I decided to do a deep dive into my self-care practices. And it became clear that I did not have a morning routine. And the absence of a morning routine has started to weigh me down and has given rise to overthinking and inaction.
Let’s take a step back. Working from home has its benefits and drawbacks. My home office is merely a 15 seconds walk from my bed. This leads to morning procrastination. I no longer have to be out the door by 7:15 AM and on the 7:30 AM train to be at work on time. That simple structure provided me with the barebones of a morning routine. Working from home means all I need is 30 minutes, and I’m ready. With all that extra time, I find myself glued to my phone. And we all know how that goes. A five minute scroll session turns into forty-five minutes.
I realized I dreaded the mornings. I would feel the anxiety from the moment I opened my eyes. And that resulted in me oversleeping OR starting my workday much earlier to bypass my morning procrastination. But these two options weren’t sustainable. I needed an overhaul, a revamp. I decided to be intentional about what I needed and wanted out of a morning routine. I knew I needed simplicity. I also needed to infuse self-care into my morning routine. And have a list of non-negotiables? What do I mean by non-negotiables? Like making my bed, showering, etc.
My Morning Routine
- Wake up between 6:30 AM and 7 AM.
- Check personal email + scroll social media for 30 minutes.
- Drink a cup of water.
- Every other morning I do 30 minutes of HIT Yoga.
- Personal hygiene routine.
- Make my bed.
- Make a small breakfast. I’m not a breakfast person. I usually have a bowl of cereal or fruit.
- Start my workday at 9 AM.
Benefits
I’ve been doing this morning routine for a little bit, and I’ve seen some significant changes to my overall mental health and wellbeing.
- Reduced stress. I no longer feel a sense of overwhelming anxiety or stress about how my mornings will pan out.
- Increased energy levels. I no longer feel tired throughout the day. Feeling tired makes me irritable.
- Burnout prevention. By introducing self-care in the form of HIT Yoga, it provides both mental and physical benefits. I’m able to get my heart rate up, break a good sweat, and prioritize my overall wellbeing.
- The removal of bad habits. By intentionally choosing to curate a routine that benefits me, I’ve cut out “bad” morning habits.
- Restful sleep. I go to bed at about the same time and wake up at a consistent time. This leads to more hours of restful sleep.
I can honestly say that these benefits have helped me feel positive about my day. Setting myself up to have the best day possible is a game-changer. I’m still looking into ways to sprinkle routine into parts of my day and night (I could really benefit from a predictable eating schedule.) I employ you to also consider ways in which you can infuse routine into your lifestyle and reap the benefits.