Comments on: Freelance Writer Challenge – Reset Your Alarm

By: Allison Whitehead

Allison Whitehead — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:00:30 +0000

DeAnna, it’s funny – I work the other way around mostly. Although sometimes I switch and work a late shift to get a lie in!

By: DeAnna

DeAnna — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 05:18:59 +0000

I generally go to bed 1-2 hours later instead of getting up early because I think better at night than in the morning. It is amazing how much I can write when no one is up to bother me! :)

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 13:20:57 +0000

I am finding that since I moved from Florida to Colorado, I am getting up much earlier. Because of health issues, I was never able to get up before 7 in Florida, sometimes I wouldn’t get up until 8!

Here I am always up by 6, which is great. I have more time to work during the quiet morning hours and I don’t feel miserable because the sun is up and that makes me feel awake.

I never truly feel “refreshed” but I certainly feel more productive. I’ve even managed to land an interview for a new writing gig! Now I need to brainstorm ways to build a community before my interview. lol If I get this gig, those extra couple of hours in the morning will be very important. :)

By: Jennifer Mattern

Jennifer Mattern — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 13:13:34 +0000

The “not being rushed” aspect is definitely another perk. What I love about starting earlier is that it’s as if you’re saving time twice:

First, you can get more done during those morning hours (while you’re alert, but before the afternoon sun starts making you want to nap or go play outside lol).

But then you also get to finish your work an hour early too, meaning you find that extra afternoon or evening hour for yourself (where now you really CAN go play outside if you want!).

It’s one of the best things I’ve done for myself. I wasn’t a morning person. I loved sleeping in and considered it a perk of the job. Boy, was I wrong. It took some adjusting, but working earlier has significantly impacted my job – I get more done, make more money, and feel MUCH less stressed knowing I’m done earlier (while all the poor schlubs in the corporate world are stuck in their 9-5. :)

By: Allison Whitehead

Allison Whitehead — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 12:17:01 +0000

I must admit I am a morning person, so the getting up early isn’t really that hard. I think I got caught up in the trap of thinking a lie in was now possible, so I did it every day for a while!

But then I realised that it wasn’t very productive. I ended up taking longer to do things and I felt more sluggish too. There is a lot to be said for getting up early and snatching a look at the day before everyone else does.

By: Allison Whitehead

Allison Whitehead — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 07:52:18 +0000

It was strange reading your post – because I started doing this last Monday! And it has worked really well for me.

My best time of the day is first thing in the morning anyway, so instead of getting up at 8am I started getting up at 7am. It’s a shock to the system at times, but once I’m up with that first cup of tea (and the cat has had his breakfast) I can be writing by 7.10am.

And yes, I have got lots more done as a result. I also don’t have that rushed feeling at the end of the day when I realise I haven’t achieved my targets. Great post – I thoroughly agree with what you’ve said :)

By: Jennifer Mattern

Jennifer Mattern — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 18:14:32 +0000

You actually made me think of another reason to skip an hour of sleep Natalia. :)

For the first night at least, if you try to go to bed early, you might just lie there not able to sleep anyway if you’re not usually tired then. But if you skip it, you likely WILL be tired at that 1-hr earlier time the following day, helping you keep it up if the overall schedule change proves beneficial (and it may for some people – even though there’s no “extra” hour then technically, you may find you’re more productive in that earlier period – like me and my crazy 4am wake-ups). :)

By: Natalia Maldonado

Natalia Maldonado — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:05:30 +0000

Funny enough I purposely woke up an hour earlier this morning. I’ve been re-evaluating how I manage my time and decided I’d rather give up some sleep than miss out on other things I’d rather be doing (and trust me, I REALLY love my sleep). I ending up dedicating more time to my writers group critiques and my fiction before diving into work. I figure for every hour of sleep I lose that’s another hour I get to enjoy at night with my family!

By: Jennifer Mattern

Jennifer Mattern — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:32:47 +0000

Most people function fine on 7 hours, so it’s not the end of the world to lose one (although I’d agree that going to bed earlier would be ideal). In fact, studies have shown that 8 hours is too much for some people. When I cut down on my sleep a little bit, I became more productive rather than less – feeling truly refreshed in the morning rather than groggy and slow-waking after being in bed for too long. I find that I do best with a bare minimum of 5 hours and no more than 7. 6-7 is what I shoot for. On the other hand, some people will need more, so cutting an hour won’t be an option for them. It’s completely a personal preference given that everyone’s bodies are different.

By: John Soares

John Soares — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:39:44 +0000

I think you should try going to bed an hour earlier if at all possible. Cut out the TV or something else nonessential.

If you don’t get enough sleep, you won’t be as efficient. You can easily lose an hour of productivity over the course of the day, plus be less happy because you’re tired.

I’m an early riser, typically around 5:30. On nights where I get to sleep after 10:30 or so, I definitely feel less alert the next day.