I have seen several posts around the blogosphere about morning routines and rituals. For some reason I am a little fascinated by reading about how other people start their day. I guess there is something a little voyeuristic about getting a little glimpse into someone else’s life.

Aside from my penchant towards voyeurism, I do believe that morning routines are essential. Having a structured morning routine helps to simplify your life. I don’t think I could have made it through my single mom journey without the structure and ritualistic practices I put in place. My routine has changed a little as my life has evolved. Here is my current AM routine:

5:30 my alarm goes off. I have it set to something soothing not jarring. 5:30AM is way too early for fire alarm shocking sounds.

5:35 grab my apple watch (which I use as a fitness tracker), iphone (which I use as an ipod), and water bottle from my nightstand. Throw on my workout gear and tennis shoes and head downstairs to our home gym.

5:40 begin a 35 min cardio workout-I alternate between the treadmill and the elliptical.  I check email and social media accounts during my warm-up.

6:15 finish up my workout, hydrate, and head back to the kitchen for coffee. I drink a cup of coffee while watching a few minutes of the morning news.

6:30 blend protein/veggie smoothie, grab lunch from fridge, and pack lunch, snacks and water in my lunch bag.

6:35 shower, do hair and makeup, grab an outfit from my capsule wardrobe and accessorize

*7:15 another alarm goes off letting me know I have a few more minutes before heading out. I let my fur baby out, say goodbye to my loves, and pack up for my work commute

7:25 begin my commute (commute confessions; I drink my smoothie, use my radio as a karaoke machine and chat hands free with my oldest daughter)

8:00 arrive at work, throw on my invisible super hero cape, and write out my To Do list for the day.

After that… nothing really goes as plans!  Its pretty much a job requirement to be flexible and ready for whatever comes my way, but taking the time in the morning to do a few things for myself allows me to roll with the punches.

If you don’t have a morning routine here are three things you can do to establish one.

Begin your morning routine the night before-I make my lunch, put out my workout clothes, and give my closet a quick glance to see what I might wear the next day. Do whatever you can the night before to make your morning run smoothly.

Eat the Frog First-get your most challenging thing over with early. It doesn’t need to be as soon as your alarm sounds but put it higher on your to do list for the day.  For example if getting through your email is an issue for you throughout the day check it off early. For me it was getting my workouts in. I decided to eat that frog before anything else. Now I don’t have excuses for getting my workout in. If I take a yoga or zumba class in the evening it’s just icing on my fitness cake!

Do something each day that is just for you– Chances are your day will be spent helping others in some way- make sure you schedule time in your morning routine to do something just for you: meditation, reading, writing and exercising have all been a part of my me time routine. Knowing that you are going to do something that you actually enjoy makes the sound of the alarm a little more bearable.

I would love to hear about your morning routine!

Until Next Post,