Now that the sun is beginning to set in the sky earlier and now that the ensuing dark night hours are becoming longer, maybe I should revisit my old habit of going to bed by 11:30 pm. Sometimes it is just too hard to accomplish. After all, once the kids are tucked away in their beds and all is quiet and peaceful again, all I want to do is go, go, go. I take my sacred alone time very seriously.
However, according to an ancient Irish proverb:
“A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.”
And this quote is just plain funny … but also true at times:
“Consciousness: that annoying time between naps.” ~Author Unknown
So this week I will be baby stepping my way back to going to bed at a decent hour. My goal this week is to be in bed by 11:30 on 4 out of 7 nights. This means I am just going to have to learn to let some things go … or maybe I can just learn to work faster 
!
For more information on how you can join Smart Habit Saturday and make positive changes in your life, please visit Lara of The Lazy Organizer.
23 Comments
September 14, 2007 at 9:49 PM
What a great idea–getting more sleep. This means when I wake up in the morning so tired, wishing I could sleep just 15-30 more minutes, my wish can come true! I just need to get those minutes in on the other end. Thanks for the idea!
September 14, 2007 at 9:52 PM
When are we ever going to give up and just go to bed early? I’m thinking it will be about the time we have teenagers who are coming home late and waking us up to talk!
September 14, 2007 at 10:06 PM
With John out of town for the week, I have been going to bed so late every night. I feel crummy! I think I’ll follow your lead and head to bed a little earlier tonight… Good luck with your goal!
September 15, 2007 at 5:23 AM
This is actually one SMART habit that I’ve actually kept! Having a bedtime (mine is 10:30pm) has changed how I spend my evenings. I know I have a deadline and I work better knowing I have that limited time to get things done. It has helped me out immensely. It wasn’t easy to do when my husband was gone but I knew I better if I wanted to be in a good mood for the kids the next day. Good luck!
September 15, 2007 at 5:58 AM
Good luck! I feel so much better when I get more sleep.
September 15, 2007 at 6:03 AM
Hmm…I think sometimes reading these blogs gives me good ideas, but sometimes, I end up feeling like I’m not doing enough. Like, what are you DOING so late at night? When I got married, I decided that evening time, after dishes, was going to be time w/hubby and kids (when they showed up later) and I NEVER do any housework or anything after dishes. We usually play games, cards, watch a dvd, or do planning while looking at the calendar. Now I feel like there’s this whole world out there that I’m missing out on! Help!!
September 15, 2007 at 6:30 AM
PS I LOVE THIS:
“A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.”
September 15, 2007 at 7:48 AM
I’m a serious night owl too. I set this same goal recently, except made it for 11pm. Haven’t done so well though.
September 15, 2007 at 7:51 AM
Happy slumber =)
September 15, 2007 at 8:02 AM
This is so true! Good luck this week!
September 15, 2007 at 8:23 AM
hi lucy:
i know what you mean.
i so agree with you on wanting that sacred alone time in the home when everybody else is asleep. i crave and savor this time. i have a hard time often forcing myself to go to sleep at night. i stay up late practically every night. but these quiet times are the best time to think, study, ponder, and write.
why do you have to go to bed early anyway? there will be time enough for that LATER
kathleen
September 15, 2007 at 8:36 AM
I so need to do the same thing. Somehow I rarely get to bed before 12:30. And that is NOT enough sleep for this lady.
September 15, 2007 at 9:26 AM
Hi Lucy — well, when we got married my husband was a night owl, but he soon came on to my schedule. We’re up at 5:20 (I’m out the door to run at 5:30) most mornings. I find AM is my productive time, but I do remember the feeling of “ahhh, the kids are asleep!” (at night)
Good intentions … go girl!
Every “body” is different
(btw, did you see my last 2 posts? thought you’d enjoy, and resonate with the “moving” one — since you live in an apart. and it deals with space)
Happy Saturday Lucy! Sandy
September 15, 2007 at 10:20 AM
Sounds like a goal that will affect your life in many positive ways. Good luck!
September 15, 2007 at 2:13 PM
Every single morning DH and I plan to go to bed by 10 pm.
Every single night we go to bed at 11:30 pm.
We really need to make this a habit.
September 15, 2007 at 2:41 PM
It seems like I can get more done in the two hours after the children are in bed than I did the whole day. Good luck with your goal!
September 15, 2007 at 4:24 PM
For a while, I was in this great habit of going to bed early (for a while we were going to bed as early as nine!) and waking up an hour before my son did. Great productivity time (which I usually wasted).
And then my son suddenly started getting up an hour and a half earlier. Drove me crazy!! So I gave up.
Now that he’s sleeping later again, I gotta get back in that habit!
September 15, 2007 at 6:13 PM
yes, yes, go to bed earlier. i, too, have set this goal. my time is 10:30, but i haven’t made it yet. i’ve heard 21 days to establish a new habit, hmmm…
September 16, 2007 at 3:41 AM
I’m suffering with my sleep at the moment. The reason? A hamster in my daughters’ room. It likes to play while we sleep!
September 17, 2007 at 8:56 PM
I love reading your blog. You have some fun stuff to read!
What a good idea to have a smart habit day each week. I think I may join the forray. And getting enough sleep is a good one…albeit so so hard with kids!! But I have found that if I am tired and grumpy, the whole family is grumpy. Such a balancing act!
September 19, 2007 at 8:13 PM
I believe that a long sleep is essential in having a healthy life. It can also help us with our daily tasks by being more productive.
September 20, 2007 at 6:44 PM
I agree that a long sleep can help us have a healthier life.
Good luck on your goal..
September 20, 2007 at 9:49 PM
I start fading at 9 pm. Usually sound asleep by 10 or 10:30. When you kids were little it was the same story. Love you!