Sleeping is a difficult task for me. It’s difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep for me. Even worse, if I don’t get enough sleep my day feels horrible. I need 8-9 hours every night. A strict routine is the best way for me to feel good.

Today is the first day of me successfully waking up at 4 am. Actually, I woke up at 3am. I almost always beat my alarm for some reason. I’ve been up this early before, especially during and after my military experience, but I’ve never done it consistently. Even now, it’s not consistent. It feels great though. Here’s why.

1. Anxiety melts away - I feel anxious a lot. What makes me anxious is having a time pressure. The feeling of having a lot to do in a short amount of time is scary. I work slowly. Hammering out a task is easy for me if I have plenty of things to fidget around with. My overactive mind is a constant distraction from my work, but I’ve learned how to manage it in school. This early rising allows the pressure to melt away and the focus to be on 10. I can get distracted without any pressure that I won’t finish in time.

2. Alone time - I love to work alone. Not because I hate people, but because it’s more efficient for me. Until we have babies around here, the morning is mines. I can hammer out this blog, do work stuff, do business stuff, and by 3pm I’ve worked 11 hours.

3. Evenings are more relaxing - I like to spend time with my wife, and an evening free of work makes that possible. If I need to take a late meeting I can and it still be plenty of time for us.

4. Hobbies can return - I love to draw and paint. That was the first skill I learned as a kid. It’s a gift I’ve been given, and exercising it seems more possible. Trinera (my wife) bought me a drawing tablet that I haven’t used yet, and I’m dying to get started with it.

5. Thinking is more clear - I’m able to get ideas out immediately. My best ideas have come during my sleep. This blog was one of them. At 4 am, I’m able to put that idea into practice and see if it works.

6. Sleep is better - I get tired at a decent time and I’m able to just get in bed and fall asleep.

7. Meditation isn’t a chore - My meditation practice doesn’t feel like something I just need to get out the way. I can meditate and still feel like I have plenty of time to get to work.

Hopefully this habit sticks, and I can do it for the rest of my life.