Has anyone changed their getting up time to being very early?

[Bemyclementine]

Something I'm wondering about. I'm single, separated. 2 DC. By the time they're in bed I'm done. No hope of being productive. I'm wondering if I should try and get up early (5?) and try and get stuff done then. (The problem being the DC might wake up which would render the idea pointless)

Has anyone done this? I usually end up pottering ineffectively then watching TV til too late.

I am shit in the morning but there is a whole thing about this
Google miracle morning

I'd be in a foul mood all day. Don't worry about what's not done. Enjoy your downtime once the kids are asleep. Don't burn yourself out. I'm sure you do enough already as a single parent and deserve some downtime once the kids are settled.

@TokenGinger Well thank you, this has been my approach so far. But my house is turning into a bit of a tip with "stuff". I do worry I'd be grumpy abd would have to go tobed at the same time as the DC.

I’ve never been a night owl but since having DD (now 9) I have no interest in staying up at all, unless I’m having a glass of wine!

I’m usually in bed well before 9, but I read / sometimes watch something in bed, or whatever. I wake before 6 and am out walking the dog before 7. Early morning is my favourite time of day, so this works for me!

@devildeepbluesea before the children I was up early, walking dogs, feeding horses etc. Now though, I can't face dragging them out early with me. (No dog anymore). I struggle with the lack of time alone/quiet time so have it late at night.

Why not give it a go? I love it when I can manage it.

I have been drinking less wine getting up half an hour before the dc and getting myself sorted before they wake, makes the mornings so another hour/hour and half might work miracles!

@Bemyclementine tricky. But why not try to embrace an early bedtime and read a book or watch tv on the iPad in bed? My bedroom is my haven, my quiet place and I still feel that this time is “me” time.

If you are worn out when they go to bed and find you could gradually go to sleep earlier, then 5am isn’t too early and is a great idea to get an hour of premium time back for yourself.
Agree will be pointless if they also wake up 😁

Yes - I do. But not by choice, my 4 and 2 year old are awake and raring to go by 5.30. I get my productive things done early - washing, sorting school snacks for the 4 year old, making sure 2 year olds nursery bag is okay to go etc. I also often start my working day early if the kids are happily playing in the lounge - I bring my laptop down and get some admin done while I'm drinking coffee - respond to straightforward emails etc.
My working day is then often finished earlier than it otherwise would have been, and I can chill/read in the evening and be asleep by 930

Definitely don't waste your evenings cleaning! I do what cleaning and tidying I can in the half hour or so of their TV time before bed, and then that's it.

This is absolutely my dream but it will never happen

after ten years of parenthood I’m getting worse at sleeping just as my kids are starting to improve. I’ve found I can often get an hour of work done before everyone wakes up. It suits me as I’m useless after 9pm.

@Eileen101 that was me a few years ago, they're 5 abd 7 now and sleep til 7, but don't go to bed til 8.30! I found it much easier when they were in bed by 7 and up early.

I just dont seem to be able to get anything done when they're awake.

I'm not a single mum but work 4 days and DH works afternoons and late evenings, so all the after school and bed stuff (and often morning if he's not finished til 3/4am) is on me. I'm the same - once they're both asleep I'm done for. House isn't as tidy or clean ss I'd like, I'm always behind on the washing. But getting up early doesn't work either as it just leads to more sleep deprivation. I keep reminding myself these are a few short years and eventually they won't need such intensive attention at these times of days

I typically wake up at 5am and get loads done! I love that time of morning. I also have a coffee , tit around on the internet (reading stuff, but also doing jobs) and do my affirmations/ journalling etc (see Miracle Morning etc) and then exercise. I just love it, it's my favourite time of the day. I get in the shower at 7.30 and get the kids up then. I also tidy the kitchen, sort the dishwasher and put a wash on.

I don't need much sleep, but generally do go up to bed at around 10 unless I'm out. I then spend some time reading in bed which I also love. I love my bed.

I get more done in the 6-7am window than I do the 6-9pm window. Granted it’s harder in the winter but Spring/Summer I can set my alarm for 5.50am and get straight up, tidy, do washing, prep a meal (even if it’s just the veg for the evening meal or stick stuff in the slow cooker and put back in the fridge until late morning when I turn it on).
Today I was up at 6am, had two washes done and outside by 7.30am, stripped and changed the bed, made packed lunches, tidied up/brushed the kitchen floor, had a shower, dressed and was sitting with coffee/toast with all my jobs done by 7.45am. I start work at 8am (WFH) and it makes my day calmer and easier.

I get a lot done in mornings. Although my kids are older so they don’t need my attention. I was at my desk wfh this morning at 8 after doing dishes, putting wash on, feeding dog, tidying house and getting packed lunches done. I’m in a good routine now but only because my body clock allows it. 15 years ago I couldn’t get out of bed for love nor money and that was when I needed to. Now I don’t need to I wake up early! Typical.

If the DC weren't here I'd get loads done 🤣 on the very very rare occasion they're not here, I don't lay in, I'm up and getting stuff done.

My Dad went to work at 3 in the morning when I was growing up. Often, usually more in the summer, Mum would get up too. She'd done half a day's housework by the time we went to school! We would often wake as well. Sometimes we would do homework, or help her, or we'd all go out for a walk! Although it was dark when Dad went it wasn't long before it got light. It felt like "extra hours", even though we went to bed relatively early.

We did this less in autumn and winter. Mum would still be an early riser, we all are (I was in work by 6.30 this morning not 8.30) but Im not quite as early as 3 anymore.

Give it a try. I think some people find mornings easier that nights, and vice versa.

I used to do this when my children were young (had useless (now ex) H who would roll out of bed and leave for work, never had a care for how chores were done)

I'm still an early riser, I leave for work around 6.30 am, and I like to have my bed made and breakfast stuff tidied away before I leave. I'm very very definitely a lark though, so it's not hard fo

FFS ... not hard for me to do it. You can try, OP, and see how it goes. You get used to being really quiet!

I do. I'm fit for nothing in the evenings and generally go to he'd by 9pm before which I'm doing dinner and trying to stay awake.

I get up at 5.30/6 and do 1 - 1.5 hours of housework in the mornings a couple of times a week. Sometimes I use the time to sit in the garden drinking tea, reading or playing my guitar. There's only me and my 16 year old daughter at home so there isn't too much mess. Laundry goes on overnight and I put it out in the morning before work too.

I do very little in the evenings and try to keep weekends free from housework as much as possible.

Tbh, I've always been an early riser though. If I wake up after 7.30am I consider myself to have had a lie in. Even at weekends/holidays.

I go through phases of doing this, sometimes to get more done and sometimes to find time for some yoga and meditation- get up, light a candle, the house is quiet. It’s lovely. Tends only to happen when I’m not drinking wine though.

This thread has inspired me to get back into it.

@DrivingHomeForChristmaaargh definitely easier with no wine. I do like wine though.