Know Your Best Patterns

Oh how easy these words are to speak, how difficult they can be when living our daily lives. We can schedule, plan, make lists and have everything ready to rock and roll, then life plays a little trick and every thing goes out the window. I greatly appreciate that a woman like Golda Meir had the same challenge as we do, how to manage time and not let time manage her.

I have always admired people who could get up in the morning and work out. Be it running, walking, yoga, cycling, whatever they do first thing I find that amazing. I am not one of those people. I have tried, oh so many times I have tried getting up early to get things done. It works for a day then I crumble and stay in bed. Now, if you want me to stay up all night, THAT I can do! I am naturally a night owl and often have to calm down after midnight in order to get any sleep at all. Once I accepted my natural late night tendencies, I was happy. I have figured out how to work out (not early in the morning) and how it fits into my day. I made peace with my inner clock and am much better for it.

I have a friend who has a new baby, and that baby is a sleeper. That baby sleeps late, stays up late, likes to take naps and actually sleeps through the night since once month old. My friend tried to adjust the schedule to no avail. That baby has a plan and seems to know exactly when it wants to sleep. I know people who naturally wake up early. They can’t help it. I know people who naturally stay up late, they too feel better that way. These smart people have figured out their life around how their internal clock works, instead of trying to be something they are not.

To successfully manage the twenty-four hours we have each day, we have to know ourselves and our most productive time of day, then we can plan our time. That also means we have to communicate to people when and how we work best. Not a morning person, don’t set up early morning meetings. Not a night owl, don’t try to be productive after your natural bedtime. We only have so much time, so tactfully work within your best times. Let people know yes or no and how or why and when you work best. The clock is there to help us keep time, not to rule us. When we partner with our days we feel better, more gets done, and we thrive. Twenty-four hours go fast, so be wise and let wisdom about your best patterns start you off each day in a positive way.