You were tired at tenHabits

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You were tired at ten

A short book about staying up late when you're exhausted, because the evening feels like the only time that's yours

17 chapters10,522 wordsAbout 48 minFirst edition

What's inside

·Before you startThis is a short book. You can read it in two or three evenings, and I'd be pleased if you stopped each time when you got tired. It's about one habit.…2 min
1Ten o'clockHere's an example, and you can change the details to fit. You get in from work at half past six. There's dinner to make and eat and clear away. There are…3 min
2What the late stretch paysIf staying up did nothing for you, you wouldn't do it. So before arguing with it I want to list what it pays, as fairly as I can. I count six payments.…3 min
3"It's the only time that's mine"This is the belief at the centre of the habit, and the first thing to say about it is that it may be true. Look at the day in chapter 1. From half past…2 min
4"At least I enjoy it"This chapter is mostly one question. What do you do in the late stretch? I don't mean what you'd like to do with time of your own. Most people can answer…2 min
5"I'm fine on six hours"Most people who stay up late have made a private calculation. Eight hours would be nice, and six is enough. They've been doing it for years, they hold…3 min
6"I'll catch up at the weekend"This is the accounting that keeps the week going. You run short from Monday to Friday and pay it back with a long lie-in on Saturday and Sunday. It feels…3 min
7"I'm not tired any more"Something odd often happens in the late stretch. At ten you could barely keep your eyes open. By half past eleven you feel reasonably awake. It seems as…4 min
8"If I go to bed, it's tomorrow"This belief is rarely said aloud, but I think it keeps a lot of people on the sofa. Going to bed ends today. The next thing you'll know is the alarm, and…2 min
9"I can't face getting ready for bed"This is the least dignified reason for staying up, and perhaps the most common. You're on the sofa, warm and heavy. Between you and sleep there's a list…2 min
10"It's the only time we get together"For people who live with a partner, the late stretch often isn't solitary. It's the two of you on the sofa after the house has gone quiet. All day you've…2 min
11"There's nowhere else to put it"This is the chapter the rest of the book depends on. If the late stretch is a poor way to get your own time, the fair question is where else it's supposed…4 min
12"I'm a night person"Some readers will have been waiting since chapter 1 to say this. The night isn't just leftover time for them. It's when they feel most like themselves.…2 min
13The decisionEverything so far has been about seeing the habit clearly. This chapter is about what to do, and it starts with a rule. My own time comes first in the…4 min
14When the late nights come backThey will come back. The usual occasions are easy to list. There's a deadline week at work, or a holiday that moves every routine by two hours. There's an…3 min
15Ten o'clock againGo back to the evening in chapter 1, with a few things moved. You get in at half past six, and the early part is as busy as ever. The children are down by…2 min
·NotesThis book gives general information. It isn't medical advice, and it's no substitute for a doctor who knows your situation. I've kept sources out of the…5 min

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