This is the final installment in my weekly series highlighting my experiment in becoming an early riser. Be sure to check out the other posts as well!Alarm Clock and Coffee

Ahh, an early morning, the smell of fresh coffee and a bowl of warm oatmeal before facing the snowy weather. All in all, a good way to start the day.

Over the past four weeks, I’ve been working to shift my schedule and find an extra hour or so a day by getting up earlier. I’d have to say that by and large, this has been a success.

For many of us, we’re constantly trying to find a little extra time, to get those extra things done and not take away from anything else. I’ve found that I was trying to do the same, and in order to rectify this, I decided to give myself some extra time in the morning. It’s had its plusses and minuses, but overall it’s given me more of what I want (and less of what I don’t).

First, I’ll clear out the negatives, and list of what I do kind of miss. I’ve pretty much given up trying to watch TV after 10PM. I used to watch two or three shows a week at that time, and then get frustrated when I’d fall asleep with ten minutes left. When combining the need to get up earlier, I decided to pretty much stop even trying to watch those shows and save myself the frustration. But the positive outweighed the negative, and it is nice to not worry about trying to stay up to date on a few shows which I enjoyed but didn’t need to watch.

The other negative is probably what most people would expect. Getting up when its cold and dark outside and warm and comfortable in bed can sometimes be a challenge. My workaround for this has been trying to find things to make the mornings more relaxing, more productive, and more fun. For those who haven’t seen it, check out the post “Quick and Dirty: ‘11 Great Ways to Start Your Day’”, and click through to Ririan’s great list (and perhaps leave a few tips of your own in the comments).

So what about the positives? I’ve given up late night TV and (some) lazy mornings in bed. What have I gotten out of the deal? Basically a lot less stress. Getting up earlier allows me to get my day going on a much more relaxed timetable. I have time to have breakfast, make my lunch, iron a shirt, and write a blog post, and still not be running to get out the door like I used to. This less stressful morning has led to a more productive workday, and overall it has really been a positive impact on my work-life balance. I no longer feel like I only have time for work and then one or two things at home. I’m able to better use my day to givve myself more time to do the things I want to do, while not skipping any of the things I have to do.

All-in-all, if you’ve been trying to find a little extra time, I’d highly recommend giving this a try. If you just commit to it for four weeks as a trial period, you might be surprised what you find at the end of it, even if you’re not a morning person.

Cheers!

Adam