MY MORNING ROUTINE
I was listening to the “What We Said” podcast the other day while doing a little bit of cleaning around the house. In this particular episode, they talked about what their morning routines looked like and it made me really think about what my ideal morning would be.
Mornings have become more important to me over time. If I feel like I kick-started my day off right, it sets me up on a good track for the rest of the day. My schedule tends to be all over the place, so it feels difficult at times to stick to one routine. Plus, with 2020 being the year that is is, it’s been hard at moments to even find motivation to get a healthy start to my day. So many successful people talk about the importance of their mornings, so I want to build the most ideal start to my day that I can.
To be honest, I’ve seen quite a few morning routine videos that get started at 5 AM and I can’t help but watch with a little bit of an eye roll. I always think, “There’s no way someone can do this every day” but maybe that's what works for them and not for me, and that’s okay! I’m learning to figure out what works best for me and accepting the fact that it can change and look different in new seasons of life.
With that in mind, here is my current routine, and then how I’d like to improve it to make my mornings better.
Current morning routine
I usually wake up for a workout around 7:45-8 AM, and check my phone in bed (which I’m trying to get better about). I love waking up to music instead of a blaring alarm. I currently shuffle the “Woodland” EP by The Paper Kites, and it’s the best way to ease into my morning. I usually only leave enough time in my morning to brush my teeth, put on deodorant, get dressed for a workout, then let out the dogs and feed them before heading out the door. Sometimes I leave that last part to Cooper, if I didn’t give myself enough time to let the dogs out. I also try to take a water with me to keep hydrated, but I usually forget (oops). During quarantine, it was very challenging for me to get my days going with a workout. To be honest, I need someone to hold me accountable, so having a place to show up to plays huge part in my workout happening. When I’m not on lockdown, I have a friend who personal trains me 3 days out of the week, and the other 2-3 days I’m at pilates or taking a rest. Anytime I’m driving to and from a workout I like to call my family on the west coast and say hi. When I finish my workout, I’ll have some breakfast. Usually a chocolate protein shake with added collagen, or avocado toast. I’ll check on my plants after this, generally, and if it’s a Friday, I’m going to water most of them. Then, I get showered and fully ready for my day. This is usually when I wash my face, which I should be doing first thing, but I usually feel gross after a workout and want to wash it again. At this point I make the bed. I usually don’t make it first thing because Cooper wakes up a little later than me.
My Ideal Morning Routine
I wake up 1-2 hours before my workout to the same alarm that eases me into my day. I make my bed right away, I get ready for a workout, including my skincare routine, drink some water, have a light breakfast like oatmeal, check on my plants, then have some quiet time. For me that looks like reading my Bible, meditating, journaling, and thinking on the things I want to accomplish that day. I take my dogs outside, then get them their breakfast and leave for my workout. Post-workout I make a shake, take my vitamins, and then get showered and fully dressed for my day. Since I’m two hours ahead of LA, I don’t get many emails coming in until closer to noon my time, so I would start checking in on those after that.
Really, my ideal morning only has a few added things. The biggest one being how much time I give myself in the morning before I work out. I would also shuffle a few things around, like when I wash my face. The truth is, keeping to a routine can be challenging at times, especially when it’s so easy to fill all the things I want/need to do in the morning with scrolling on my phone or just sleeping in (I love my sleep). But, I want to get better at implementing a routine like this, because I feel so much better when I do.
What does an ideal morning routine look like to you?