It’s Way Past Mama’s Bedtime

I did it! I got to bed before midnight last night.?

Katie, that’s awesome! What’s the secret sauce? I’d love to get to bed earlier.

Ha! I wish I knew a fool proof secret! Getting to bed earlier has been a struggle for me for quite some time. But I have been feeling lately that God wants me to make it a priority.

I totally get that. I feel like there’s so much to do and I don’t get to start on the chores until late.

Agreed ! I feel like the days are packed with taking care of the kids and different activities or commitments.? I sooo enjoy the peaceful quiet that settles over the house after I put the kids to bed at night. Not to mention that’s the only time I have to actually get anything done.

Exactly! Those precious few hours after the kids’ bedtime is when my husband and I get to hang out. And when I can tackle those pesky chores. Laundry. Dishes (ugh, the dishes!). Need I go on?

Oh, my daily battle with the dishes!!!?

Maybe I’ll switch us to paper products forever.? That will solve one problem, haha.

Yes, free up one space on that never-ending to-do list! That’s what has hit me, though – because the to-do list seems to never end, I just stay up later and later working on different things …

Right, and before I know it, I’m up too late and then I’m too tired and I wake up cranky and I am short-fused and I take it out on the kids and then it’s a downward spiral. Am I the only one?

Sounds like mornings at my house! I was waking up tired every morning. And then I was snapping at my kids while I was feeding them breakfast and trying to rush everyone through the morning routine of getting dressed and brushing teeth and out the door on time. Not the way I wanted our mornings to look!?

What did you decide to do differently?

Well, I realized I had to change SOMEthing! For me, my ideal night sleep would be 7 ½ hours. Lofty goal, but I set a bedtime for myself to be able to get that much sleep. Some nights I make it and some I don’t, but a helpful first step for me was at least stating the goal!?

That’s smart! Creating concrete goals give you something practical to do, not some general desire. So it’s like a cutoff time. What happens when you don’t get everything done by then? I struggle to relax if my chores aren’t done and bedtime is fast approaching.

I’ve been *trying* to prioritize what actually has to get done each night and what can wait until the next day. I’ve found I have to let go of some things in order to stick to an earlier bedtime. Sometimes dirty dishes stay in the sink and emails go unanswered.

You’re right, though. Would I prefer clean dishes when I come downstairs over a smoother and calmer morning with my kiddos? Probably not. Everything may seem like they’re equal on the priority scale but they’re really not.

Right! And when I remember the benefit of waking up more rested is better interactions with my kids in the morning, it makes it easier to stick to the bedtime goal.

I have not perfected our mornings but I do try to prepare for the next day as much as I can the night before, like pack lunches and put backpacks by the back door. (It must be nice to be a child and have no concept of time!) If I’m as prepared as I can be, it’s easier to relax and fall asleep at my appointed bedtime. I think the main thing is I just need to let some things go, like you were saying: priorities.

And God has been showing me that I need to make my personal health a priority in order to allow Him to help me be the kind of mom He wants me to be for my kids in the morning. Letting go of the to-do list at night and going to sleep is a way of showing Him I trust Him to provide what I need for the next day.

So true! Sleep is like our daily bread. We can’t save up for the future or pull from our reserve because there isn’t one. When we stress and busy ourselves and try to do all the things and sacrifice our sleep, we’re acting out of fear and that doesn’t lead to good health or good relationships.

It’s time to set my bedtime alarm for 11pm. Hold me to it!

Way to go! Just forget those dishes; they’ll be there in the morning – I guarantee it.?