Mornings. Who love them? Especially a monday morning. In my opinion it’s so hard to peel myself out of bed…out of the warmth of my covers to face the day. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not pessimistic, just lazy (tbh). Since I’m a college student, I usually would wake up whenever I have class. I’m not really one to sleep in like I can’t stay in bed til 12 (I just can’t) so I’m somewhat a morning person. Pretty soon all of this will change (I got a new job but more on that at another time).
My routine? Well I go to bed at 1 am (why that’s my bedtime? Who knows?) and I wake up around 9:15. I usually lay in bed til 10 (or 9:30 on a good day), cuddle with my kitten boy for a little, workout at 11 (unless I have to work in the morning, then I’ll opt for an evening workout), and that’s pretty much it for me. Sometimes I make coffee. Sometimes I write in my Her Best F***ing Life workbook. Sometimes I answer a prompt in my 300 days of writing book. Sometimes I do nothing but watch tv til I go to work. That’s about it.
You see my problem? I don’t have a real routine. My best friend has one. Everyday she wakes up at 5 am, read her Bible, do yoga, and meditate before she goes to work. I don’t think I can ever get up daily at 5 am. Does her morning routine fit me? No. I used to compare my morning routine with hers and it only made me feel worse. Having a routine unique for everyone. For example, Lauryn Evarts of The Skinny Confidential has a morning routine that consist of three things: light (opening the window), movement (exercising or walking to get coffee), and hydration (drinking water upon waking up).
Why is having a routine so important? It literally sets the tone for the day. If you wake up frazzled and in a rush then the rest of your day will be rushed and crazy. If you start your day organized and relaxed then the rest of your day will flow more easily. Does that mean you’ll never have a bad day if you start your day with a routine? No but you’ll be in a more calm state should something go wrong. Having a routine can help you to have a healthy routine. For example, if the first thing you workout in the morning or go for a walk, you’re doing something beneficial for your mind and physical body. When you have a routine, you’re doing something for you; not anyone else. It’s actually a form of self-care. If you stick with your routine, you’re basically telling yourself that you matter. You can’t pour from an empty cup. If you’re always doing things for other people, you’ll only burn yourself out.
As mentioned before, having a routine will make your day run more smoothly. You won’t feel overwhelmed by everything. With proper planning, having a routine will help you to be more organized and more successful throughout the day. Over thinking will likely happen less frequently.You’ll also be much more productive. Having a routine will actually motivate you to get things done.
So just how do you get a routine? Honestly its up to you. Everyone is different and unique and your morning routine show reflect what you value the most. One thing is for sure: your morning routine begins the night before, You heard me! If you go to bed late and wake up early, you’ll be mentally exhausted. As mentioned above, I usually go to bed at 1 am (I’m not sure why but I just do). However, last week I challenged myself to go to bed at least 15 min earlier each day. What was my result? I woke up earlier and as a bonus, I didn’t feel exhausted upon waking up!
I recently signed up for a four-day morning routine workshop hosted by Sarah Ordo. It was great and quite informative. Each day she supplied us with a worksheet that we had to file out and provided an accompanying video to go with that particular worksheet. She delved into why we need one, what one would look like for us, and on the last day she gave us a peek into her own morning routine. Doing the worksheets really helped me to figure out my game plan and to find out my why. Finding your why is a great motivation tool because it reminds you why you do what you do or feel the way you feel. Whether its your career, mental health, friends, dinner choices, anything in life; finding your why is something that should always guide you when making decisions.
Taking the time to actually make a plan was so helpful for me! Again the timing could not be any better for me to start the workshop (like I said I recently got a job offer so a morning routine would be much-needed). I really enjoyed looking at what the other girls were doing and how they were coming along in their morning routine. It gave me a kick in the pants to actually implement my plan. Like I said I started going to bed earlier, made coffee every morning, wrote in my workbook, do my Tone It Up workouts and then started the rest of my day. In August I’m gonna have to switch it up but for now this works for me. I’m going to add more writing in my morning routine little by little because it’s something I really want to work on (plus I really want to finish this book I’m writing, but that’s for another day).
I feel like at this point I’m rambling. So I’ll just finish this up. Having a routine can only change your life for the better. Its you telling yourself that you’re important and that you matter. If you feel lost on where to even begin to have a morning routine, feel free to answer the questions on the worksheets below. If you already have one, kudos to you! Hope you all your best F**king morning every morning.
XOXO,
LolaDasher
Nessa D 