson here is not that everybody should get up early. It's that you should find the sleep/work schedule that works the way you work. It's not about productivity. It's about making time for the things you enjoy or excel at during the time when you can give them your best.
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