Working 9 to 5

Dolly Parton's Nine to Five hit no longer applies to me.  I've become an early bird.  For those who know me that will seem almost impossible, but I've done it.  At least during the work week and it's proving to be very interesting.

I was always a 9 to 5 person, but would typically arrive a few minutes late.  I always felt guilty about it and would sometimes get looks from the other girls or they would make a joke about me being late again, but I was a late night person and always worked well past 5, but for some reason that didn't matter.  One girl even nicknamed me '10 after 9 Pat' because that was when I usually arrived. 

Now I start work at 7:30 in the morning and it has been very enlightening. 

The first thing I noticed was that the early birds don't arrive on time either, but no one is in to notice!  For some reason when your work day starts at 7:30, coming in 5 or 10 minutes late is no big deal.

I'm not sure why that is, but I think it might be because by 9 o'clock the work day is in full swing so if you come in a few minutes late it is really noticeable, but when you come in early it is a slower pace and you have time to get a coffee, socialize a bit with your work colleagues and then prepare for the day.  When you come in at 9 you are usually trying to hurry and catch up to everyone else who has been working for at least an hour already.

Coming in early has other advantages.  The traffic is much better with no bumper to bumper traffic jams that the 9 to 5ers have to contend with.  It is a much calmer commute.  I didn't realize how much stress there was just trying to make it in to work in the morning until I didn't have to do it any longer. 

And best of all you get to leave when it is still early in the day.  One thing I've noticed is that early arrivers almost always leave on time. 

I think I prefer coming in early.  It is a lot less stressful and you can get a lot done without any interruptions.  And if your boss comes in at 9, it gives you a lot of time to prepare for their arrival. 

And take it easy on those who come in at 9 (or a little later).  They've had way more time on the road than you did and because they work later they have to fight traffic all over again going home. 

What really matters is not what time you come in, but making the most of the time you are there.