My Morning Routine
“All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast. - John Gunther ”
What’s your morning routine? I’ve been very intrigued by this question, and I’m sure I’m not alone. I’ve got some great ideas and insight in reading about others routines. It’s helped me find more happiness throughout the day. So thought I’d share my current routine with you in hopes of helping others in their journey.
I have somewhat of a love/hate relationship with the morning. I love being able to wake up early and slowly step into my day, but as a night owl at heart, I love staying up late - which can cause problems for me in the morning. For anyone familiar with Seinfeld it’s the “night guy screws with morning guy” syndrome. As of late, I’ve tried making some compromises with night guy and morning guy which has been working pretty well so far.
Wake up / Make bed: I usually always wake up with an alarm and light. My room is equipped with smart lighting so I can program them to turn on with my alarm. It really helps me fully wake up and not fall back asleep. I also make my bed after rising which helps my mind realize that sleeping is over.
Dress / Meditate: I will always get dressed shortly after waking up, this helps get my mind into startup mode. This slot in my routine has been the most open for an experiment on what works best for me - the main two being exercise and meditation. I tried exercising here for a bit and I just didn’t like it. - I prefer exercising at the middle or end of my day, helps me unwind and de-stress from my work day. This does cause me to be more disciplined in making sure it happens though. Meditation is a new activity I’ve incorporated into my morning instead of exercise and I’m really enjoying it. It helps me get in touch with my thoughts and emotions preparing me for the day ahead. There are a ton of different ways to go about meditating, many of which are online. I’ve personally been using the app headspace, it’s been great for a beginner like me.
Make Breakfast / Coffee: Breakfast the most important meal of the day, or so I’ve been told… and I believe them. I will always have something for breakfast, no exceptions. Right now, that’s a smoothie, some fruit, and bread of some kind. After that, I will usually make some coffee. I love being able to craft the drink myself, using a variety of methods. This creates a satisfaction that I really enjoy.
Read / Begin the day: I love to read. It’s one of those few mediums that can fully engage your imagination and transport you into another place or discover a new idea. I try and make time to read every day but sometimes don’t get around to it. Putting this into my daily routine, even just for a little bit helps keep it a priority. And it’s a great way to enjoy a cup of coffee.
Ideally, I keep my mornings as slow and leisurely as I can, trying not to fill them up with lots of meetings or appointments. This small but important routine helps make a much better overall day for me. I’ve heard it said, “if you win the morning, you win the day.” I believe this to be true and make a point to keep as much of my routine as I can on busy mornings too.
Finding the perfect morning routine will forever be an unending pursuit for me - and I think that’s the point. A good routine should be able to adapt and change without becoming too rigid.