I’ve always been a morning person, but somewhere along the way, I think I crossed the line into being an extreme morning person. Every single day, without fail, I’m up at 3 a.m. Most people hear that and look at me like I’ve completely lost it, but honestly, those quiet hours before the world wakes up have become some of the most cherished moments of my entire day. It’s that perfect little pocket of time where everything is still, the house is silent, and I can simply exist for a few minutes before the homestead springs to life.

There’s a kind of peace that only happens in the early morning, the kind of peace you can’t find at 7 a.m. when alarms are going off, traffic is starting, or the rest of the world is wide awake. At 3 a.m., it’s just me, my thoughts, and the gentle anticipation of a new day. I don’t rush around or dive into chores immediately. Instead, I give myself that small window of “doing nothing”—a cup of coffee, a scroll through my phone, a few deep breaths, or just sitting quietly in the dark while my mind adjusts to the day ahead. It may sound mundane, but those moments feel like luxury.

Being a morning person is more than a preference when you live a homestead lifestyle—it’s almost a requirement. Animals don’t care if you stayed up too late or if the weather was terrible or if you just didn’t feel like getting out of bed. They rely on you completely, and their day starts early whether you’re ready or not. Feeding the chickens and ducks before dawn, refreshing waterers, checking the greenhouse, and getting everything settled for the day ahead all happen long before most people’s alarms ring. I’m grateful every day that my natural rhythm aligns perfectly with the demands of homestead life. If I weren’t a morning person, it would feel like fighting upstream.

Of course, waking up at 3 a.m. comes with its own rhythm and adjustments. The biggest one? Early mornings mean early nights. There’s no staying up until midnight for me—not unless I want to feel like a zombie the next day. When you wake up as early as I do, you quickly learn that your internal clock is completely different from everyone else’s. I often joke that I live in an entirely different time zone. While everyone else is settling in for their evening TV shows, I’m brushing my teeth and sliding into bed. My “goodnight” text goes out just as someone else’s “good morning” alarm is set for the next day.

Even though my schedule might look unusual to others, it’s the one that makes sense for my life. Early mornings give me the time I need to take care of the homestead with energy and intention. They give me space to think, plan, breathe, and be fully present. The world is quiet, the animals are calm, and there is something incredibly grounding about watching the first hint of dawn filter through the trees while the rest of the homestead slowly wakes up.

I know that not everyone is wired to be a morning person, and that’s okay. But for me, these early hours feel like a gift, one that makes the long days of homesteading feel balanced and manageable. Being a 3 a.m. riser may make me a little unusual, but it’s a part of who I am—and honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

If anything, living in my own personal time zone suits me just fine.