Are You a Morning Person?

I have never defined myself as a "morning" or "night" person. I just kind of got things done when I needed to and adjusted my schedule accordingly.

As a college student, I liked my sleep but I was a biology major and it didn't matter what semester it was, there was always a class that I had to take that was scheduled for 8am MWF. Because I went away to college for 3 years TTh were chapel days so I was up relatively early on those days as well. Weekends? Well, I worked in the cafe to make my spending money and there was a great shift Saturday mornings - then I could enjoy the rest of the weekend (big picture concept). Church was on Sunday - whether I was singing at one with a music ministry team or actually going to a local church, I was up and moving relatively early. I graduated in the early 90's and entered the working world...I missed my opportunity to sleep in!

12 years later I had my second son and was no longer collecting a paycheck. I should be able to sleep in now, right? Not a chance. Even when Barber started to sleep through the night and would go 12 hours to 7am, Jeter would be up by 6 or 6:30am. That was our own doing - when I was working, I was out of the house by 6:30am and Jeter was already up. Simms would spend time with him and give him breakfast before dropping him off at our sitters by 7:15ish. This was 3 years of his life. He wasn't just going to be able to change and sleep in now! So, I defined "sleeping in" for me as the ability to not have to get up until 7am - knowing that had I still been teaching I would be up by 5:30am. This was pretty much my routine for the last two years - sleep until I heard Barber calling "mama, mama, mama" or until Jeter came in to the room to tell us what time he got up (we did make a rule that he could not leave his room until his clock said 7:00am).

Then I discovered FlyLady and determined that I needed to have a morning routine especially with Jeter starting Kindergarten. I admitted that for my own sanity I needed to get up by 6 or 6:30 am depending on what I needed to get done before the boys got up at 7am. This new routine worked and felt good. I still was sleeping more than when I was teaching...right?

Last week, I was assessing how the family was doing with the new routines (I like to tweak) and how it was working for me/us. What worked, what needed to be changed, etc? I determined that the morning routine, before bed routine and weekly cleaning schedule was working quite well. However, amidst this I didn't have a regular exercise routine in place and meal planning needed to be tweaked. The problem now is time. When would I find the time to fit this in? Time is usually the excuse why people don't fit in exercise. However, it is important for me, my personal health and for my children/family as well. I love to problem solve...can you tell?!?

Here are the solutions I came up with and have been working on this week:

1. Exercise. This would NOT work for everyone because guess where I found the extra time? In the morning. Yes, that means I am getting up even earlier! I get up by 5:30am now - just like when I was teaching. Gone forever is the myth of the stay-at-home mom that gets to sleep in until 8am (which NEVER happened for me). I am up 1-1/2 hours before ANYONE in my home. I go downstairs and exercise and then I am back upstairs by 6:30am for my shower. You may think that I am absolutely insane and maybe if I was in your shoes I would be, but this is actually working for me (at least it has been for the last 4 days)! I will admit this morning was one of those "I really don't want to get up...maybe I can just exercise later..." but I knew that I wouldn't have time later and if this is really important to me (which it is) then I need to get up. So I did.

2. Meal Planning. When I was working I utilized concepts of once-a-month cooking - prepare or cook meals and then freeze them. All you have to do is then cook or warm up the meal that day. I have desired to do this again but haven't yet...for over 2 years! So, I am going to do it again. I am actually doing my shopping today and then preparing the meals this evening, tomorrow and then finish up on Saturday (when Simms is home). The end result? 30 meals. Chicken Enchiladas, Italian Burgers, Creamy Chicken, Lemon Chicken, Sesame Chicken, Pistachio Chicken, Pork Chops, Pork Tenderloin, and Taco Salad, are a sampling of the menu I have prepared to start this fall. Can you tell we eat a lot of chicken?!?

In another 4 weeks, I will reassess how the changes are going and then determine what needs to be tweaked and what can remain the same. Tell you what...regardless of the results, I don't think I can get up any earlier!!!!!

I still don't know if I am naturally a morning or night person but I believe that I have become a self-made morning person if that is at all possible.