Now that school has started and my schedule is filling up, I realize my summer flow of getting work done in the morning/early afternoon and having free time the rest of the day is drastically shifting. Morning Zoom classes along with working all afternoon have taken over my preferred work time, and although this was anticipated, I wasn’t quite expecting the toll this would have.
Throughout my schooling, I’ve trained myself to start homework right away so I don’t have to dwell over it as I’m trying to enjoy leisurely activities. “Feared things first” is the motto my mother engraved in my head, and once I began to take her advice, I found life to be a lot less stressful (and I haven’t had to pull an all-nighter since middle school). But now that the bulk of my day is occupied/filled up, I have to reallocate when I do my homework, and that has resulted in exhausting late night study sessions. Some people claim they’re most focused at night, but that is certainly not the case for me. I get distracted more frequently because all I want to do is relax and I’m not nearly as sharp as I am in the morning. I expressed my lack of motivation to my mom who provided me with a simple solution: Go to bed early and get up earlier instead. Uh, duh. Why didn’t I think of that?
Sleep has always been a priority for me, and I refuse to let my workload encroach on my wellbeing. So to suddenly be continuously faced with choosing between sleep or homework was startling. I proceeded to take my mom’s genius advice, and for the past week I’ve been in bed by nine and up by five. I must say, receiving a solid eight hours of sleep prior to doing work has done wonders for my focus and mental alertness. I am refreshed and motivated to tackle my agenda and I don’t even feel tempted to look at my phone (since no one else is up that early). I’m enjoying my new routine, there’s something peaceful about being the only one awake. Rising in the early morning leaves me laser-focused, ultra-efficient, and ready to plow through my to-do list.
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