I’ve never had a morning routine. I always considered them boring and, well, routine.

I also always was too lazy to have one. That sounds harsh but it’s true. Getting up at the same time every morning means discipline and self control. Making breakfast, going to the gym, reading the news—these are things that lame suburbanites with 2.5 kids do. I was cooler than that. I had the luxury of being able to do what I wanted when I wanted.

In the past couple weeks I’ve been getting up early and going to the gym almost every day. At first it was a huge chore. Now it’s almost routine.

It’s not that it isn’t hard…it is. But by making a routine out of it, including a breakfast, a shower and (on occasion) a blog post, I can force myself to do the things I never liked doing.

What has been the result? It’s probably too early to tell, but I can say that although I get more tired than I used to in the late afternoons, the extra freedom that evenings now afford me is worth it. These morning routines free up a lot of extra time to go out, meet up with friends, watch TV, write music, or whatever floats my boat, without the anxiety and pressure of all the things I’m supposed to do hanging over my head.

So, I think it’s working, and as long as I can stick with it, maybe I’ll get healthier too. Stranger things have happened.