Anyone get up early for admin?

[IcarusFlies]

I want to try a new approach and set my alarm for say, 6-6.15, when I need to be up for the school run around 6.50-7, and use the time for a quiet cup of tea and lost importantly some admin! Has anyone got into this habit? Is it helpful? Any tips?

I do this, it's the best part of the day...sometimes I take the dog out, sometimes I do some yoga and meditate, make coffee, sit at the kitchen table and plan the meals for the week or clear my email.
It gets addictive, and I get really annoyed if I miss it.

Yes I get up at 5 and try to do a few hours before getting the kids up. But frequently my 4yo wakes as I go downstairs and that means 2 extra parenting hours, not great!

It’s a great way to get stuff done, but you only have so much energy in a day so it will run out a bit quicker at the other end.

O’d love to be an early riser to be able to do this. Just be very open minded about your intentions. You might find that actually having that peaceful relaxing start to the day makes you more able to focus during the day. Go with the flow and see what happens

I'm usually up by 6:00 and relish every minute of quiet time. Our household is all working adults but the others don't get moving until after 7:30ish so I love my time to potter, make lunch, have a coffee, enjoy the birdsong (this time if year) or watch the sunrise. Sometimes I'll be up and see something gorgeous like an owl swooping across the garden at dawn, or foxes playing in the field. It gets my day off to a calm and thankful start.

I couldn't think of anything worse getting up at 6am. Love my sleep too much 😴

I would love to be able to do this. My 4 year old just does not reliably sleep past 6.15ish at the moment, and some days 5.30am....and I am not setting a 4.30am alarm to ensure an hour to myself. We tend to just all get up together at the moment, and I try my best to settle her for some independent "quiet time" later in the day where I get my jobs done.

I watch these Instagram videos of influencer-type people showing their morning routine and it involves them working out, unloading the dishwasher, journalling, showering and doing full hair and makeup, doing chores and then "waking up the kids" at 7am or something, I think HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS!!!

During 'summer hours' definitely, and with young dc you're going to tire earlier in the evening any way - if you can 'switch' your head on early in the day, then it is a good time to get some 'admin' done or at least enjoy 'the peace'.

In winter, the same applies but generally with more sleep involved. It's worked for me so far and I 'ain't dead yet'.

I can’t seem to get up in the morning… I set my alarm for 7 and snooze for 30 mins then in a rush every morning. Funnily if I wake around 6 I’m wide awake… force myself back to sleep and feel worse. Maybe I need to try this!

My problem is this right now. I'm no way ready for bed yet so how I expect to get up at 6am, I've no idea.

I can’t understand this at all! Getting up to relax when you could be in bed?
Also, I struggle to do life admin at the best of times……. The thought of getting up early to do it doesn’t compute!! 🤣

Yes, it's a really productive & peaceful time.
I wake at 5.00 and make a tea & a coffee that I bring back to bed. Then I read, journal, plan my day, do online shopping/banking/emails. Might do some yoga stretching or listen to a meditation. I might put a load of washing in or empty the dishwasher too.
It's like having an extra part to your day - as long as getting up early comes easy to you.

Enjoy tomorrow morning- let us know how you get on.

I do! (I AM!)

I get up around 5 am. Maybe not every day in winter when it is dark but alot of the times like this.

It's the only part of my day where no-one wants anything from me. Not my DCs, my DH or my boss. I have a cup of coffee and MN and maybe look at a podcast and do any outstanding life admin tasks that I need to- this morning I have rearranged some direct debits online.

My DCs are older now so I often sit with them after dinner and while they do homework I do life admin then (at least the bits that need to be online). So that has freed up my morning time a great deal.

(Mind you, I am usually in bed and lights out at 9.30-10.00. Any later and I am not sure I could do it!)

I might try this.
Im up early this morning and Ds still asleep and I have had a productive hour awake tbh. I have been trying to order awkward sized picture frames for weeks, but never had time with work or concentration when Ds was around helping.
Frames ordered, cat food ordered, dentist appointment booked online. Tea made.

My Ds doesn’t sleep until about 9pm earliest, and I sit with him. After then it’s too late, I’m also knackered and can’t concentrate to do anything productive so just read and sleep myself.

There’s a podcast about this - The Power Hour by Adrienne. Well, not specifically admin, but she interviews successful people and they discuss what they do in the first hour of the day. It’s all very inspiring, but I spend my Power Hour drinking tea and pissing about on Mumsnet 😁

This was me!!! Awake at 6am tho this am and now sat in my lounge in SILENCE 🥰 with coffee in hand

I find it so much easier in the summer. I set the delay on the washing machine last night so it started going at 5am, it's all out on the line now. I get my personal social media done, read emails and drink coffee.

Exactly! I'd love to get an hour's peace without anyone wanting things from me, and I'm a naturally early riser so it ought to be perfect for me...but, I can't even flush the loo in our tiny house without waking up the 2-year-old so I'm just not in the season for it right now 😔

Great idea, but until my youngest was 8, the moment I walked downstairs he was wide awake and up! Any little noise or creak stirred him and he wanted to be with me. I tried so many times over the years to no avail. Good luck!

I love doing this in summer. I don't do anything productive (reminds me too much of getting up at 5am to work during lockdown) but I have a shower, get dressed, have a cup of tea and scroll the internet. Might check reviews for something we need, or hunt for an item if clothing I want to buy. Or just read Mumsnet. I really need time on my own in order to feel human, so it sets me up for the day.

My four year old doesn't usually wake up until 7am and sleeps really deeply, thank goodness!

Ah well done- i woke up at 5.30 but was so cosy I went back to sleep. Damn!!

Hi I tried it this morning I got up 30 minutes early. Lovely coffee on my own and peace before everyone got up. I usually hate Mondays but feel positive this morning.

Absolutely not, I'm not a morning person so there is literally nothing I want more in the morning than more time in bed. I WFH so get the whole house to myself in silence during school hours, I get admin done at lunch time.

Admin I did yesterday / willl do today:

Buy new 2nd hand trainers for school residential
Research and order fence paint
Order birthday gifts and card for brother
Chase prescription for son from GP
Update budget app
Change banking details as have switched account and some SO haven't updated
Send condolences card to great Aunty
Package 2 lots of returns from online swimsuit shopping
Package 2 Vinted sales