See how much fun you can have instead of sleeping?!
I’ve said it a million times before, but it can’t hurt to say it again: sleep is for the weak. Nighttime is the best time.
When I set up this blog at the end of last year, I was already pretty busy with a million other things. I had a full-time job. I was taking art/design classes in my free time. I was learning web programming & a bunch of other random things. I was trying to read The Iliad all the way through (I never finished). I was planning this big trip that I’m on. And I had a life. Weekends and friends and parties to go to.
But I also decided I wanted to have this blog. And the only time I could figure out HOW to blog was late at night.
The New York Times just published an article on groups of people that use those hours most people prefer for sleeping, and instead, burn through the midnight oil to produce… stuff. Everyone works differently, I understand. But there’s something about staying up all night producing something you want to produce, and then continuing on with your life the next morning. Nighttime is your time! Why would you want to sleep through it?
i love nighttime and i love that you are blogging now
Thanks Charlane!
Seriously, one of the reasons I started this blog was because of all the help and kindness I got through people like you on Twitter. It helped me see the usefulness of something like a blog and that's a big reason why I started blogging. I love the Internet!
Doug, I think blogging is definitely for night owls. But it's worth it!
@Nick. Yep, if you want to make something happen, you just have to make it happen. Figure out your priorities and go from there. For me, sleep has never been a priority. I'll sleep when I'm dead!
Yo monkey,
Sometimes it's nice to be alone at night to get things done. Like the NYTimes article said, there are significantly less distractions at nighttime (no one is playing Farmville or updating their Facebook status at 4 in the morning…)
I think that's what is so great about the “support group” idea that they talk about in the article. It's a way for like-minded people to work independently at the same place and time. Which just happens to be late at night. I remember countless nights setting up my blog where I would just spend hours researching topics online until I figured it out. In a group setting, you could probably just ask your neighbor and hope they know the answer!
Hi Dina!
I'm with you on the sunrise… It's much more likely I'd see it after being awake all night, than waking up for it (though I do have a good story about waking up for the sunrise on my last night in Sydney).
And didn't know about the White Castle cup! Funny.
I like how you put that. This really pertains to me, I was up til 330 this morning working on my blog and pumping out content and then on the air at the radio station at 530. The price we pay :)
Like Gary V says “Work till your eyeballs bleed”. If you really want something you have to be willing to sacrifice something, in this case, sleep.
I love the night but it is always better with company. Although I reach that point that what I'm writing doesn't make much sense as my body is still up but my mind has wondered off to bed.
I'm a night person too! I see sunrise really rarely, but it's easier for me to see the sunrise before I go to sleep, rather than after I wake up. Especially now I'm blogging from Sydney, most of people I want to communicate with are awake during normal Ozzie's sleeping time.
Btw, a couple of years ago Ryan (hubby) brought home a large pop cup from White Castle in US somewhere, and it had large print “Sleep is for the weak”. Awesome!
I'm a night owl, but the most of my shifts at work start at 7am. But I do work some nights and I find I'm always more focused, and much less dependent on caffeine to keep my going (unlike the morning when I don't feel awake until about 10am).
I do however like to sleep, and if I could I'd probably sleep about 10 hours a day…. of course then I wouldn't get anything done. Oh the tortures of life.
Adam Sandler did this funny skit on one of his CDs where a cult of night worshipers would constantly chant “The night time is the right time!” You're totally in that cult!
Btw, we agree with you. We're most creative / productive at night.
I've always been a late-night worker, it's quiet and there's no distractions. Perfect time for blog time!
Have you written the good sunset story somewhere ? :)
haha thanks Bret.
It's amazing how much work I can get done at night, Candice. No one else is online and I'm free to do what I want!
Ah, I haven't. But I think I will.
You're right, Alouise. I usually don't need caffeine late at night, but definitely do in the morning. I think it's probably because I'm running on adrenaline—doing something I really, truly want to be doing.
Thanks for the comment Sarah! You definitely might be onto something, though I know a handful of designers who are morning people, too.
Maybe it's a designer's thing? When it's really late at night, I see all my designer friend on aim. : ) Same for me too.
Yep, I'm pretty sleepy myself.
I blog all my best work in the early morning hours and very late at night. everything in between I just dont bother with
90% of my blog posts are formed in that way – I am so tired. But it's worth it, I haven't stopped yet.
Thanks for the comment! That makes a lot of sense to use the free wifi at night—it's probably faster without other people trying to connect.
And sometimes a day of just sleeping is definitely called for. Like yesterday for me :)
I don't drink coffee tho. My art director has been telling me he sleep late at night too, that makes me feel less abnormal…haha. Anyways thanks for the follow on my twitter. Let's have fun tweet to each other!
Funny! I love writing at night too & in fact mostly write our travel blog at night or early in the morning while my beloveds sleep. We've been traveling the world non-stop as a family since 2006, so those are also the quietest times. ;) I'm also usually on free wifi, so least busy of times.
BUT I do try to sleep in when I've been up late and find it quite delicious to sleep all day sometimes. ;) It's important to stay healthy while one travels and if one is constantly burning the candle at both ends, you'll get sick more often and not really enjoy the travel.
Luckily I need less sleep than most & adore those quiet hours too.
I read that the Buddha said that monks should be fine with 4 hours of sleep per night. I'm trying to go by this standard, but sometimes I just end up being falling asleep. I like to wake up extremely early to be the most productive.
Thanks for the comment Michael! It's so much easier to work during those times, agreed.
Four hours isn't very much. Eventually you have to catch up, but that's what lazy days are for. Work hard while the work is good.
I always write best late at night and I pulled many near all-nighters designing our site. I anticipate many more to come :)
Oh yes, it's just beginning Jenneil. Get ready to become very accustomed to a bright computer screen in a dark, dark room.