What is the most productive period of your day? The part of the day when you get the most done? For many, it’s the evening when they are home from work or the afternoon when they are back from lunch and can concentrate on what they have to do. For me, my most productive period of the day is the morning.

I have always been a “morning person”. Since my first job as an Assistant Manager at Pathmark, which required me to be at work at 6:00am to unload pallets from a truck, I have always had to get up early. But now, what began as a necessity for work reasons has become a subconscious routine that comes so natural to me, I usually get up as soon as the alarm goes off – and sometimes just a minute or two before – that’s how used to getting up my body is.

These days, I have to be at work at the DOB at 9:00am. Thanks to what is called “flex time”, I can get to work at 10:00am without being late. So if I wanted to get the most sleep and still be at work on time, which we’ll say is 9:00am, I can get up at 7:30am, be showered, dressed and out the door by 7:45am, and at my desk by 9:00am – to me – that’s insane. If I did that, the rest of my day would be full of stress and I would be wired and cranky. So to make sure I have enough time in the morning – I get up at 5:30am.

Why two hours earlier than necessary? Let me explain. The first and main reason is because I have the South Park Digest to do, so I need at least an hour to do it. So why yet another extra hour? Why not get up at 6:30am? Simple. My theory on having a good day at work is starting with a morning that is calm, relaxing – and most important of all – un-rushed. I can not understand these people who wake up, throw their clothes on and rush out the door before the covers they throw off themselves in the mad rush to get up land back on the bed. If I started my day like that every day – I’d be a mess. So instead of starting every morning like Speedy Gonzales – I allow myself enough time to make sure that when I reach my desk, I am awake and ready for the day ahead.

So to all of you out there that are not morning people – and this goes double for you Sandy – instead of getting up thirty seconds before you have to leave for work – open your eyes just a little earlier so you can take your time – wake up – and smell the coffee.