Stuck on Autopilot as a Night Owl or Morning Person? Try the Opposite
Last week, I wrote a post over at my LinkedIn blog that went viral.
Entitled, Why You Should Try to Be A Morning Person, it told you -- well -- why you should try to be a morning person. (The title was vague, I know!) In a few days, over 150,000 folks read it, and I got tons of comments from morning people and avowed night owls defending and promoting their choices.
The responses taught me one main thing about both morning people and night owls alike.
That main thing?
That both groups hate hearing advice from the other.
No, really.
These are the kinds of comments people left, again and again and again....
- So you're a night owl? You love staying up until the wee hours of the morning working hard and being crazy creative in a way that people who live in daylight who could never possibly imagine? Good for you. BUT KEEP IT TO YOURSELF.
And...
- So you're a morning person? You love to wake before the birds to get a jumpstart on the day, and then brag to everyone else who rested and productive you feel? Cheers. BUT SHUT YOUR TRAP.
The reason that both groups hate hearing such advice is likely fairly obvious to most of you. It's the same reason that anyone, anywhere, hates hearing that they way they are living their life is wrong. People love being right, and they love to defend the choices they've made. People hate being wrong, and hate being told so.
The problem, though, is that as with many things in life, admitting that what you're doing isn't necessarily the 100% best solution is just the first step to trying something new. And trying something new just might be the ticket to you becoming a healthier, happier, person.
Although my post was titled Why You Should Try to Be A Morning Person (and not, Why You Should Try to Be a Night Owl), it very well could have been. I simply took one perspective I personally believe, and wrote it from that angle. In contrast, though, when I wrote a post on 5 Reasons to be a Morning Person earlier this year, my mother immediately responded with a Night Owl's defense.
My point?
That trying another person's perspective on for size (yes, even a perspective that is a full 180 degrees from your own), is worth a moment. You might learn something, you might get better at being you, or you might become an even better person.
If you're a night owl, is there anything you can learn from morning people? If you're a morning person, can night owls teach you anything of use? I'm betting so. So what is it?
For more from Claire, read her free ebook on developing a morning routine, check out her blog, follow her on LinkedIn, or find her on the Twitters via @claire.
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8 年I have done both day & night, weekday & weekend, 3x12's, 4x10s etc., and "should try" is spot-on correct. Each presents its own sacrifice and productivity. I have known those who insisted on night shift work but at some point a change of hours was better from the regular grind. What you find out from all this is that family, sports, concerts, lifestyle and hobbies all take precedence to their shift preference.Those on days would never consider working nights and would conjure some negativity on the subject. Though the shift-change moments I remember, is when a morning supervisor arrived daily at 7am with a grim and tired eye face saying "I'm not a morning person" and had to meet my can-w-do-the-shift-notes-transition so I can leave and go home. There is something odd about having a morning breakfast and then go to sleep. Somewhere in there is the swing-shift.