Do you get criticised for waking up early (before 6AM)?

[LOA9]

Ever since 2 Saturdays ago, I decided to start waking up every morning at 530AM including weekends. I've been doing pretty good. I've been amazed at how much you can jam into 1 day. My end goal is 430AM.

I've been so excited about this, I posted on Facebook: I got a critical response. Another day I was getting my haircut and I mentioned this goal and the girl got this bewildered look on her face.

Needless to say, I'm only going to continue writing about this on forums such as this.

[Trustme]

For me getting up early is one of the key factors to a productive day and it's amazing how much better I feel.

I think most people secretly envy the guy or girl from their offices who had a run in the morning, a nice breakfast and a stressless ride to work. They would like to achieve the same thing but fail because the snooze button is so much more interesting. With you achieving this goal it shows them that it is possible and they feel implicitly criticized although this may not even be your intention.

Don't let yourself get pushed off your track. Keep doing it but not necessarilly talking about it.

[ButterflyWoman]

Originally Posted by LOA9

I posted on Facebook: I got a critical response.

Another day I was getting my haircut and I mentioned this goal and the girl got this bewildered look on her face.

I take it you're new to the "breaking social conventions" game. This reaction is very common amongst those who are socially conventional and have never stopped to examine their beliefs, patterns, habits, conditioning, etc. You do something unconventional and they get confused, or even angry, or just ignore you entirely.

There is nothing people hate more than having their reality messed with, and seeing someone do something that breaks social convention (in their mind, anyway) can be taken as a challenge to the structure of the universe. After all, you're not CONFORMING... scary....

[janicelou]

ah forget about the negative.. let it in one ear and out the other...

Too many people (especially if they are under 30) have this belief that they need so much sleep in order to feel good... avoid there way of thinking.. choose to live rather than sleep!

[LOA9]

I'm actually not that new. As someone who grew up with learning disabilities and constant bullying, I've been socially unconventional for life.

I still have never quite gotten used to these reactions. You'd think that if something's truly great, everyone would see it that way.

Originally Posted by CaterpillarWoman

I take it you're new to the "breaking social conventions" game. This reaction is very common amongst those who are socially conventional and have never stopped to examine their beliefs, patterns, habits, conditioning, etc. You do something unconventional and they get confused, or even angry, or just ignore you entirely.

There is nothing people hate more than having their reality messed with, and seeing someone do something that breaks social convention (in their mind, anyway) can be taken as a challenge to the structure of the universe. After all, you're not CONFORMING... scary....

[ENTP]

I'm ****in jealous. Left to my own devices, I'll go to BED later than that!

These people are aghast because they think you're superhuman. Remember, Jesus had his critics too.

[ButterflyWoman]

Originally Posted by LOA9

I still have never quite gotten used to these reactions.

It's actually quite predictable. I've learned to have fun with it, watching people go blank or get confused or whatever. I mean, I don't do stuff just to freak people out, but my entire existence seems to do that, anyway, so I may as well enjoy watching people flip out when I fail to conform.

Originally Posted by LOA9

You'd think that if something's truly great, everyone would see it that way.

Well, great is in the eye of the beholder. (And I'm not actually a morning person. I'm just an eccentric, so I tend to elicit the blank-confused-angry response from people all the time.)

Originally Posted by ENTP

Left to my own devices, I'll go to BED later than that!

Oh, me, too. I can be extremely productive at night, when all is quiet and dark. It has advantages. And disadvantages.

For the record, people frequently react very poorly to those who keep night owl schedules, too. They tend to believe we're lazy (never got that one) or that there's something wrong with us.

[ENTP]

Originally Posted by CaterpillarWoman

Oh, me, too. I can be extremely productive at night, when all is quiet and dark. It has advantages. And disadvantages.

For the record, people frequently react very poorly to those who keep night owl schedules, too. They tend to believe we're lazy (never got that one) or that there's something wrong with us.

Exactly, which is why I'm surprised the OP is getting flak for her schedule - it's pretty close to "normal" and would be considered commendable by most.

[LOA9]

LOL I'm a guy. Don't worry though

People understand better when it's weekdays. The weekends is where people really get bewildered. I mean, who the hell wakes up at 530AM on weekends?!

Originally Posted by ENTP

Exactly, which is why I'm surprised the OP is getting flak for her schedule - it's pretty close to "normal" and would be considered commendable by most.

[ButterflyWoman]

Originally Posted by LOA9

The weekends is where people really get bewildered.

Yes. Weekends are for sleeping late. That's the belief that most people are taught from an early age (I know my parents taught it to me!). Going against that confuses people, or even pisses them off.

And staying up very late is morally corrupt and shows lack of discipline, as does sleeping TOO late, even on the weekends.

Originally Posted by LOA9

I mean, who the hell wakes up at 530AM on weekends?!

Who, indeed?

Actually, it only makes sense to get up at roughly the same time every day, including weekends. Your body gets into a rhythm and a pattern, and if you keep changing it, it's harder to maintain. That's my experience.

[irfan]

I found the idea of waking up at five every morning so daunting that I've set myself a more achievable goal: to wake up at five in the morning on Monday and to do as much work as I can straight away, after making a "To Do" list for the week. I generally find if I have a "good Monday" (get a lot of work done!), then the rest of the week goes well, too.

Actually, my response is off-topic: you asked about people's reactions. Well, no-one has given me a hard time about waking up early, so I'll talk about giving up beer instead.

Why do people care? Why do people feel threatened by it? Why do people worry that I'm drinking water instead? I still don't know, but I've found that in the end, it doesn't really work to hang out in the bar with your mineral water. I worried a lot about missing the social life at first, but now I've found a cool coffee shop in Jakarta where the literati and artists hang out (actually, you can buy beer there, too! but no-one gives you a funny look if you have a coffee instead!).

In general, when you make changes in your life, I find you may have to alter the way you live your social life. It sometimes hurts a bit at first, but if you stick to it, you adjust.

[LOA9]

Off-topic but still highly relevant. Thanks

Originally Posted by irfan

so I'll talk about giving up beer instead.

Why do people care? Why do people feel threatened by it? Why do people worry that I'm drinking water instead? I still don't know, but I've found that in the end, it doesn't really work to hang out in the bar with your mineral water. I worried a lot about missing the social life at first, but now I've found a cool coffee shop in Jakarta where the literati and artists hang out (actually, you can buy beer there, too! but no-one gives you a funny look if you have a coffee instead!).

In general, when you make changes in your life, I find you may have to alter the way you live your social life. It sometimes hurts a bit at first, but if you stick to it, you adjust.

[Dimond]

Originally Posted by LOA9

Ever since 2 Saturdays ago, I decided to start waking up every morning at 530AM including weekends. I've been doing pretty good. I've been amazed at how much you can jam into 1 day. My end goal is 430AM

I usually get up 4:30am or earlier. Early mornings are the best time to experience real peace, especially if you live in a populated area. I love taking walks and meditating before any noise. 5 isn't early enough because there is some activity around here then.

Practically everything I do is different than what others do. I just joyfully state what works for me and don't let others' opinions interfere. Rarely will they when I'm confident and happy about it.

Originally Posted by LOA9

People understand better when it's weekdays. The weekends is where people really get bewildered. I mean, who the hell wakes up at 530AM on weekends?!

I usually get up just as early as always on the weekends. It's even better with everyone sleeping late. I use to find it fun to stay up as late as possible at night. Now I find it even more fun to awaken early because barely anyone else is doing it.

[strategicalcoach]

You've inspired me to get my butt in gear. I typically get up at 6am and like what most people have said here, I find that I'm most productive when I get up early. I had kinda, sorta set a goal to wake up at 5:30am but after reading your post..I'm definitely going to be up tomorrow morning at 5:30am!

and if I get criticized for waking up that early, then let my success be my rebuttal.

[LOA9]

Thanks.

Originally Posted by strategicalcoach

You've inspired me to get my butt in gear. I typically get up at 6am and like what most people have said here, I find that I'm most productive when I get up early. I had kinda, sorta set a goal to wake up at 5:30am but after reading your post..I'm definitely going to be up tomorrow morning at 5:30am!

and if I get criticized for waking up that early, then let my success be my rebuttal.