The power-hour sensation is something that has never sat well with me. The general premise suggests that getting an extra hour into your morning routine is the key to a more productive day. If you’re one of morning’s late risers like me, then I can see why this particular trend fills you with pangs of guilt.
You may have tried to force yourself into the early morning mould again and again, but to no avail nothing has changed.
In a world obsessed with a traditional 9-5pm work routine, we’re brought up from a young age to value the benefits of an early rise. We’re sent off to school while it’s still dark. We wave our parents off when they leave for work.
If you have ADHD then early mornings can be an ongoing struggle. Sleeping-in is often a way to replenish our lost reserves of energy. We do it, not because we’re lazy, but because we have difficulty shutting ourselves off at night. If we’re just making up for lost sleep, then why should this be seen as a bad thing?
The truth is that there is nothing wrong with waking up late and you are doing yourself no favours by beating yourself up about it. Being an early riser is no indication of your productivity, nor is it an indicator of your moral standing in the world.
Don’t be fooled into accepting the fallacy of early mornings. A bright and early start isn’t the solution to your woes. Why does splashing cold water over your face at 6am on a dark winter morning make you a better person? Why is an early morning run better than a lie in? One historic example I like to turn to is Winston Churchill. An exceedingly productive individual who spent his most memorable years in office, sat in his bed until midday. Yes, midday!
From my own experience, I like to gloss over the daily papers last thing at night, when the online news is fresh off the press. I find it easier to take in information when I’m lying in my bed as it helps me get to sleep. It may mean that I wake up later in the day, but I benefit so much more from the economy of comfort. This way, I get my low-energy tasks done while I’m in a relaxed state of mind.
Why waste precious energy in the day, reading the news, when I could otherwise invest that energy in seeing clients or writing a blog? If I really wanted to, I could commit to waking up at 6am every morning to read the morning news, but that would be a waste of my time and I’d probably go straight back to bed afterwards anyway.
I do what works best for ME, because only I know what time of day I’m most productive. There is no right or wrong routine. Don’t force yourself into something you’re not. If anything, it will only make you less productive. And what’s the good of that?
Are you still struggling to manage your sleep?
Is your ADHD holding you back from getting the most out of your day?
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