My Morning Routine
I recently put a poll on Instagram asking my followers if they’d be interested in hearing about my morning routine and how I set the tone for the day. I believe it’s so important to start your morning the right way, however that may be. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of “YES” votes I got.. basically 90%! So here I am, ready to share my morning magic.
As most of you know, I work from home. I truly enjoy it, and love having the flexibility and freedom most corporate jobs don’t allow (I have another job, in addition to blogging). It’s definitely challenging at times working from home, sounds crazy.. I know. I say that because, being in the comfort of your own home makes it easy to get off track and lose focus. There’s always other things I could be doing such as laundry, cleaning, watching a movie etc. For that reason, I’ve done my best to develop some type of routine for myself. It’s honestly nothing special at all, I don’t do anything out of the ordinary, but it works! We recently moved into a smaller place (over the summer), where I no longer have my own office, so I have a designated area where I my work and store my work belongings. Okay, so below I’m going to make a little list of how I get my morning going (sometimes my days are off, so this isn’t 100% everyday). On the days I fail to follow this routine, I have to work a little harder to get my day back on track.. which is no fun.
1.I usually wake up around 7-7:30AM and try to be out of bed around then, at the latest 8:00AM. Some mornings I pop right out of bed and other times I scroll through Instagram and Facebook or snuggle with Bruti a little longer. I ALWAYS make my bed in the morning. If I don’t, Justin does. The bed is always made. I’ve done this my whole life!
2.I’ve made a recent decision to take Bruti on a 20 ish min walk every morning, so once I’m up, I change my clothes, brush my teeth, wash my face + put on sunscreen and we head out for a walk. I’ve found that the fresh air and little bit of physical activity helps me get going. I plan to turn this into a morning run, once Bruti gets used to it.
3.When I’m back from our walk I chill for a hot second to drink water while Bruti eats, then I make sure all of the pillows on the couch are fluffed and our throw blankets are folded. I also make sure the remotes are in the right spot, Bruti’s toys are all in his bed (although he moves them immediately after) and there’s nothing on the coffee table besides our decor. I open all the curtains and usually light a candle too! I know this might sound weird to some, but I personally cannot work in a space that isn’t clean and tidy. If I have to look at a messy space, I cannot focus. I also love an airy, aesthetically pleasing area too, being in a dark room with no natural light makes me anxious!
4.Next, I move over to the kitchen to make sure all of last night’s dishes are in the dishwasher and the counters are clean etc. Same thing here, I have to have a clean space. Our kitchen/living area is combined, so this is super important. If there’s dishes in the sink all day, it bothers me. We typically have everything put away so I maybe just clean the counters and make sure there isn’t random stuff on them (sunglasses, mail, keys etc.)
5.After everything is cleaned up, which usually doesn’t take long because we’re pretty good about that stuff- I make coffee or tea. I like to really enjoy this, so I will sometimes go out on our balcony with Bruti to drink it or I sit on the couch and sip in silence.
6. After i’m finished relaxing and reflecting while drinking my coffee or tea, I go shower and get myself “ready”. I find this to be SO IMPORTANT in my daily routine. Although i’m not leaving to go work in an office or heading to a job a where i’m around other people, I feel 10x when I am put together. I either put on comfy leggings and a top or a comfy sweatshirt/t shirt dress. Anything that isn’t sleepwear really. I also do my makeup and hair. I know a lot of people who work from home, don’t find this necessary but for me it really is. If you’re a stay at home mom, this could be good for you, too! I know it’s a million times harder to get ready with children, but if you can find the time (and want to) I’d see how it works for you! It’s a game changer for me. When I work in my sleep clothes or something i’d slept in, I don’t feel as ready to take on the day. Do this for YOU!
7. After i’m ready, I pop into the kitchen again to make a smoothie, and always clean up after doing so. If it’s not a smoothie it’s eggs, turkey bacon, veggies- something like that. I also do a tablespoon of apple-cider vinegar in a bottle of water.
8.As I mentioned I don’t have an office, therefore, our cute white table is my work space. I store my computer, notebooks, camera etc. in the cabinets directly behind the chair I work in, so convenient. Next, I get my laptop out, get it situated and bring over my breakfast. I start out slow, reading emails and such while I enjoy my breakfast! Once i’m ready to dive in- I usually play some music over the sound bar 🙂 My work day starts around 9-9:30AM. Sometimes I have a call scheduled in the morning so if I do, I make sure I get up earlier. I know all of this sounds like a lot, but really doesn’t take as much time as it may seem. I hardly ever wash my hair (unless I have a shoot or plans), so its usually dry-shampooed and brushed out. This cuts off a lot of time for me!
Sometimes this order changes. For instance, I’ll eat breakfast before showering or something. This is just a general idea of what I do. It’s nothing special at all, but it works for me. My biggest tips are– do something for yourself each morning, whether that be going for a walk, or taking time to really enjoy your morning coffee. Another big tip is getting ready every morning. Some days I’m just not in the mood, but I definitely work best when I feel put together and good about myself!
Let me know if you have a similar morning routine or any tips/tricks you have for getting a jump-start to your day! I hope you enjoyed mine!
