The Lazy Lark

I postedlast week about the effect that Gretchen Rubin’s book on habits, Better Than Before, had on me. This week I’m starting a new habit of running home from work (I’ll let you know how that works out in a later blog post) but the biggest impact that this book has had on my routine is on my mornings.

I have often heard that people are either Larks or Owl – that is, they prefer to be up early or up late. I have wondered about this as I am neither really, or so I thought. I loathe my alarm going off in the morning, but I hate sleeping the morning away. I like to squeeze as much as possible out of my day after work, but I am also no good at staying up late. So it seemed that I was whatever was left over from the larks and owls.

However, after reading Better Than Before, I decided to try and get a little more out of my day by utilising my mornings and going to bed a little earlier. I thought that an earlier start would allow me to actually have a little time to myself before work. I wouldn’t have to rush, I could nurse a cup of tea and read or cook myself a breakfast if I wanted.

Rubin recommends starting immediately, rather than waiting for the start of the week or the month. I started the next day, it was a Thursday and I admit I was tempted to put it off till Monday, but decided to take her advice and dive right in.

And, as it turns out, I am a lark. Which shocks no one as much as me. I am a comfort junkie and on days off with nothing planned, I love to stay in bed for hours at a time, knitting or reading. It’s always so cosy and warm – what’s not to love?

But I do like getting up early, who knew? My alarm goes off about an hour before I need to get up, which allows me enough time to shower, put moisturiser on (unheard of when I get up later), wash my hair, apply my make up and sort out tea, coffee and breakfast for the pair of us. I’m able to leave the house at a leisurely stroll, rather than scooping up my stray bits and pieces as I dash for the door.

I do have a confession to make though… I am a lazy lark. I don’t leap out of bed as my alarm goes off, throwing open the curtains to greet the day, happy to be awake. Oh no, I’m still horrified to be woken up and urged from my bed. And, if I’m honest, those optimistic dreams of getting in some knitting or reading before work haven’t really come to fruition (yet!) as I don’t get up until half an hour after my alarm goes off. I spend it snuggled in the covers, with that naughty but satisfying feeling of having a lie in.

I do still pack my bag and get my clothes ready the night before, to save time in the morning, as I’m not usually prepared for much thinking until I’ve had a cup of tea and something to eat. But I would like to try and get up that half an hour earlier once or twice, just to see what it’s like – perhaps I’d like it. Perhaps I’ll become a pre-work exercise fiend. Or perhaps I will simply cherish that half an hour of unrushed snoozing. Find what works for you, right?

Unfortunately, for the third week running, we are still without internet. So I apologise in advance for blog posts are without pictures and for any delay in responding to comments. Hoping to be back online as soon as possible!