I have never been a morning person. Becoming a mother has forced me into that uncomfortable space before 9 a.m., but if I can avoid it, I will. Sure, back when I was working full-time, I was organized, productive, efficient, and fully dressed in makeup and high heels all before 9 a.m. (most days). But there’s something about running on less than 7 hours of sleep and caring for tiny humans day in and day out that makes mornings hit differently.
And now that many of us are stuck at home for what seems like an indefinite amount of time, your mornings may all begin to look the same, as you try to navigate the work-from-home or stay-at-home landscape.
Sometimes a big cup of hot coffee can set you back on the right track after a series of missteps, but why not try to start each morning off on the right foot by making a few small but meaningful steps?
Alarm
When I worked full-time, I would set an alarm (or several) every night before bed to ensure that I had enough time to workout, shower, get dressed and eat before work. Bonus points if I had time to listen to a podcast while getting dressed and read my Bible with breakfast. Then there were those mornings when I would hit the snooze button, struggling to get up and out before my first morning assignment.
There was a huge difference in the way I felt each morning. Those days when I planned ahead and didn’t rush through my routine helped me to start the day feeling more balanced with a clear head.
Morning Routine Audit
That difference made me ask myself a few questions about what I was doing, or not doing to make my mornings work for me. How can I reduce the morning rush? How would I feel if I skipped one part of my morning routine? Did I feel more accomplished and organized if I woke up earlier? How did that compare to those days when I hit the snooze button more than once? Chances are that the answers to any one of those questions impacted more than just the first few hours of your day.
Morning Makeover
Transitioning from full-time journalist to full-time Mommy required me to makeover my morning.
Nowadays my alarm sounds more like a cooing or crying baby, and feels more like a toddler climbing into my bed sometime before 8a.m. Sometimes hitting the snooze button is an option, by turning on the television, or offering a pacifier, but most mornings it’s not. Even if you’re not a parent, sometimes that snooze button does more harm than good.
Upgrade Your Morning
Whether you’re already a morning person or not, chances are there is something you can improve or refine in your morning routine. Over the next seven days I challenge you to take the Morning Makeover Challenge with me. We will take a closer look at our morning routines and how we can make small changes that can have major effects on those crucial morning hours and ultimately upgrade our mornings.
3 responses to “A Morning Routine: Why You Need One and How to Start”
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