I just couldn’t keep up the pace. Several nights in a row of going to bed past midnight and getting up at 5:30 a.m. finally caught up with me.
And even sleeping in past 8:30 a.m. didn’t help.
When my 6-year-old bounced into my room at quarter ’til 9, I still wasn’t ready to get up.
“Mommy! Let’s go downstairs! I want to watch a movie! I want breakfast!”
“Mommy is tired, ” I said and pulled up my comforter.
My hubby, who had stayed up even later than I had, was just now stirring himself, and our 3-year-old was sandwiched in between us. We all three lay on a sheet-less bed because I had washed and dried them the night before but was too tired to put them on the bed before we fell into it the night before.
Even before I had gone to bed, I had decided to skip my 6 a.m. workout and reset my alarm for 7:30. But I missed the 8 a.m. workout as well.
I needed to work–to take advantage of having my teacher-hubby home during the summer to accomplish more writing. But there were clothes to be washed, a dishwasher to be loaded, breakfast to be cooked…
And my 3 and 6-year-olds had already begun the day with fighting.
Still groggy and fighting a headache, I nudged my husband: “I really need your help this morning. I know we’re both tired, but I just can’t do this today.”
Foggy brained, I stumbled down the stairs and started my cinnamon-coconut coffee–one big cup of joe will normally last me the entire day.
Not this day.
By the time I made it to the coffee shop to write, it was clear I needed something more. Green tea? That had been my usual on the Whole 30, yet that didn’t sound like enough.
I usually find a place to sit and set up my work station before ordering. Instead, this day, as soon as I walked into the coffee shop, I made my way directly to the counter.
It was then that I discovered I didn’t have my wallet.
I wanted to cry right there, but I stifled my tears. Wishing the shop owner would give me a IOU, I cringed and said: “Oh man–I don’t have my wallet. I guess I will just buy something tomorrow.”
She gave me a sympathetic look but no more.
I found a place to sit, and it then dawned on me that since I didn’t have my wallet, I wouldn’t have the money to buy lunch either. Little sleep+little caffeine+no food would equal one super grumpy Erin.
A meltdown mounted. (Yes, 33-year-olds can still have meltdowns, right?)
I lay my head on my laptop keyboard and started to cry.
Why am I so emotional? I wondered.
Oh yeah–that’s right. Lack.of.sleep.
It gets me every time.
My mentor, Holly, recently asked me what I thought it would take to really, truly exit survival mode.
I feel like I’ve really improved in this area in so many ways, but the missing link? Going to bed earlier.
“Honestly, Holly, I feel like if I would just discipline myself enough to get to bed at a decent hour, the pieces of the rest of my life would sync so much better. I’d be a better wife, a better mom, a better homemaker, a better writer and business owner.”
Because you see–when I stay up late…I get half the amount of work done during that time than I do during the day. Instead of checking things off of my to-do list, I end up playing on Facebook. I don’t think as clearly because my brain is already tired. And then I get half the amount of work done the next day because I’m sleep deprived.
image via pixabay.com
After attempting to compose myself in the coffee shop that day, I called my husband to see if he could at least locate my wallet.
“Check my pink gym bag?”
Nope, it wasn’t there.
“What about hanging up on the coat rack?”
Nope, not there either.
And then it hit me. I must have left it in the car the night before.
Relieved that my wallet was at least somewhere nearby but dreading moving because, well, I was tired, I began the 4 1/2-block walk back to my mini van. I had purposely parked it far away to get in a bit of exercise on my way to the coffee shop.
As usual, the brisk walk lifted my mood.
Sure enough, my wallet was there.
Back at the coffee shop, I sipped on a honey bee latte, began work with a renewed energy and resolved to let what sabotaged my morning routine to not ruin my entire day.
Check out my morning routine here.
Do you have a morning routine? What sabotages your morning routine?
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Heather @ My Overflowing Cup
I am guilt of this one for sure! My hubby and I are both night owls, and mornings are difficult for us. When his business was busy, he worked a lot at night so we have created that habit. I do believe that if we would be self-disciplined enough to go to bed earlier, we would be able to get up earlier, and our days would be more productive. Old habits are hard to break, aren’t they? It is especially difficult during the summer when it doesn’t get dark until 9:30 -10 pm. Or is that just an excuse to stay up later? Anyway, thank you for the reminder that we probably need to get a little more disciplined about our bedtime. So glad you found your wallet!
Leesha @ Living Contently
I can TOTALLY relate, Erin, and I don’t even have little ones…Keeping the regular routine up gets so difficult when circumstances prevent the appropriate bedtime (even if those circumstances are self-induced). My husband and I have been trying to get in a better routine of waking up, but late nights at work have been hindering that a bit. I shared some research on how to “catch up” on sleep on my blog last weekend that I thought you might find interesting – To Sleep In, Or To Not Sleep In. Here is to trying to commit to going to bed earlier!
Rebecca
100% Yes! This blog post needs to be reposted to every mom in America. Love your candid, funny style 🙂
Jennifer
Your words rang true with me. Earlier this year I had myself trained to go to bed at 9 p.m. It gave me so much energy.
Then summer came and with longer daylight I was having trouble going to sleep that early. So I got into the habit of staying up later and later. I’ve been doing to sleep around midnight lately and its killing me.
The thing is, if I go to bed early, I can get up early and get more done in less time than if I had stayed up late trying to do the same work. But I’m so stubborn!
Kristen Smith
Guilty, guilty, a million times guilty! I really struggle with this. It’s a constant battle. By the time our five children are in bed, I just want to stay up to enjoy the silence and some time with my hubby. When I try to get up early, they always do, too, but then I fall into the bad cycle of late nights, later mornings, later nights, later mornings… No good!
With our homeschool starting I really need to commit myself to being in bed my 11 at the latest. It’s something I’ve never been able to master as a homeschool mom!
Haleigh
For me it’s a combination of going to bed late and hitting the snooze button. I find that even if I go to bed late, if I don’t hit the snooze button and just wake up right away. I won’t be nearly as tired as I am when i hit the snooze button over and over again. I don’t try to make a habit of staying up late though. It does catch up with me and wear me down.
Erin
I can totally see where hitting the snooze button would also be a hindrance!