Becoming a Morning Person Was a Parenting Fantasy.
There was a time when I genuinely believed I could become a morning person. It wasn’t because of productivity books or some hustle bro podcast. It was because I was having a baby.
In my head, I thought: “Let me prep for this. Let me rewire my natural night owl DNA and become one of those bright-eyed, lemon-water-at-sunrise people.”
It was very optimistic of me.
I tried waking up earlier. I did my best to be present. But I was basically a sleep-deprived zombie with a planner I couldn’t even look at without irritation. I wasn’t more productive. I was just more awake… and mad about it.
The Myth of “Morning = More”
You know what no one tells you when you try to overhaul your rhythm? That your body will still want to do its thing. Mine? Still fully awake at 11:45 PM, casually drafting content or organizing my digital workspace while the world and my baby sleeps.
For weeks, I was waking up early and staying up late. The only thing I gained was a shorter fuse and dark circles.
Eventually, I stopped trying to “win” the morning and asked a better question:
What if the way I already worked… worked?
How I Actually Work Best (Spoiler: It’s Not at 6 AM)
My best thinking doesn’t happen when I’m forcing oatmeal into my mouth at 7 AM. It happens when I’m in bed, planner on my lap, face washed, maybe a calm TV show or instrumental playlist humming in the background. It’s quiet. I’m unbothered. My brain actually functions.
That’s when I:
- Write—yes, actual writing of sustainability primers or articles
- Send delayed emails that I schedule to hit inboxes fresh at 8 AM
- Brain dump ideas for content
- Review goals or reflect on the week
- Do soft admin: emails, scheduling, project notes
It’s not glamorous. It’s not “crush your day” vibes. But it’s mine—and it works.
Can We Please Stop Worshipping Morning Routines?
Here’s the part I wish people would say out loud: There isn’t a better time to be productive. There’s just your time.
You don’t get extra points for waking up at 5 AM if your brain doesn’t work until 10.
You don’t have to run a marathon before breakfast to earn rest later.
And you absolutely do not need to trade sleep for success.
I need sleep. I need peace. I need structure that bends with my reality.
And I need to never again pretend I’m someone who can do deep thinking before coffee.
My Night Owl Planning Kit (aka: What Actually Works)
- Evening Planning Ritual: Post-skincare, in bed, planner in lap
- Writing & Creative Work: After 9 PM (the house is quiet, the brain is loud)
- Scheduled Sends: Emails + posts drafted late, delivered fresh the next morning
- Protected Mornings: I don’t schedule calls or complex tasks before 10 AM
- Weekly Check-In: I reflect on what time of day felt natural for each task—then build around it
Your Turn
If you’ve been trying to force yourself into someone else’s perfect morning routine—maybe it’s time to stop.
The most productive thing I ever did was listen to my body, stop romanticizing “early,” and start honoring the time of day that actually works for me.
So—what’s your real rhythm?
Are you a night owl pretending to be a morning person?
Drop it in the comments or DM me @myminimalistplanner. I promise, you’re not lazy. You’re just… not caffeinated yet.