How a night owl can fly with early birds

  • Wednesday, October 29, 2014 4:59pm
  • Business

Beep, beep, beep, time to get up.

The alarm clock going off is possibly the worst sound ever.

OK, there are worse sounds, but alarm clocks are right up there at the top of my list.

Are you a morning person, bouncing right out of bed to take on the day? Or, are you like me, with three alarms on my phone set to go off every 15 minutes?

I would love to be a morning person and embrace the start of the day with anticipation and enthusiasm.

I think it’s an awesome feeling when I am out and about early, knocking out a bunch of tasks in the morning. The reality is, most mornings my eyes may be open, but I won’t come alive until about 10 a.m.

We all have our own rhythms and may find our energy levels are highest in the morning, middle of the day or the evening.

I believe most people tend to be either early birds or night owls. What’s a night owl to do?

You may not be able to control when you feel the most alert, but you can control your environment to help you perk up and get out the door on time.

Don’t sacrifice sleep

How do you feel the next day after only five hours of sleep? Probably not bright eyed or bushy tailed. Sleep is vital to our health and energy levels, yet it’s often exactly what we sacrifice in order to get everything done in a day.

Don’t skip sleep to create more time. Instead, get the proper amount of sleep so you will have more energy the next day to get everything done.

Be sure to create an electronics blackout every evening by turning off all stimulating screens before bed. Off with the TV, computer, laptop and the phone at least 30 minutes before bed. Instead, read a good old fashioned book that you hold in your hand, drink a cup of herbal tea or take a warm bath.

Stop drinking caffeinated beverages late in the day. Caffeine is a stimulant and that’s why you started your day with it, right?

Dress the night before

We’ve all heard the tip before, choose your outfit the night before for the next day. This is now the single biggest efficiency tool I use to help me get out of the house on time. Lay out your clothing, jewelry and shoes and it will simplify your morning tremendously. If you’re not sure what you want to wear, put together two or three outfits that are ready to go at any time.

Don’t forget to place anything else that you need to take with you in the morning by the door.

Create a coffee station

You don’t want to get hopped up on caffeine late in the day, but chances are good that you do want to kick start your day with it.

Create an organized coffee and tea station with the supplies you need at your fingertips: coffee mugs, tea, sugar, honey and the coffee maker all in one area.

Determine drive time

What will happen if you leave the house five minutes late? You will guarantee yourself red lights, slow drivers and a nifty traffic jam. Stress levels skyrocket when we run late and then run into further delays.

Make sure that you are realistic about how long your drive will take, factor in red lights, a stop at the coffee shop and potential delays.

Make it your goal to allow yourself enough time so you will arrive 10 minutes early.

Start preparing your day the night before so even the most habitual night owls can become birds of a feather with early birds.

Monika Kristofferson is a professional organizer and productivity consultant who owns Efficient Organization NW in Lake Stevens. Reach her at 425-220-8905 or monika@efficientorganizationnw.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Business

Black Press Media operates Sound Publishing, the largest community news organization in Washington State with dailies and community news outlets in Alaska.
Black Press Media concludes transition of ownership

Black Press Media, which operates Sound Publishing, completed its sale Monday (March 25), following the formerly announced corporate restructuring.

Maygen Hetherington, executive director of the Historic Downtown Snohomish Association, laughs during an interview in her office on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in Snohomish, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Maygen Hetherington: tireless advocate for the city of Snohomish

Historic Downtown Snohomish Association receives the Opportunity Lives Here award from Economic Alliance.

FILE - Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs poses in front of photos of the 15 people who previously held the office on Nov. 22, 2021, after he was sworn in at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash. Hobbs faces several challengers as he runs for election to the office he was appointed to last fall. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
Secretary of State Steve Hobbs: ‘I wanted to serve my country’

Hobbs, a former Lake Stevens senator, is the recipient of the Henry M. Jackson Award from Economic Alliance Snohomish County.

Mark Duffy poses for a photo in his office at the Mountain Pacific Bank headquarters on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Mark Duffy: Building a hometown bank; giving kids an opportunity

Mountain Pacific Bank’s founder is the recipient of the Fluke Award from Economic Alliance Snohomish County.

Barb Tolbert poses for a photo at Silver Scoop Ice Cream on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Barb Tolbert: Former mayor piloted Arlington out of economic brink

Tolbert won the Elson S. Floyd Award, honoring a leader who has “created lasting opportunities” for the underserved.

Photo provided by 
Economic Alliance
Economic Alliance presented one of the Washington Rising Stem Awards to Katie Larios, a senior at Mountlake Terrace High School.
Mountlake Terrace High School senior wins state STEM award

Katie Larios was honored at an Economic Alliance gathering: “A champion for other young women of color in STEM.”

The Westwood Rainier is one of the seven ships in the Westwood line. The ships serve ports in the Pacific Northwest and Northeast Asia. (Photo provided by Swire Shipping)
Westwood Shipping Lines, an Everett mainstay, has new name

The four green-hulled Westwood vessels will keep their names, but the ships will display the Swire Shipping flag.

A Keyport ship docked at Lake Union in Seattle in June 2018. The ship spends most of the year in Alaska harvesting Golden King crab in the Bering Sea. During the summer it ties up for maintenance and repairs at Lake Union. (Keyport LLC)
In crabbers’ turbulent moment, Edmonds seafood processor ‘saved our season’

When a processing plant in Alaska closed, Edmonds-based business Keyport stepped up to solve a “no-win situation.”

Angela Harris, Executive Director of the Port of Edmonds, stands at the port’s marina on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024, in Edmonds, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Leadership, love for the Port of Edmonds got exec the job

Shoring up an aging seawall is the first order of business for Angela Harris, the first woman to lead the Edmonds port.

The Cascade Warbirds fly over Naval Station Everett. (Sue Misao / The Herald file)
Bothell High School senior awarded $2,500 to keep on flying

Cascade Warbirds scholarship helps students 16-21 continue flight training and earn a private pilot’s certificate.

Rachel Gardner, the owner of Musicology Co., a new music boutique record store on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024 in Edmonds, Washington. Musicology Co. will open in February, selling used and new vinyl, CDs and other music-related merchandise. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New Edmonds record shop intends to be a ‘destination for every musician’

Rachel Gardner opened Musicology Co. this month, filling a record store gap in Edmonds.

MyMyToyStore.com owner Tom Harrison at his brick and mortar storefront on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Burst pipe permanently closes downtown Everett toy store

After a pipe flooded the store, MyMyToystore in downtown Everett closed. Owner Tom Harrison is already on to his next venture.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.