Waking up at 4pm every day

[Magyarzorag]

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I only have classes 2 days of the week (Tuesday and Thursday) (Its my senior year before med school), and they go from 8 am to about 4 pm. On these days, I'm massively productive and get most of my studying done. However, on the other 5 days, I'm grossly unproductive. I would go to bed at a normal time (12-1 am). I intend to get up at 8, but often get up at 11 or noon (not that I need the extra sleep, but I can sleep 24 hours at a time if given the chance. Then, I twiddle my fingers until 4 pm (only productive thing I do is eat "brunch"). I could really have been studying or working out at this time. Then, I start studying from 4 pm to midnight with dinner in between. I'm essentially wasting a whole workday 5 days of the week and I get deeply depressed and unmotivated over it. I know its still good I'm getting 7-8 hours of studying a day, but I just feel bad to essentially starting my day when other people are getting off work.
The reason I'm productive Tuesday and Thursday is cause I have a class. Once I'm out of my apartment, I become productive and do things. However, the only thing that gets me out of my house are obligations. Sure, I don't have to attend glass as lectures are recorded, but I like the classroom experience and that can't be replicated at a different time. On the other hand, I can go to the gym whenever I want and study whenever I want, so those tasks can be delayed.

I really don't want to replicate this in medical school, which will be exacerbated because lectures will be recorded and its acceptable to miss class. Like seriously, I will walk peoples dogs for $1 in the morning because that will at least drag me out of my bed. (I can't do it for free, cause then, I will feel no obligation)

 

[RJ McReady]

If you’re already accepted, then don’t worry about it. Enjoy the year. Do what you want. Sleep til 4. Or 6 if you want. Who cares. You’ve earned it. If you worked hard enough to get in then you’ll get back into it in no time.

 

[Angus Avagadro]

A person told me to enjoy college because you will NEVER have that much free time again in your life, until you retire. Enjoy, knowing that in a few months you will be working harder than you ever dreamed you could. You will have plenty of pressure to pick up the pace. Good luck and best wishes!

 

[Aloe paleo]

i can relate to this hahaha

 

[Magyarzorag]

I just hope I don't replicate this in medical school

 

[Kardio]

I only have classes 2 days of the week (Tuesday and Thursday) (Its my senior year before med school), and they go from 8 am to about 4 pm. On these days, I'm massively productive and get most of my studying done. However, on the other 5 days, I'm grossly unproductive. I would go to bed at a normal time (12-1 am). I intend to get up at 8, but often get up at 11 or noon (not that I need the extra sleep, but I can sleep 24 hours at a time if given the chance. Then, I twiddle my fingers until 4 pm (only productive thing I do is eat "brunch"). I could really have been studying or working out at this time. Then, I start studying from 4 pm to midnight with dinner in between. I'm essentially wasting a whole workday 5 days of the week and I get deeply depressed and unmotivated over it. I know its still good I'm getting 7-8 hours of studying a day, but I just feel bad to essentially starting my day when other people are getting off work.
The reason I'm productive Tuesday and Thursday is cause I have a class. Once I'm out of my apartment, I become productive and do things. However, the only thing that gets me out of my house are obligations. Sure, I don't have to attend glass as lectures are recorded, but I like the classroom experience and that can't be replicated at a different time. On the other hand, I can go to the gym whenever I want and study whenever I want, so those tasks can be delayed.

I really don't want to replicate this in medical school, which will be exacerbated because lectures will be recorded and its acceptable to miss class. Like seriously, I will walk peoples dogs for $1 in the morning because that will at least drag me out of my bed. (I can't do it for free, cause then, I will feel no obligation)

If you’re hitting your own productivity goals, why feel guilty starting your ‘workday’ when others are ending theirs?

I only think this is a real problem if your schedule is making you feel socially isolated.

 

[Wolvvs]

If you’re hitting your own productivity goals, why feel guilty starting your ‘workday’ when others are ending theirs?

I only think this is a real problem if your schedule is making you feel socially isolated.

This is what happened to me in college. There was way too much free time, and nothing to do that felt productive. I was passing classes without studying, so I didn't feel any incentive to study, and the only thing that felt really meaningful was work. So I focused on that instead. And to be honest, if I wasn't planning on going to medical school, this would have been awesome--no employers cared about my grades after I graduated, only the skills and experience I built over time. But unfortunately medical schools do care, and I'm in a not so great position now.

To be honest, I'm a bit worried I'll find myself in a similar position the first and second years of medical school, I know I'll be able to handle the third and fourth years but I'm afraid of having too much free time again.

 

[Kardio]

This is what happened to me in college. There was way too much free time, and nothing to do that felt productive. I was passing classes without studying, so I didn't feel any incentive to study, and the only thing that felt really meaningful was work. So I focused on that instead. And to be honest, if I wasn't planning on going to medical school, this would have been awesome--no employers cared about my grades after I graduated, only the skills and experience I built over time. But unfortunately medical schools do care, and I'm in a not so great position now.

To be honest, I'm a bit worried I'll find myself in a similar position the first and second years of medical school, I know I'll be able to handle the third and fourth years but I'm afraid of having too much free time again.

Something out there kept you motivated enough to ace that post bac! I would focus on whatever that was, if ever you find yourself drifting.

 

[soysizle]

I hate to say it but old habits die hard. I was like you in undergrad...still am like this in 2nd year lol. Im doing just fine. I'll change when I have no other choice like when clerkships start.

 

[907914]

would go to bed at a normal time (12-1 am)

Is this a normal time to go to sleep? I always feel guilty when I am up this late like I know I shoulda been in bed at 10....

to echo what RJ said, if you have an A you have earned it and shouldn’t feel bad about this. If this is your natural rhythm right now then roll with it. However, it sounds like it is distressing you and causing unneeded anxiety so what I would stress to you is that your happiness is number one. There can be such a thing as too much relaxing.

Don’t force yourself into a different schedule (for now, that will change in medical school). But if you want to be productive, then wake up 2 hours earlier 3 of the five days and read a book. Practice learning Arabic. Maybe buy an electric keyboard and download an app to teach yourself piano. 6 hours a week can really add up to some impressive stuff.

But on that note, if you recognize that you don’t have to feel shamed or depressed for this sleep pattern and you stop feeling that way, then go ahead and relax to your heart’s content.

 

[ciestar]

Is this a normal time to go to sleep? I always feel guilty when I am up this late like I know I shoulda been in bed at 10....

to echo what RJ said, if you have an A you have earned it and shouldn’t feel bad about this. If this is your natural rhythm right now then roll with it. However, it sounds like it is distressing you and causing unneeded anxiety so what I would stress to you is that your happiness is number one. There can be such a thing as too much relaxing.

Don’t force yourself into a different schedule (for now, that will change in medical school). But if you want to be productive, then wake up 2 hours earlier 3 of the five days and read a book. Practice learning Arabic (prolly Spanish is more useful, I just liked Arabic better what little I learned lol). Maybe buy an electric keyboard and download an app to teach yourself piano. 6 hours a week can really add up to some impressive stuff.

But on that note, if you recognize that you don’t have to feel shamed or depressed for this sleep pattern and you stop feeling that way, then go ahead and relax to your heart’s content.

That is when I go to bed a lot of the time. Im convinced I have delayed sleep phase syndrome.

 

[ciestar]

OP, I struggled with this big time in undergrad. I struggled more with this in medical school. It got worse as my depression worsened.

If you struggle with being productive at home, get up and go to the library. In my opinion, if you get up at 11 but are still able to be productive for as many hours as necessary, whatever. It only becomes an issue once you hit clinical years where you sometimes have to get up before 5 am. Going to bed that late is no bueno, but it is basically what I do everyday, unfortunately. It is so much harder to function when you’re exhausted.

If depression is an issue, see someone about it. Med school will not help those feelings and can infact intensely worsen. Mine did and I really struggled through preclinicals which resulted in a not so great Step 1 score, and now with my last couple rotations.

 

[LizzyM]

Before I had kids, I spent Saturdays the way you are spending your free days and feeling non-productive was boring me so I found a volunteer opportunity from 9-Noon every Saturday morning. I was serving people who needed help and it set the tone for the rest of the day. Maybe there is a grade school, NICU, daycare for older adult or child, food pantry or other facility that could use your help?

 

[ChymeofPassion]

Jesus I wish I could sleep that late. I haven't been able to sleep past 9am since high school (and I go to bed at 12-1am), mostly because when I stay in bed longer I feel like a lazy sack of ****.

 

[Cornfed101]

I wake up at 5:30 am for work, but even on days I don't work, my kids wake me up at 6:30 am. Enjoy this time while you can...

 

[Deecee2DO]

I just hope I don't replicate this in medical school

Honestly replicating this in med school is not that big of a deal. No one goes to class in med school if you wanna wake up at 4pm and study all afternoon and into the night be my guest. Im an M2 and I still go to bed at 4am and wake up at noon and study all day in my underwear and I still do well. My roommate/classmate goes to bed at 6am sometimes. Now for next year this will absolutely not fly during rotations but I have another 9 months until I have to worry about that

 

[IsleyOfTheNorth]

I feel your pain OP - I'm the same way. My fix is a bit extreme, but it works for me:

You're doing something with your time - Netflix, video games, peeling grapes, whatever. Eliminate it from your life entirely. Sell your television - whatever you need to do. It'll hurt for a while, but then you adapt and get bored and start looking for productive things to do because your old go-to is no longer there. As you start to accomplish things, you'll feel better and better about yourself and you'll wonder why you ever missed those other things.

Want to learn violin? Remove everything that's not bolted down except your violin and a chair. Now you only a.) stare at the violin or b) learn the violin. You'll get tired of staring at it eventually. Congrats! You've learned the violin.

You get the idea. Extreme, yes, but effective I've found.

Also, for getting up when you don't want to: Set at least two alarms and make one of them very, very loud and put it across the room set for about 5 minutes after your first one goes off. Two or three mornings of that and you'll get up the first time, every time. 😉

 

[Sleepingdoc]

I only have classes 2 days of the week (Tuesday and Thursday) (Its my senior year before med school), and they go from 8 am to about 4 pm. On these days, I'm massively productive and get most of my studying done. However, on the other 5 days, I'm grossly unproductive. I would go to bed at a normal time (12-1 am). I intend to get up at 8, but often get up at 11 or noon (not that I need the extra sleep, but I can sleep 24 hours at a time if given the chance. Then, I twiddle my fingers until 4 pm (only productive thing I do is eat "brunch"). I could really have been studying or working out at this time. Then, I start studying from 4 pm to midnight with dinner in between. I'm essentially wasting a whole workday 5 days of the week and I get deeply depressed and unmotivated over it. I know its still good I'm getting 7-8 hours of studying a day, but I just feel bad to essentially starting my day when other people are getting off work.
The reason I'm productive Tuesday and Thursday is cause I have a class. Once I'm out of my apartment, I become productive and do things. However, the only thing that gets me out of my house are obligations. Sure, I don't have to attend glass as lectures are recorded, but I like the classroom experience and that can't be replicated at a different time. On the other hand, I can go to the gym whenever I want and study whenever I want, so those tasks can be delayed.

I really don't want to replicate this in medical school, which will be exacerbated because lectures will be recorded and its acceptable to miss class. Like seriously, I will walk peoples dogs for $1 in the morning because that will at least drag me out of my bed. (I can't do it for free, cause then, I will feel no obligation)

Go sleep all you can before you get hit with the real storm. Go take a short trip from thursday to the following monday... You will regret not making the most of it while you can.

 

[deleted804295]

I feel your pain OP - I'm the same way. My fix is a bit extreme, but it works for me:

You're doing something with your time - Netflix, video games, peeling grapes, whatever. Eliminate it from your life entirely. Sell your television - whatever you need to do. It'll hurt for a while, but then you adapt and get bored and start looking for productive things to do because your old go-to is no longer there. As you start to accomplish things, you'll feel better and better about yourself and you'll wonder why you ever missed those other things.

Want to learn violin? Remove everything that's not bolted down except your violin and a chair. Now you only a.) stare at the violin or b) learn the violin. You'll get tired of staring at it eventually. Congrats! You've learned the violin.

You get the idea. Extreme, yes, but effective I've found.

Also, for getting up when you don't want to: Set at least two alarms and make one of them very, very loud and put it across the room set for about 5 minutes after your first one goes off. Two or three mornings of that and you'll get up the first time, every time. 😉

Solid advice. You motivated me to take an SDN break!