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Your alarm is going off again. You’re trying to find your clothes, you’re trying to grab breakfast, someone is always asking for something… Does this sound like your morning routine?
Many people struggle in the morning, especially if it’s Monday. Don’t worry you are definitely not alone!
The thing about mornings is that they can be hectic when you have no idea what’s going on. And let’s be frank, no one wakes up knowing exactly what’s going on.
Developing a morning routine can help set you up for an amazing day,
I use the term “morning routine” lightly in this post. Really what I mean is “the
A walk through on my morning!
Why you should have a morning routine
Everyone knows they should have one. We’ve all been told this at least.
But what are the real benefits of having a routine?
When you have a solid morning routine a few things happen. First, it takes you less time to get everything done. This means less stress and more time to sleep.
There is a school of thought that suggests that you only have a finite amount of brain power to use through your day. So a routine eliminates the need to make small decisions allowing you to use that energy on more productive things through the day. A little bit of autopilot can go a long way.
A well thought out routine also stops you from forgetting things and actually makes you feel much more in control, centered and powerful.
Night Owl or Early Bird?
Some people are just not morning people but some people truly are. And which you are will affect what you should spend your morning doing.
In my house we have 3 very different sets of wake up routines.
I’m an early bird typically and my partner is a night owl. Then we have the kids that fall somewhere in the middle although they lean more on the side of early.
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The actual reason this is important
The real reason that it’s important to know if you’re an early bird or a night owl is because you’ll use the time right before and right after sleep differently. You’ll be doing the same things but the timing will be different and the intention will be too.
Early Bird
Since I’m an early bird I set it up so that I can be my most productive in the mornings. I try to keep as much of that time open for me to use for work or other high mental energy tasks as I can.
This means that menial tasks like lunch packing are done in the evening so that I don’t have to worry about them eating up my precious high energy time or decision making capability.
Night Owl
If you’re
Either way…
Here are some things you always want to do at night
- Pack lunch
- Pick out clothes
- Have bag/purse ready to go and in a spot close to the door
- List anything that you didn’t manage to get accomplished but still needs to be done.
We’ll talk about that a bit more in an up coming post.
Your Morning Routine
Ok!
Even the earliest of birds need an introduction to the day.
Hello World!
When you first wake up I recommend doing 2 things.
- Have something to drink
- Read for a few minutes
Doing this lets you wake up easily and activates your mind while replenishing your liquids. A nice glass of water should be the first thing you have in the morning and you’ll instantly feel revitalized.
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Take Stock
After you’ve got your engine revving I suggest pulling out the ol’ planner or bullet journal.
Look over what your goals and priorities are for the day and get familiar with your tasks. Once you know what it is you have to do you can set the pace for your day.
I like to do this while having a light breakfast.
Get in the Grove
It never hurts to move around a bit in the morning.
Doing a quick yoga routine, going for a walk or run or hitting the gym is a great way to start off your day and get your blood pumping.
If you’re a night owl you can save this for later in the day but even some arm circles and a couple jumping jacks will be enough to bring you back to life.
You’re like really pretty 💋
After you’ve got your blood running it’s time to do all the day to day necessities. Go take that shower, get dressed etc. and remember to give yourself a moment to remember how awesome you are and how hard you’re going to rock your day.
Say Thank You
Making sure you take the time to be grateful in the morning is a sure fire way to put you in a good mood.
In my life I have so much to be happy and grateful for and thinking about those things in the morning motivates me and keeps me smiling day in and day out.
Capitalize on your Evening Routine
The last thing you need to do is capitalize on your evening routine.
Since you already packed your lunch, had your outfit ready and your bag set to go all you need to do is bring it together and head out to conquer your day.
There are the basics to a great wake up routine!
You don’t have to get fancy, you just have to get consistent. Having a set morning routine will make a huge difference in how you feel going into your day and majorly increase the amount you’re able to get done.
So cut the stress and add in the calm.
A great day is calling.
