I typically get up around 5 am these days. I have a quick little workout, make my coffee, do some writing and maybe practice guitar before the kids wake up. All of that depends on one thing. Sleep. If I get to bed too late, or can't get to sleep then I change my alarm to get an extra hour of shut eye.
The end result of a later night, and a disruption in my morning routine is the morning rush. Kids are flying around with no actual intent other than to make noise it seems. The stillness of the morning is missed. It's waking up in a tent in a wind storm instead of the cottage on the lake on a glorious still day. I used to wake up in that storm every single morning. I would sleep until I absolutely had to get up, get ready quick and out the door. There is little preparedness in that style and often times it left me reacting to the days issues.
Now my time is scheduled more than ever. It starts as I mentioned with the first two hours of my day before anyone else is really up and mobile...other than my trusty old pooch Gibson. I have a plan for the rest of the day, but it is just that...a plan. The best ones I have learned are flexible. Every intent is made to stay true to the plan; however, as it happens things change and need to be modified. Last night, Luke had a game that ended at 9:30 pm. I got home close to 10 pm which my watch is set to tell me every evening is bed time. If you have tiny people that resemble you in your house, you will know that it just isn't possible then to enter the house, take off your shoes, brush your teeth and hit the quilts in that case. There are the usual shenanigans of encouraging them to brush their teeth, stop the horseplay, no you can't watch a show right now, and go to bed. I don't blame them. Getting off the ice at 9:30 the adrenaline is still pumping a bit and needs some time to level off.
The whole point is, I knew that it was going to be difficult this morning to get up at 5. I was willing to do it as I had my alarm set, but that was if I ended up getting a few winks. I won't wake up at 5 and workout for some badge of honour that I am not going to be presented. I do it for me. Today I needed that extra hour sleep or I would have slept less than 5 hours. I wasn't waking up to make a flight to Mexico so the squeeze isn't worth the juice in that case. Now the difference is that I am prepared for that. I saw that coming, so this morning I was comfortable with the chaos. I didn't get that calm when I got up, but I was braced for it and was still able to sneak this blog in after they left. There was a plan B, an escape route if you will.
It isn't a morning that I want every day, but once in awhile it's fine. I would rather take the "off day" for getting up early in order to continue to have the ability for the rest of the week. Trust me, I am the last guy of anyone that really knows me well that anyone would have thought would get up that early and schedule my day, but in the end it gives me freedom. I know that sounds like the antithesis to freedom, but it does. Though a plan is in place well the old adage holds true that life is what happens when you are busy making plans; so I am not crushed when it doesn't go according to plan. It has taken some time to get to get to a point like this, but I feel I am more productive now than ever before.
Now if you will excuse me, I have to get to my next appointment....and I don't want to have to be in a rush.