Early To Rise
I'm a glutton for punishment.
Or a complete idiot.
Last month I came to the brilliant conclusion that if I was going to get everything done before the holidays, I had to get some extra hours in at the office.
Yes, I AM that concientious. Or paranoid I'd lose my job. Or both.
Suffice to say, only seven working days in December wasn't enough to clear my desk of all that "the-world-will-end-if-this-doesn't-get-done" crap. So I started pulling myself out of bed at the ungodly hour of 0530 and arrived at the office early each day.
An hour and a half early.
Voluntarily.
Actually, the advantages of getting up and on the road before any normal person soon became clear:
- No traffic (none, nada, zilch), saving me from all those crazy rush-hour drivers. I could have driven down the oncoming lane if I wanted to and no-one would be the wiser... (I said I COULD have. But I didn't.... Yet.)
- Travel time was cut to about one-third; from 30 to 10 minutes, saving mucho denaro in gas. (Take THAT, oil companies!)
- It was even too early for some traffic signals to be working at that hour; saving me from those dammed red-light cameras which are strategically placed on every route to and from work.
- I get the best parking spot, saving me a long walk from the upper echelons of the parkade (completely ignoring that much-needed exercise after the traditional excess that is the holidays).
- I get a lot more work done when I'm alone and without constant interuptions to help others with computer-related (non)crises, saving my sanity.
So now that I'm back to work after the holiday break, I'm still getting a jump start on the day. Sometimes I work, sometimes I blog...
And sometimes I just snicker at the reports on my radio about all the other commuters stuck in long, cold traffic jams.
Whilst I sip on freshly-brewed coffee behind closed doors in my nice warm office.
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I like to do that too. That and going in for an hour on a Saturday to get caught up. It stinks to think that you worked 6 days that week, but the productivity and accomplishment you feel is worth it. Especially when you tote your new baby with you so you can peek at him while working!
Good for you. I'm an awful morning person.
-andi
I used to love being the early bird at the office too (when I actually worked). It felt like less stress too thoughout the day because I had more time to settle in without the morning rush.
Great pic!
Then again studies say that not getting the proper sleep plays a big impact on life longevity and that once you lose sleep you can never make it back up.
One can NEVER win...
lmao my hubby gets the last laugh this time of year on his co-workers. We live right next door to his work...so no shovelling needed to get to work...and no having to leave early for the commute..lmao.
I can't because of kids/school, but I *****love***** getting to work early for all those reasons. The only reason I ever didn't like it was because then if you leave at a decent hour, people kind of look at you like you're leaving "early", even though you've put in MORE than a full day!
CGG: I haven't yet resorted to going in on the weekends, but I can see the benefit for you and little one... good idea!
Andi: I used to be an awful morning person too... I'd sleep in for every last minute I could. But then I would dash around crazy trying to get out the door on time, invariably forgetting SOMETHING important... now I am much more calm in the mornings.
Melinda: Agreed and thanks! It was so quiet I could take a flash photo of the street with NO ONE around to look at me weird.
VE: Yeah, the trick is to get to sleep earlier... or take afternoon naps.... ;)
Flake: Ah, but living next door to work can be both a blessing AND a curse. I would hate to think of how much time I'd spend there if it were next door. And since I work at a hospital, I wouldn't want to live next door to the ER...
Jill: How true! So far I have simply stayed till my normal shift ends. Perhaps one day I'll formally change my hours... like you, I had later hours arranged so I could drive daughter to school. Since I no longer need to do that, I prefer going in early.
There is something about getting somewhere before other people so that you have some time to have clear thoughts and pla your day. This is why on days that we have football games (meaning no early news shows) I come in at my regularly scheduled time to be alone and quiet scine every one else takes advantage of the fact we have nothign to do until after dinner.
My life leaves for work at about the same time...early...and for many of the same reasons!
Good for you Miss productivity :)
Bradley
The Egel Nest
Oh yeah I'm with you on this one. Getting in early is the best!!!!! As is leaving before everyone else...
I would always get to work early, that was when I worked. I have never driven, so used to walk into work, but it was so nice to be the first in, I could get myself organised before others would ruin the silence hahaha.
Loved reading this, Maureen. Hope nothing screws it up for you. I'm the worlds worst at letting one little hiccup change my habits.
Ah...yet another thing we have in common. When I was working my job in corporate America, I always got to work at that crazy hour, sometimes even earlier. Got so much done and the coffee was made to my liking. :-) Ppl gave me a lot of grief about it, but it eased my guilt of having to leave work at a normal time at the end of the day. It has its advantages...
As we get older, life is all about thinking outside the box. I used to have a 13 mile commute to work each morning and evening.....hated the stress. Now I live a mile from my office and I can walk to work. Life is much better these days.
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