Ever since about the third grade, I stopped sleeping in and never woke up later than about 9 a.m. I have no clue exactly how this habit started but It has certainly gained attention from my family and friends around me. I never paid attention to this habit of mine at first but only noticed when it was pointed out to me.

Even though some days I would be the earliest up at like 6 or 7 a.m. on the weekends, while my family was sleeping in, I found that I could be a lot more productive. But as I grew up and progressed through middle and high school, my sleep habit has become more than just what time I wake up in the morning — it has become my motivation and one of my defining characteristics.

Even if I go to sleep as late as 4 a.m., I never fail to get up earlier than 10 a.m.The thought of waking up in the middle of the day or around noon makes me so uneasy to the point where I don't even need to set alarms; my body naturally wakes me up as early as possible. On school days, I wake up even earlier, at about 6 a.m. (school starts at 8:20).

I'm not intending to bash people who spend their mornings sleeping in until the latest possible moment, but this just never occurred to me as something I want to do myself. Of course I enjoy sleeping, but rather than sleeping in, it occurs to me to go to bed earlier instead. My mom told me that at a certain point she was even genuinely concerned that something was wrong with me because I would wake up at 5 a.m., take a shower and get ready for school before she was even awake.

The thought of wasting daylight, even if I have nothing planned to do that day, frightens me to the core.

Of course, there are times when because of my odd sleeping habits, I end up getting only a couple hours of sleep because I stayed up late. Because some days I may feel tired from my lack of sleep, I try to take short naps whenever I can during the day (when I have free time) like any other person would.

This habit is not only a defining part of me, but allows me to be more motivated and productive. Without this habit I would not have spent mornings (while others were sleeping) reading books, catching up on homework that I wouldn't have to worry about later, drawing and painting, going for morning walks/runs and just having time to reflect and think in quiet.

Whether you are someone who has a very fast-paced/busy work and school life and wants to sleep in all the time, or someone who stays up late at night watching Netflix and YouTube and wakes up at 2 p.m. in the afternoon, I recommend trying to wake up at least 30 minutes earlier everyday.

It may not seem like a big change at first, but if you continue waking up earlier you will feel a lot calmer throughout the day and have time in the mornings to relax and be productive.