A Truth about early rising

Whoever reads productivity blog, books or articles know about it. The one and only life hack that will change everything on the spot. The one habit to adopt to solve every problem. It does not matter if you need more time to hustle, want to implement a morning routine or just copycat the stuff, surviving CEOs do. It is rising early.

To be honest, I considered myself a night owl for like 20 years of my life. Starting during Highschool years, continuing through university and still in my early years in the workforce, I used to rise late and stay up late. It was not unheard of me to play video games right up to one or two in the morning, during the week. I was a regular at a nightclub on Monday nights.
But it was not only for fun and downtime. I really could do a productive block of studying or building something at eight in the evening. Even in my early years at the job, I would have a small break at five, at quick dinner, maybe half an hour of a nap in front of the telly, but then I was up and productive again.

True, I never hit the office before nine. But most co-workers did not, either. But since I need about an hour in the morning to start functioning when I rise before eight, that was perfect.

Then, I moved, changed jobs and my commute became significant longer. I had to leave an hour early to be home at five in the afternoon. That meant I had to rise an hour earlier. That was the horror. After that, my boy was born. He would not have slept beyond seven, anyhow. My wife has also a full-time job. So we had to make rigid timetables for drop him off and pick him up at daycare and kindergarten.

Long story short, I rise at six and I am in the office at seven. Not by virtue but by need. I hate it. The only good thing is, I am alone in the office for the first one to two hours. That is good since I am still grumpy that early. And I still need my time to become functioning. I am still no lark. The downside is, I am so tired in the evening, that I play video games or crash the couch. I am not able to be productive at eight in the evening, anymore. I am spent. Often I am that spent, I do not even want to read a book. And I sleep at ten, eleven latest.