Many people assume that freelancers lead a very casual and relaxed lifestyle, working in their bunny slippers and flannel pajamas. It is positively true that freelancers are afforded a certain level of freedom when it comes to their time, but this does not make them any lazier or more carefree than their conventionally employed counterparts.
In talking with some friends and casual acquaintances, they hear that I wake up around noon and that’s when my work day typically begins. By contrast, they may hold a regular job (or go to school) with a more standard nine-to-five kind of schedule. With this sharp contrast, they sometimes assume that I don’t work as much or as hard as they do. For those in the know, this clearly is not the case.
It’s not a matter of effort or work ethic, but rather it is a matter of personal preference.
Early to Bed and Early to Rise Makes a Man…
One of the more popular tips to improve your productivity is to wake up earlier. By having the early start, the assumption is that you can get more work done with this “extra time” you are giving yourself. This might work for some people, but it may not work for others.
You see, in order to wake up earlier and still get a healthy amount of sleep, you need to go to bed earlier. Yes, it is true that I start my day a little later than most, but I also go to bed later than most. Over the course of the day, the time alloted to taking breaks is comparable, but they are slotted in at different times. In like manner, conventional workers usually don’t work after dinner; I do.
Are You Working in Optimal Condition?
I’ve never been a morning person. Believe me, I’ve tried. During my academic years, I had some early classes and I dreaded them every morning, even if they were an area of interest to me at the time. Later on, when I held a management trainee position at a rental car company, I had 7am starts and they were the bane of my existence.
I was physically there, but my brain didn’t complete its bootup process, as it were, until several hours later.
Different Strokes for Different Folks
There is always more work that can be done and that is why there is never enough time to get it all done. I’m not saying that waking up at noon will work for everyone, but all you early-risers shouldn’t automatically scoff at those who choose to “sleep in” as part of our daily routines either.
I agree with the say “Eat when hungry, sleep when tired.” I believe that applies here. Not everyone walks to the same drummer, some work better at different times of the day. The reason for this I believe is that when the saying “Early to bed…” was coined they didn’t have street lights, nightclubs or 24 hours drive thru’s.
In that day everyone worked the day shift, had a horse with a cart and went by the rise and fall of the sun to live their lives. Nowadays, the nightlife, the you never have to sleep life style leads to people picking when they feel they need to be up. A perfect example of this is Ed Lau. He is going to bed when I am read the morning paper her on the East Coast. That’s the way we are in the present time.
Some of our local educators (Albuquerque) are trying to convince the school board to allow some students to start in early classes and others to start in later classes. Even though I’m a serious morning person (and a complete insomniac), I think it’s brilliant! Of course it’s meeting with a great deal of static from the “early to rise” crowd. What a shame. It might actually improve performance.
I feel that I am more productive late at night. It’s generally quieter and there are never any phone calls, so there’s little chance of interruption.
I’ve always subscribed to the “Early to Bed and Early to Rise” dictum as this lifestyle works for me, especially when I’ve to put in my share of early morning runs before I report for work.
Early-risers shouldn’t automatically scoff at people who choose to sleep-in because what works for one may not necessary works for others. Additionally, it’s not how early or late you wake up, but how focus and productive you are when you are at work.