Do you have a morning routine in place? While we can’t all wake up to a field of sunflowers, we can at least make sure that our mornings begin in a way that sets the right tone for the rest of the day. For most of my life, my mornings were always a bit all over the place. I seldom ate breakfast and I often ended up wasting a lot of time, then leaving for work at the last minute.
When I went solo, I no longer had to go into an office, which helped me slowly get into a better routine. It was only much later, when I went to live out in the countryside for a few years, that I developed a proper morning routine. This routine adapts to my life, which means that it is not rigid at all. Even if some small changes happen, it is still a routine, however.
My day begins with an early wake-up. In summer, I like to wake up at 05h00. In winter, I get up a bit later at 06h00. I get up at this time during the week and on weekends and holidays. Getting up at the same time every day makes it so much easier to get my body clock working. Once in a while, I sleep later if I go to bed later (see my tips on establishing a bedtime routine to find out why a set bedtime is so important). Mostly, I am up when my alarm goes off. After feeding the cats, I make tea and then I get back into bed. I like to go onto Facebook and ease into the day. At around 07h00, I do my morning meditation and write out my daily affirmation. Then, I have breakfast and have a bath. After that’s done, I write out my tasks for the day, do some gratitude journaling and then I am ready to face the day.
Building Your Morning Routine
I’ve heard many say that morning social media is bad. I know many people who like to get their exercise or yoga practice done in the morning. I prefer to do yoga at lunchtime or in the early afternoon and rather relax into the start of the day. The great thing about building your own morning routine is that you get to do whatever helps you start your day in the right way. If you are active, you could go for an early run. If you prefer working out later, you could read, journal, get onto social media or do whatever else makes you happy.
Some tips to keep in mind:
- Routines require commitment at first. The thing about any routine is that it needs to be done every day in order to be a routine. Once you get into any habit, it becomes automatic and you don’t need to think much about it at all. To get to that point, you need to actively work at getting up at the same time each day, so that you can train your brain to know what to expect.
- Routines only need to work for you – not anyone else. Don’t listen to anyone who tries to tell you what you should or shouldn’t include in your routine. I check work emails on my phone before I get onto Facebook. Sometimes, I even answer emails. I like to have a very lazy morning. There are days that I skip my meditation. Once in a while, I go back to sleep after breakfast (or even before). Mostly, though, I have developed a routine that I can easily follow each day. It works for me and that is what matters the most.
- Routines should include things that make you happy. Do not include things that you feel you ought to be doing. Instead, include things that you genuinely enjoy doing. Drink your favourite tea. Have coffee. Add a rusk if that is what you enjoy. I usually have a cat or few on my bed in the mornings and those early cuddles always make me happy. The result is that I start my day feeling relaxed, in a good mood. This is the best way to start the day.
Do you have a routine in place for your mornings? I’d love to hear about your routine. Leave a comment below and let me know what is included in your morning routine.
