Monday, January 15, 2024
This morning, we were woken up by our doorbell ringing at 8am. It was the plumber, who had been scheduled to visit for weeks and who we reminded ourselves about multiple times yesterday. Nonetheless, we still forgot when setting our alarms for the morning. We were up rather late cheering on the Packers, so we planned to sleep in a bit this morning. No such luck.
The amount of sunlight in Amsterdam can be both a blessing and a curse. In the summer, we’re blessed with about 17 hours of daylight, which is absolutely wonderful. However, winter requires us to pay our dues. During this time, the sun doesn’t rise until nearly 9 am and sets before 5 pm. Fortunately, we are now moving past the shortest days, and gradually, the days are getting longer. But for the moment, they remain painfully short.
Having lived in Chicago my entire life before moving here, I was unaccustomed to a place where the sun rises so late. This has been quite an adjustment since I love the morning. I am typically such a morning person, even a 5 am girl at times. However, since the mornings have become darker, I have found it harder to wake up early. I can’t imagine waking up at 5 am anymore.
So I don’t. The advantage of being self-employed is the freedom to tailor my schedule to what suits me best. During these darker months, I’ve found that sleeping in a little later and staying up a bit later is more effective for me. It’ll be interesting to see how my routine evolves in the summer months, when the days are longer.
I firmly believe finding the schedule or routine that works best for ourselves is crucial to maximizing productivity, creativity and motivation. It’s not necessarily beneficial to follow a one-size-fits-all approach, like waking up at 5 am just because some guru claims it’s the most productive time. While this may hold true for some, it certainly shouldn’t be a universal rule.
Over the years, I’ve done a lot of research and experimenting with different methods, schedules and routines. I’ve found that my greatest successes come from, in the least cringe way possible, genuinely listening to my body.
I’m not suggesting that we completely disregard movement and responsibilities simply because ‘we don’t feel like it.’ It’s more about making sensible adjustments or modifications based on our physical and mental state. For example, I used to run regularly as my preferred form of exercise. I enjoyed the thrill of running, for like 1 minute, and believed it to be an effective workout. However, I often felt unwell after running. I spoke to my doctor and was prescribed an inhaler, which helped, but I still experienced lightheadedness, disorientation, and weakness, sometimes lasting the entire day.
Shortly after we moved here, I decided to try walking instead of running, and I have never felt better. Walking leaves me energized, I feel fantastic throughout the day, and I even enjoy it more. Interestingly, I’ve also lost more weight walking than I did with running. So, instead of abandoning exercise because running wasn’t suitable, I simply found an alternative that better suited my body. And on some mornings, if I wake up craving the high from running, I run. On other mornings, if the thought of exercise seems like pure torture, I stay home. There are no rules here.
Similarly, my approach to sleep follows the same principle of flexibility. Sleeping in later doesn’t mean I’m getting more hours of sleep; rather, I’ve adjusted my bedtime to align with when I want to wake up. This shift has resulted in noticeably more energy and greater productivity. By starting my day a little later, instead of forcing myself awake at an unnaturally early hour, I’ve found a rhythm that works optimally for my body and my needs.
When I began sleeping in later than usual, I initially felt guilty, as if I were being lazy or wasting time. However, I soon realized that trying to force creativity and productivity at a time that no longer naturally suit me was the real waste. Embracing a schedule that aligns with my personal rhythm has enabled me to maintain a consistent flow of energy, creativity, and productivity throughout the day. Similarly, choosing a form of exercise that resonates with my body led to weight loss and increased energy. Both adjustments are reminders that personal well-being and efficiency stem from understanding and catering to our individual needs.
I once took great pride in being a morning person, almost as if I had a superpower that others admired. Now, my pride lies in fully embracing what best suits me. No one’s ‘best’ is superior to another’s. The early bird is neither better nor more productive than the night owl. I confidently share my new routine with others, backed by tangible evidence that it’s effective for me. That is what our pride should be rooted in — the what, not the how.
So, after the unexpected wake up from the plumber, I reluctantly got out of bed and headed out for my morning walk. I aim to walk a minimum of 10,000 steps on at least 6 days of the week. Typically, this amounts to around 4 miles each morning.
I still consider myself a morning person. My energy peaks, my thoughts are most creative, and my mind is clearest during the early hours. I use my morning walks as a time to let my mind wander. It’s important for me to have this personal time before I let the rest of the world in. My phone is set to downtime, limiting access to all but a few essential apps like Spotify and the weather. These walks are agenda-free; sometimes I listen to a podcast, other times I brainstorm creative initiatives for work, or I might blast ABBA and strut around the city. Regardless of how I spend these walks or where my thoughts take me, I always return home feeling creative and energized for the day.
This morning was spent reflecting. Last week was a bit rough, I struggled with some personal things, feeling isolated and confused. On Friday night, as I was scrolling TikTok, a video was served to me that directly addressed my struggles. I had never been served any content like it before. It was exactly what I needed and I found myself in tears. It provided answers to many of my questions and, importantly, reminded me that I was not alone in my experience. This discovery led me to spend over an hour exploring the account, watching more videos to gain further insights.
This experience underscores the positive power of social media: a platform for sharing knowledge and building communities. Until that moment, I was unaware that other women were facing similar struggles. Discovering that there was not only an explanation for what I was experiencing, but also a community of others who understood, felt very comforting.
Full of reflection on the beneficial aspects of social media and how to effectively leverage them, I came home to get to work. For breakfast, we had our usual – fried eggs, rashers, and soda bread. We’re starting to get bored of this routine meal, so we’ve decided to mix things up and experiment with different meals in the coming days.
I spent the day working and in the evening, Mickey and I headed to the store to get ingredients for dinner. I made an Irish roasted salmon topped with a dill cream sauce. I love anything dill. It turned out well, with the cream sauce being the obvious highlight.
I’ve noticed that a lot of Irish food seems to lack physical structure, often resulting in dishes that are soft and mushy. It’s as if the ingredients are just chopped up and combined, like in a garbage disposal, to enhance flavor. Mashed potatoes with leek and cabbage, stews and pies filled with meat, potatoes, and vegetables, and plates full of potatoes, vegetables, and more potatoes. It’s horrible, I know. But now that I’ve noticed it, I can’t get the thought out of my head.
For the remainder of the month, I’m excited to get creative with my recipes while similarly excited for more truly authentic Irish dishes. I’m looking forward to deepening my understanding of Irish food culture and bringing its essence to life in my own kitchen.
xo, mikaela
