6 Tips For A Perfect Morning Routine To Start The Day Right
I’ve always been an early riser – even as a teenager. I wake up every morning with excitement coursing through my veins like a shot of matcha tea! That first sip of green tea is like a hug for my insides and it starts the day off right. An early morning routine has long been the most important part of my self-care practice and even more so since becoming a mom. As someone who deals with anxiety, it makes a noticeable difference in my mental health and I can always feel a difference in my mood when I skip it. It makes me a better mom, wife and an overall better human.
I’ve been getting up before the sunrise for years now, and while that’s not always easy—especially when you’re dealing with some serious sleep deprivation—I’ve found that it’s worth it. Here’s why:
1.) The earlier you get up, the more time you have to yourself. And that is life changing when you have kids. It gives me time alone to work on myself without distraction or interruption. Whether that means reading a book or practicing yoga or meditating, being alone with your thoughts helps ground yourself in your own mind and body.
2. It gives me much needed quiet time. As an introvert, I crave – no I NEED alone time. I’m also prone to sensory overload. Too much noise stresses me out. Quiet time allows me to enjoy some peace and serenity before all the crazy begins! It also gives me energy to face whatever the day brings.
3. It keeps me organized and more productive. The early morning is when I plan out my work day in detail, from the moment I wake up until 3pm. I’m a sucker for a good planner. There’s nothing better than flipping through the pages of my massive, leather-bound tome and seeing in black and white all the things I have to do that day. It’s like my brain is calm, and instead of jumping from one task to another or just staring at my computer screen in a daze, I can actually get something done! My planner also serves as a reminder when I’m feeling overwhelmed: “Don’t worry! You can do this!”
4. It creates time to work on my passion projects. As an artist, moving through my day without carving out time to work on projects that mean a lot to me but that I don’t have time for in my regular work day is really difficult. So this is usually when I will be writing or creating ideas for animation—things that are important to me but don’t make money directly (yet).
5. I sleep better at night. By waking up at the same time every morning, I find that I get sleepier earlier and have a better quality of sleep.
So let’s talk about some of the things I do for my morning routine that you might want to add to yours. Everyone’s ideal morning routine will be different, so the things on my list may not appeal to you, and that’s okay! Experiment with what works for you and remember that the key is consistency.
1. The first thing I do when I get out of bed is settling in my cozy office nook to meditate. I’ve been meditating for years. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself, and it’s saved me in more ways than I can count.
But Let’s be real: it’s not always easy. It took me YEARS to find a meditation routine that worked for me, and even now it’s still an evolving process. But, I got very serious with it during covid. I was going through the worst episode of insomnia in my life. I’ve struggled with sleep since my 20’s, but during covid was the worst it’s ever been. On top of covid, my mom was diagnosed with cancer and we were moving to a different city. So my stress level was the highest it has ever been. I had insomnia for 8 months. Some nights I wouldn’t even fall asleep. It was honestly the worst period of my life. But meditation and mindfulness saved me.
I started out doing short meditations at first—just five minutes a day. But eventually I got up to 12 minutes every morning. Twelve minutes seems to be my sweet spot: it’s what works best for me!
Meditation has not only become the most important part of my morning routine, but my life. And I can’t imagine life without it.
2. The next thing I do (and my most favouritest part) is get a delicious, comforting cup of green tea. I am a green tea addict. I love everything about it, the colour (reminds of me of plants), the smell (so earthy), and of course the taste. And to make it even more special, I drink from my favourite cup – which is always changing!
I have a collection of beautiful cups that I choose from. And the cup I choose changes with my mood. Lately my go to cup is this adorable knit mug. For anyone that knows me, I am addicted to knitting. Every time I use it, it feels like such a treat!
Have you ever dealt with anxiety? If yes, what tools have helped you?
The way that I drink green tea is also important to me. It’s not just about drinking it—it’s about how you drink it! It all make a difference in how much enjoyment you will get out of your experience.The first thing I do is stick my nose in my cup and breath in the delicious earthy smell. The steam is so comforting on my face and it makes me that much more excited for the first sip.
Ah that first sip. A fresh, crisp taste with just the right amount of bitterness to keep it interesting. It’s like taking a bite out of springtime itself! I like to drink my tea slowly so that I can savour every last drop, which means that sometimes my tea gets cold before I’m done with it.
Something happens to me while drinking tea… something that makes me very happy. It’s like magic! When I drink from my favourite cup, something inside me changes: my mood elevates, my energy increases, and suddenly… there are no more problems in the world!
It has become a part of my everyday routine and one of my most favourite things in life – second only to my family and friends of course!
3. The third thing I do is read. And I’m usually reading while drinking my delicious tea. In the morning I usually read non-fiction books because I love to learn. At the moment I am obsessed with neuroscience and understanding how the brain works. It’s been interesting for me to learn about how different parts of our brains influence our personalities and behaviours, and it makes me have more compassion and self love for myself and the things I’ve been t through. It’s been very insightful in understanding why I am the way I am.
Here are some books I’ve loved on the subject.
4. Next, I write in my gratitude journal. Every morning, no matter what mood I’m in, I will write three things I am grateful for. And that sometimes is all I need to snap me out of the grumpy grumps.
Sometimes, we get so wrapped up in what’s happening in our own lives that we forget to stop and take a moment to appreciate what we have. And when you start doing that—when you really stop and think about your blessings—you’ll start feeling like a different person.
That’s why I write in my gratitude journal every morning: so that when I look back on my day later on, I can remember all of the good things that happened instead of focusing on what hasn’t gone right yet.
Here are some tips for how YOU can make time for gratitude even if you’re feeling like the world is falling apart around you:
1) Start small—even if it’s only writing down one thing at first, eventually this habit will become second nature and you’ll be able to write more than five things without even thinking about it!
2) Keep a jar nearby where you can toss in post-it notes with words/thoughts/feelings from throughout the day that remind you of what makes life worth living (and use them as reminders when things get tough)
Here are some things I’m grateful for today:
1. A delicious dinner that we cooked as a family
2. Nightly family rock out session. We have formed our own three person band. My husband plays the guitar, my son plays either the guitar or drums and I…a cheering groupie. #bandlife
3. Discovering a new sprout in my plants! (The amount of joy this brings me is pretty nerdy)
5. Now it’s time to flesh out the day ahead of me. This is when I schedule my work day in my behemoth of a planner. First, I write down my main goal for the day, which usually involves writing one or two articles on topics that are important to me and relevant to my target audience. Then I write down any other priorities for the day—these are things that need to get done but aren’t quite as pressing as the main goal.
Next, I write down some personal tasks that need to be done: clean bathroom, grocery shop etc. These are things that may not be related directly to my work but are still important enough that they deserve space on my calendar! Finally, I plan out how long each task will take and what hour I will be doing it.
Now when I look at my calendar in the morning, I know exactly what will happen during each hour of my day. That way if something comes up unexpectedly (like a meeting), I can easily move around pieces on my calendar without having to take time away from other important tasks
6. And finally, my most favourite part of my morning routine – working on a passion project.
I spend a lot of time working on passion projects in the morning, and I think it’s why I’m so productive all day long.
When I wake up, my mind is already clear, and I feel energized to work on my OWN stuff. It’s just me and my computer—no pressure from anyone else, no stress about what anyone else wants from me—just me making something happen that matters to ME. This helps me get into that magical flow state where time flies by and everything is easy. And since I’ve found this state of flow so early in the day, it carries over into the rest of my day as well!
Are you ready to start a new magical morning routine?
Tomorrow morning is your opportunity!
Written by Holly Hatam
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