Race to See the Sun

My day job gives me the opportunity to work from home. Usually, this is a blessing...no traffic jams, no need to shower by a certain time, or even at all if you don't feel like it.

But there's another side to working from home that can often be a curse. Checking and responding to email before getting your first cup of coffee, thinking nothing of working through breaks and lunches and, perhaps the worst, having no defined "end" to the work day. (To any employer reluctant to allow their employees to work from home, believe me, you end up getting way more than you pay for.)

It's ironic that I'm in an industry where people are actually penalized for not "adhering" to their work schedule. Working more than your scheduled hours is just as bad as working too few. What a concept! I wish someone would penalize me for not adhering to my schedule. Actually, when I step back and think about that statement, I must admit that I do get punished and I'm the one who does it to myself. Reminds me of the line from the old Eagles song "...So often times it happens that we live our lives in chains, and we never even know we hold the key..."

Admittedly, I need some serious work on adhering to my end of day schedule. But the beginning of the day? I'm getting a lot better.  I'm very fortunate in that I live near the St. Johns river. A short 10 minute walk takes me to a bridge where the east side gives me a spectacular view of the sunrise. Lately, I find myself waking in anticipation of my morning walk. In fact, this morning I left the house a little bit late and actually ran to the bridge so I could catch the sunrise (the picture above was taken from the marina at the foot of the bridge on the other side...talk about artistic inspiration!).

What about you? Do you race to see the sun at the beginning of your day? Do you get up early enough to build in a little time for reflection before the distractions and concerns of the 'day job' creep in? If not, I encourage you to try it out. It may end up being the only time for "you" you get.

(For those who like the "thought" of being an early riser, but have difficulty with the reality, there are several great posts in Lifehack.org that you should check out. Here's a good one to start with: Become an Early Riser in 5 Days.)