The morning may not be your favorite time of day, but it may be the most important part of your day. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had mornings where nothing goes right–I oversleep, I realize my favorite jeans are still in the washer, I spill coffee all over myself–and then the whole day seems to go downhill from there. I find that the way the morning goes impacts the rest of my day, and it’s hard to come back from a terrible morning.
After too many mornings that started that way (hello, baby years), I’ve found that if I take the time to do a few things that make me feel good in the morning, I have more energy and a better attitude to face the day. One thing–yes, I am a morning person, BUT I don’t think you have to be to have a great morning routine.
Ideas for improving your morning
{create your baseline time} To create a routine that works for you, think of the things you must accomplish and how much time it takes to do those things. If you don’t hit the snooze button, what time do you need to get up to do just those things?
{find some joy} Now, brainstorm a few things that would make you happier if you started your day with them. Maybe you’ve been wanting to try meditation or yoga, or you would like to get more reading done. It’s possible that having a full cup of coffee before you’re interrupted by little voices would make a huge difference in your day. Whatever it is, start there.
{turn back the clock} If the thought of waking up earlier makes you want to throw something at me, start with just one thing. Waking up even five minutes earlier to do something you enjoy can make a difference. Think hot coffee vs lukewarm coffee. When you decide what to add, adjust your alarm to make time for that. For example, if you’ve always wanted to write more but have trouble finding time, you could wake up and set a timer for 15 minutes to write. 15 minutes isn’t much, but over time you can write a lot in 15 minutes a day. So maybe you’ll get up at 6:15 instead of your usual 6:30.
{check in occasionally} It may take time to figure out a routine that works best for you. I tried several things before I settled into a morning routine that I feel good about. But I know that it’s right because I look forward to my mornings, they’re sacred for me. It may be that you find something that works, and after doing that for a while you’ll be ready to add more. Or maybe you’ll try a few things before you settle on one or two. Just keep trying and adjusting.
My morning routine: what works for me
- 5:00 – Wake up, brush my teeth, wash my face
- 5:10 – Do yoga
- 5:40 – Listen to podcasts while I get dressed and ready for work
- 6:00 – Drink coffee and read scripture and daily devotional
- 6:25 – Eat breakfast and read or work on blog stuff
- 6:50 – Pre-coronavirus: Get kids up and ready
- 7:00 – Current situation: Start work but pause to fix breakfast as the kids wake up (Violet returns to daycare soon so this will change too)
Just remember that you aren’t stuck with your current morning routine if it’s not working for you. Try adding one thing that brings you joy to your morning routine and see how you feel.
I would love to hear what your current morning routine is, or if you are working to create one.
