Mornings are for reading and writing
my favorite way to start the day
As a parent, the amount of quiet, uninterrupted time I have is extremely limited.
And for the last few months, despite waking up at 4:30am, I’ve been struggling to manage my time effectively.
Do I wake up and go to the gym, study Spanish, read a book, write code… what do I do with this precious time while the world is still asleep?
The answer for me: Read and write
I’ve found that I can motivate myself to do almost anything except read at the end of a long day. After I’ve worked all day, indulged in a little too much screen time, and burned my social battery out… I simply don’t have the focus or energy to read. Even when I try, my brain is wandering and I have to reread again and again.
But when I read first thing in the morning, before the screen time, before the stress of work… It feels like magic.
I find myself getting lost in the book, wanting to read more than planned, and really thinking deeply about what I’m reading.
The same goes for writing. When I write in the morning, the words just flow. I feel unburdened by the stress of the day, and when my writing timer is up I yearn for more time.
This should be common sense, but in a “hustle culture” I sometimes feel guilty for spending my most productive time doing things that don’t move me forward in my career, or aren’t making me more successful in a worldly sense.
Sure, reading non-fiction helps me improve, and writing clears my mind, but they aren’t easily measurable in the way studying for a new certification at work or building a side hustle would be.
Regardless, I’m a happier, smarter, and calmer me when I spend my mornings reading and writing, so I’m not stopping anytime soon.
I’ve heard we should do our hardest task first thing in the morning, and that’s not a bad idea.
But I also think there’s value in doing the thing that makes you feel the best, even if it’s not making you money, getting you a ripped body, or proving to the world how successful you are.
Because we’re not success robots, we’re human beings. And if we’re not taking joy in each day in favor or “productivity”… then what’s the point?