Create a New Morning Routine

One of my goals this year is to reclaim my mornings by creating a new morning routine. Since having kids (…almost 10 years ago now), my mornings have not been my mornings. Aside from the rare early morning workout, I generally have not set an alarm clock. Rather, the kids have been my alarm clock, signaling that another day was in full swing.

“Make coffee, put away dishes, make breakfast, have a sip of hot coffee, eat, pack lunches, have a sip of lukewarm coffee, look for missing shoe or library book, remind kids to brush their teeth, remind self to brush teeth, have sip of cold coffee, reheat coffee…etc! (Perhaps you are familiar with this “routine”?) 

So why do I, a morning person by nature, still feel frazzled on most mornings? Well, it’s clear to me now that I don’t have enough structured “me time” to get my zen on before starting the day. For so long I prioritized sleeping as long as I could at the expense of having some time to myself. But the time has come to change this.

Hence my new goal: get up earlier and carve out some morning me time. Create a new morning routine that is worth getting up early for and leaves me calm and in control. (In addition, go to bed a little earlier—another habit I have been working on!)

1. Be an early bird. Wake up early to have at least 15-30 minutes to yourself before the rest of the house wakes up.
2. Hydrate. Start the day by hydrating—plain old water works fine, but you can take it up a notch by adding some freshly squeezed lemon if you prefer. Drink it hot in the cool months and cold in the warm months.
3. Meditate and/or stretch. I like to do some yoga but would love to also start meditating. It seems like every day I read more about the benefits of meditation.
4. Have your coffee or tea.* 
5. Figure out the day’s plan.* Consult calendar or planner, check email and messages for anything that needs immediate action. Set goals and sketch out plans for the day.
6. Eat a healthy breakfast.* Think FGFP. (Fruit, whole grain, healthy fat, protein). (Bonus points if you add a vegetable!)
7. Exercise. (For me it works best to exercise after the kids go to school, but you may be able to fit this in earlier—the key, of course, is that it gets done!)

*Can often be done together! (I mean a little multi-tasking is ok, right?) (But should ideally be done with mindfulness and while sitting down.)