My Morning Routine for Success
My morning routines have shifted drastically over the past several years. Part of the shifts was due to my work or physical location, and others have been more about what works for me.
For me, my morning routine starts at night, the evening before. Truthfully I spent years not understanding the math of sleep. I always knew I was an early riser, but I didn't want to "miss out" on my evenings.
The struggle was real; even when I was going to bed at 10 PM (meaning falling asleep by 11 PM), I was not too surprisingly struggling to wake up at 5:30 AM.
I could have blamed this on the quality over the quantity of my sleep, but it was both. So, I started to shift my bedtime earlier, and I like to be physically in bed between 8 and 9 PM.
While the quality of my sleep was still a struggle at this time, the quantity started to improve. I still had to do a lot of work on the quality, but simply having more hours of sleep was a perfect first step.
From there, I was able to change my morning routine. To make this simple, I'll focus on post-Bowie adoption since he significantly impacts my mornings.
Here is what I started to do, with more energy than I had previously (aka no more snoozing).
I moved my alarm from my phone to my Sonos, where I'm woken up by a Spotify Playlist called "Musical Therapy." This is set for the same time every day - weekends and all. I have the alarm going for 2 hours, but it always wakes me (and Bowie) up gently.
I stretch in bed, even if only one big "good morning stretch," as my yoga teachers call it. It's much better than trying to roll out of bed with no natural movement for hours. I particularly like giving Bowie a little cuddle before I get out of bed.
I take care of the basics - going to the bathroom, brushing my teeth, putting some non-sleep clothing on, etc.
I meditate - maybe with an app, perhaps just in the morning quiet. Sometimes I meditate for 20 minutes; other times, it's more like 5 minutes.
Next comes Bowie's walk. As long as it's not raining/seriously cold, we like to go for a 20-50 minute walk. While I have my Apple Watch on, I don't take my phone, and I try to focus on my surroundings rather than my thoughts. Bowie is a sniffer (also known as Sir Sniffs-a-lot), so there are lots of my coaxing him on.
Once we get home and he is settled, I usually try and go to a yoga or barre class (though there were times when it was more HIIT or going for a run).
From there, all that's left is showering and getting ready for my day. I usually eat oatmeal with fruit, and sometimes coffee, matcha, or maybe just water (I'm luckily not a caffeine addict).
There are always exceptions, and I choose to be OK with them, as long as they aren't becoming the norm. I also find that my pattern does naturally change with the seasons. While I didn't specify it, if I were in a perfect world, I'd wake up with the sun every day, but winter makes that hard (not summer for me!).
Lastly, there are days when I need a break. When that happens, I typically take Bowie on his walk and then see how I feel before making my next decision. I'd be lying if I didn't say, sometimes that means I climb back into bed for another hour.
My journey with sleep continues, but it's all based on what I need, not what others do. For example, I know I need more sleep than average, so I respect that and find a way to make that happen.
The reality is, having a good morning routine does set you up for success in your day. When you feel accomplished and nourished, you will take it in stride no matter what the day throws at you. On the flip side, when you wake up jarringly, not having slept enough, running around to get out the door, that energy is going to follow you all day.
Prioritizing sleep and your morning can have a fantastic effect on your day, outlook, and mindset. What's one thing you can shift in yours to better your days?