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 in the summer as I get woken early. Some days I’ll be up at 5. I’m very much a night owl and have been my entire life so I see this a positive side effect of the menopause.

I like to start by checking my emails on a computer (could do it on my phone but I prefer reading on a big screen), replying to any, doing any actions required, updating the diary with dcs school things.

Thats the main important job and then it’ll be doing washing, dishwasher, getting the kitchen nice for the day. Then packed lunch for dd1. Other jobs could be doing online food shopping / meal planning, odd bits of cleaning.

i have a project at the moment, getting the files from three or four old computers and organising them so if I have time I like to do that as well in the morning.

Yep, I do this most days. My DH doesn't understand why if I've got a morning off work I'm not lying in bed until lunch time 😅 but I like to get things done!
I do have an adult child (18) so I can just go at my own pace without worrying. It's a luxury after years of rushing.
This morning, bedding is in, oven is on ready to cook tonight's tea (I'm at work so better leave something for the men of my house and something for me to take) DH is at work, DS has just left for college....kettle is on, planner is out 😇

Sorry that was in response to all the 'I don't know what admin you all do' which always smacks of 'I'm coping so much better with life than you losers'

I also set my alarm for an hour before everyone else and have finessed the experience by getting a teasmaid so my tea is ready for me!

I rarely do anything that productive but have some quiet time clearing junk emails / checking tasks / calendar.

Most importantly it means I can greet kids with a cheery good morning darling and swoosh the covers back for them to get in for a cuddle instead of grumpily telling them to go away and come back in 10 more minutes..

Yes same, wake about 6, cuppa, write my list, check emails, make packed lunches, put a wash, empty dishwasher, wake kids

I get up half an hour earlier than I need to on weekdays and use the time for myself. No admin - but I do some yoga or just stretch, meditate, sometimes make a gratitude list, have a coffee, listen to the sounds around me and try to be present and just gather myself quietly to have a positive day.

It makes me sound like a right hippy but it massively helps my mental health.

Not quite the hour early I planned but about 25 mins earlier. I did get a fair bit extra done.
Some exercise
2 bits of admin that I've been meaning to do for a while
Coffee in peace

I normally empty dishwasher and do a couple of chores anyway

Colour me crazy, I'm part of a WalkActive group who go for a walk together (connected via WhatsApp/headphones ) for 30mins at 7am

Back for a stretch and water and catchup on SM which for me includes MN.

Feels great. Not sure I could get up 'early' for admin but getting outdoors does it for me every time, especially when it's over 😍

Success for me this morning! Was more like 6.15, but did some beauty stuff that’s never high enough priority for precious evening time but niggles at me that it’s not been done… and then spent half an hour dealing with the summer holiday schedule, which is tricky for us this year, and then amending someone’s contract and notifying them. Very productive!

For those with children who may wake, now might be the best time to introduce that white noise machine. I saw a woman do a house tour and because she lives in an old house with floorboards that creak they have a white noise machine on the landing to drown out the adults moving around after the children are in bed.

Dh gets up for the gym at 5.30am so I open the curtains and blinds , crack open the window and start my day by looking at the news. My youngest child is a teen so they get themselves up and into a shower at 6.45am. I like listening to the sounds of the birds, the silence at that time in the morning.

@FinallyHere I love that idea of everyone being connected and walking.

And you got extra time to post on MN too OP.

Hahaha, I did! I started on MN in bed and then realised I was wasting precious time - and got up!

These people asking 'what admin?' - I'm jealous! Aren't most people's lives a relentless wrestle with the 'To Do' list? I find it never-ending: house admin (repairs, updates etc), dog admin, kids admin, health admin, financial admin, car admin, holiday bookings, paying people, replying to emails, and on and on it goes..

Probably doesn't help that my husband doesn't do any of it, so I have to 'manage' him too... but yeah, I'm jealous, and I do the getting up early thing too, as it's the only way I can stay even vaguely on top of it all.

@TrainYourCat

In case anyone else might be interested, it's https://walk-active.comm*

I used to do it and it's great to have time to yourself to plan your day. I always seemed to get more done and be in more control of my time. I got out of the habit of it during the winter though (was way too cold and dark to get up) but I really want to start again. Was actually going to today but didn't get a great sleep last night. Back on it tomorrow I think.

@ZiggySdust - same. If I wrote it down the ‘admin’ list would go on forever.

Generally stuff gets done as needed, but there’s always something new that becomes more urgent so something less gets put back, but it all needs doing eventually. Ticking off a few before Ds woke this morning just meant one less thing to do later on.

I do this but instead of admin I read in bed in the winter and in the garden in the summer. Wakes my brain up for the day. I hate waking up and having to jump out of bed and go go go.

Yes, it's also my time to iron. I like eating my breakfast before the kids get up otherwise I won't get to eat it in peace.
Plus I dont want to feel rushed.

My problem is I go to bed too late. My DD just is not tired in the eve and the constant calling me/chatting means I lose my evening (and my shit by 11pm last night). I used to do lists of craft stuff and do nothing now just sit scrolling on my phone in between shouting GO TO SLEEP!!! 🥴

I was up at 5 this morning. Usuually I piss about on MN in bed but today I got up, made our bed, put a wash on, emptied and reloaded the dishwasher, paid some bills online and made a cooked breakfast for everyone.

It was great and I felt very organised and much calmer.

I’m definitely feeling tired but I can’t say I’m usually bouncing with energy by 5pm. Will try again tomorrow!