Are you a lark?
A morning person? One of those really irritating types who wakes up with a smile on their face and can converse cheerfully before breakfast – without coffee, even?
My life has been plagued by morning people. Not Ryan, thankfully. He’s even more of an owl than I am. But my Gran was a morning person, and my mother in law.
Which was fine for them, of course. But why did they moralise about it – and try to inflict it on everyone else?
“The early bird catches the worm”, my Gran always used to say – although she never found an answer for my question about the early worm, who clearly would have done better to lie abed. She also used to say “Birds in their little nests do agree” – another saying that left this particular cuckoo unmoved.
We all moved in to live with my Gran and Grandad back when I was eleven, and from that day until I left home I was woken up by her every morning – playing hymns on her electric organ. “Abide with me” was her favourite, closely followed by “Now thank we all our God.” She didn’t have much of a repertoire.
A couple of years after we were married, Ryan and I moved in with his mother. It didn’t last long, about ten weeks, I think. The final straw was when she walked into our bedroom without knocking at six am, demanding we get up and go with her to the garden centre because the hose attachment had broken.
For some strange reason, larks seem to believe they have the moral highground. They don’t seem to have any doubts at all – and even for those of us who are natural night owls this certainty rubs off.
Until nanowrimo, I always believed I should do my writing first thing in the morning. The Artists Way by Julia Cameron talks about Morning Pages with conviction – that’s when we should start writing.
But last November I discovered I work best in the evenings. It took a month of writing every day for that fact to sink in. I was so thoroughly brainwashed by this idea that I ought to be writing first thing – that every day I would wake up determined to do my words first thing. I would know that the previous day’s words hadn’t started flowing until early evening….but even so, I knew that was just me being naughty.
I don’t think of myself as a rules person, and yet somehow I had taken this one completely for granted – as a truth revealed from on high.
Still, there’s some good news from the research. The larks may think they are ahead of the game, but the owls have more fun…
“So, larks are older, more conformist, more dependable, and so more likely to set official rules. Such rules seem to favor lark-preferred hours of work, school, etc., and to give larks higher school grades even though owls are smarter and eventually richer. “
It turns out that all those preconceived ideas, that owls are just lazy and that people who lie in in the mornings just aren’t motivated and never acheive anything as simply wrong. Sheer prejudice.
Note to self : There are no rules. Just find out what works and do it.
What works for you?
About Ann GodridgeAnn Godridge has just completed her first crime novel, The Mermaid's Shroud, and has started work on the sequel. Her story the Tree of Knowledge was shortlisted for the Asham Award. She writes about writing and sometimes about textile arts at her blogStraw into Gold. You can find out more about her here - About Ann G.
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52 Responses to Are you a lark?
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Lark… never.
I started out as one as a child, but when I worked in the pub I adapted to the finish at midnight and go to bed at 2am and get up at 9am regime. I now really struggle to get up before 6am.
When I went over to France to visit Nikki, I got up at 4.30am and it took me 3 weeks to get back the 4 hours sleep I lost that day lol.
So, after all that I am most definitely an owl.
There is always that annoying element of having to fit in with the world around of course – various meetings and appointments and the like. But on the whole at least working from home I can do it at my onw pace and in my own time.
But I still feel slightly guilty for not being a lark…
Lark… never.
I started out as one as a child, but when I worked in the pub I adapted to the finish at midnight and go to bed at 2am and get up at 9am regime. I now really struggle to get up before 6am.
When I went over to France to visit Nikki, I got up at 4.30am and it took me 3 weeks to get back the 4 hours sleep I lost that day lol.
So, after all that I am most definitely an owl.
There is always that annoying element of having to fit in with the world around of course – various meetings and appointments and the like. But on the whole at least working from home I can do it at my onw pace and in my own time.
But I still feel slightly guilty for not being a lark…
Definitely a lark, Ann – by 10 at night I am ready for bed, but find that frustrating, and likely will even more so as my girl gets older – she’s an owl, for sure.
I’m looking forward to the age when we need less sleep and I can go to bed at midnight then wake refreshed at 5 – imagine what I could get done in a day then
Twitter: babssaul
That’s my idea of hell Babs… we need less sleep and I can go to bed at midnight then wake refreshed at 5
It does vary a little – in summer I find I am much more likely to be up and awake early
But on the whole I would much rather see 5am from the other side…
A committed Lark. Why waste all those early hours in bed
Sleep is NEVER a waste, Lynn
Definitely a lark, Ann – by 10 at night I am ready for bed, but find that frustrating, and likely will even more so as my girl gets older – she’s an owl, for sure.
I’m looking forward to the age when we need less sleep and I can go to bed at midnight then wake refreshed at 5 – imagine what I could get done in a day then
Twitter: babssaul
That’s my idea of hell Babs… we need less sleep and I can go to bed at midnight then wake refreshed at 5
It does vary a little – in summer I find I am much more likely to be up and awake early
But on the whole I would much rather see 5am from the other side…
A committed Lark. Why waste all those early hours in bed
Sleep is NEVER a waste, Lynn
As a teenager I definitely went through a prolonged owl stage…
I struggle to get up early in winter whereas it’s much easier as the days get longer.
And I think I’m more likely to be a lark when I’m anticipating a really great day ahead and want to savour EVERY moment
…
Twitter: Linda_Mattacks
Hmm, perhaps there is a natural seasonal element to it, Linda. I certainly need more coffee in winter!
As a teenager I definitely went through a prolonged owl stage…
I struggle to get up early in winter whereas it’s much easier as the days get longer.
And I think I’m more likely to be a lark when I’m anticipating a really great day ahead and want to savour EVERY moment
…
Twitter: Linda_Mattacks
Hmm, perhaps there is a natural seasonal element to it, Linda. I certainly need more coffee in winter!
I think the Morning Pages in The Artist’s Way are about you do them when you get up, regardless of whether that’s morning or afternoon, or even evening. Getting rid of the round-your-head stuff first thing.
PS. Since I submitted comment without filling in my name, can I say how much I appreciate that when I clicked back my comment was still there!
Good point about the morning pages, Rosemary. I’ll have to ponder that one
But personally I find I can free-write rubbish any time of the day 
I think the Morning Pages in The Artist’s Way are about you do them when you get up, regardless of whether that’s morning or afternoon, or even evening. Getting rid of the round-your-head stuff first thing.
PS. Since I submitted comment without filling in my name, can I say how much I appreciate that when I clicked back my comment was still there!
Good point about the morning pages, Rosemary. I’ll have to ponder that one
But personally I find I can free-write rubbish any time of the day 
in an ideal world I would stay up writing until about 2 or 3 in the morning then go to bed and wake up around lunch time, start writing again around 6 or 7pm.
That would work for me too, Heather. Hmmm, how are we going to organise and overthrow the larks who are inc harge, I wonder?
in an ideal world I would stay up writing until about 2 or 3 in the morning then go to bed and wake up around lunch time, start writing again around 6 or 7pm.
That would work for me too, Heather. Hmmm, how are we going to organise and overthrow the larks who are inc harge, I wonder?
I’m very definitely an owl, and refuse to be guilt-tripped into larkdom by mother in law or my father. I sleep very well, and can get up at 7.30 each money to see son off to school, but it’s rare for me to be in bed by midnight.
My best writing is done in the evenings, as well.
I love that you are so good at refusing the guilt trip, Morag – I am taking you as my role model!
I’m very definitely an owl, and refuse to be guilt-tripped into larkdom by mother in law or my father. I sleep very well, and can get up at 7.30 each money to see son off to school, but it’s rare for me to be in bed by midnight.
My best writing is done in the evenings, as well.
I love that you are so good at refusing the guilt trip, Morag – I am taking you as my role model!
I don’t think I’m a lark OR an owl. I’m dopey all day and and all night!
Twitter: evenbreak
Well, I’m not convinced at the dopey part, Jane!
I don’t think I’m a lark OR an owl. I’m dopey all day and and all night!
Twitter: evenbreak
Well, I’m not convinced at the dopey part, Jane!
In my old life I used to work in railway engineering and regularly used to leave the house at around 7am on a normal day, and some mornings as early as 3 or 4am. I was fine with that, but used to be in bed around 10pm.
These days I get up because I have to get my kids to school in time, but given the chance I would stay in bed until 9 or 10am and STILL go to bed early! My excuse is I’m catching up with too many years of sleep deprivation!
When I was working ina proper job I used to manage to get up quite early (not 3 or 4 am early!) because it fitted in better for commuting and getting home at a reasonable time. It really wasn’t natural for me though.
There are some experts I believe who theorise that we are all sleep deprived these days – merely due to the prevalence of electrc lighting….
In my old life I used to work in railway engineering and regularly used to leave the house at around 7am on a normal day, and some mornings as early as 3 or 4am. I was fine with that, but used to be in bed around 10pm.
These days I get up because I have to get my kids to school in time, but given the chance I would stay in bed until 9 or 10am and STILL go to bed early! My excuse is I’m catching up with too many years of sleep deprivation!
When I was working ina proper job I used to manage to get up quite early (not 3 or 4 am early!) because it fitted in better for commuting and getting home at a reasonable time. It really wasn’t natural for me though.
There are some experts I believe who theorise that we are all sleep deprived these days – merely due to the prevalence of electrc lighting….
I am a lark, my day ends at 3PM in the afternoon and can easily fall asleep wherever I am at that hour. I struggle with evenings and you can’t get me to make any sense at all most evenings.
I would say it is just a preference or at least something to do with temperament than a simple case of laziness or otherwise
Twitter: ethnicsupplies
What time do you naturally start, Ida?
I’ve known people who say that an early afternoon catnap makes all the difference to them – half an hour, no more, or apparently that really sends you to sleep!
I’d be worried that I’d be even worse at sleeping through the night though
Sleep? What is this sleep you speak of?
Twitter: evenbreak
I have to get some sleep, Jane. Otherwise I’d never have any dreams about Lembit Opik.
On second thoughts ….
I often up and ready to work at 6am, and like you if I sleep in the afternoon I find myself wide awake for the best part of the night..so can’t really win..LOL
Twitter: ethnicsupplies
I am a lark, my day ends at 3PM in the afternoon and can easily fall asleep wherever I am at that hour. I struggle with evenings and you can’t get me to make any sense at all most evenings.
I would say it is just a preference or at least something to do with temperament than a simple case of laziness or otherwise
Twitter: ethnicsupplies
What time do you naturally start, Ida?
I’ve known people who say that an early afternoon catnap makes all the difference to them – half an hour, no more, or apparently that really sends you to sleep!
I’d be worried that I’d be even worse at sleeping through the night though
Sleep? What is this sleep you speak of?
Twitter: evenbreak
I have to get some sleep, Jane. Otherwise I’d never have any dreams about Lembit Opik.
On second thoughts ….
I often up and ready to work at 6am, and like you if I sleep in the afternoon I find myself wide awake for the best part of the night..so can’t really win..LOL
Twitter: ethnicsupplies
I am a lark whether I like it or not – I get jumped on by 3 x dogs around 07:00 hrs every morning and have to get up to let them out for a wee-wee … and although I would love to go back to bed for an hour or so by the time I’ve done that, fed animals, got people away to work and school, checked my emails etc. I’m wide awake.
But for writing and editing, I prefer the afternoons and evenings.
Twitter: SuzeStMWrites
Ah, well, if I could persuade Ryan it’s time for a new puppy, that’s one thing that would revive my inner lark!
I am a lark whether I like it or not – I get jumped on by 3 x dogs around 07:00 hrs every morning and have to get up to let them out for a wee-wee … and although I would love to go back to bed for an hour or so by the time I’ve done that, fed animals, got people away to work and school, checked my emails etc. I’m wide awake.
But for writing and editing, I prefer the afternoons and evenings.
Twitter: SuzeStMWrites
Ah, well, if I could persuade Ryan it’s time for a new puppy, that’s one thing that would revive my inner lark!