Have you ever heard someone talk about their morning routine and sing about how life-changing it is? I have, and I may or may not have rolled my eyes. A routine sounded monotonous and boring. But guys – not only is it NOT boring, but I have become a much more mindful, productive, and just happier person. I recently made some adjustments to my morning routine and let me tell you – I am LOVING it! I have carved out about 20 minutes for my morning routine (or longer if I’m working out). Today, I’m excited to break it down for you, to hopefully encourage you to find something that works for you! It takes some tweaking, but if you give it a shot you may be surprised at the impact those first few moments can have on your day.
my 20 minute morning routine
The first key thing is timing. When I looked at my mornings, I realized that if I get up 15 minutes earlier and take 5 minutes of my “getting ready” time, I get 20 minutes for my morning routine. On workdays that means 515 – early but worth it. The hardest part is getting out of bed but once that’s done I have literally never regretted it. Trust me, it’s a small trade-off! First, I splash some cool water on my face and head down to plug in the coffee (we have the same coffee maker from our wedding 15+ years ago and still love it – makes THE best coffee and clearly you can’t kill it lol). I always add a scoop of inulin fiber if I’m fasting as well as collagen powder if I’m not.
hydrate
But first, water. Currently, I’m on a lime or lemon & freshly grated ginger in my water. SO TASTY! I sip my tall (like 20 oz) of water while I pack up my lunch and all work things. Sometimes I’m super organized and prep my water the night before and keep my water bottle bedside so first thing in the morning I’m up and sipping. (I swapped out my top for this straw lid – so good! It also fits the hydroflask.)
me-time
Ok, so I am about 5 minutes into my morning and everything for my day is prepped for me to just walk out the door. I’m still in my pj’s, btw. It’s a whole mood, you know? Up early and prepping your day like a boss while you’re lounging in your robe. This tie-dye robe is so soft and beautiful, it’s the one I always reach for on these summery mornings. I find it’s the little details like that which really make my mornings.
I have this cozy little nook in my house so either I will sit there or head outside and sit by the river. Everything is so quiet and peaceful & I try to take a few moments to reflect on the things I am grateful for. This practice has helped to make me more positive and energized. It’s a small practice that takes maybe 2 minutes but it puts ME in charge of framing my day – not external happenings. Even if the day ahead is tough, my mind at least starts in a good place. Having the right mindset is like starting with a full tank of gas – no matter what detours come up in the day, you have the fuel to handle it.
my 4 things
Regardless of where I have my quiet time, I always have 4 things with me: my coffee, Bible, motivational book, & planner.
I spend my first few minutes reading my Bible. This is something I have been doing for years. It helps strengthen my relationship with God and brings such peace of mind despite any craziness in the world.
Currently, I’m reading a page from The Daily Stoic and love the simple way of looking at situations in life. My goal is to reserve this morning time for reading things that mentally charge me for the day. This book totally does that!
As I’m reading I like to keep my planner handy. I’m a little (very) particular about my planner. It has to be the perfect size, features, page thickness, and not spiral bound (but able to open easily). You guys, this one is like 8-ish dollars and absolutely nails it!! As I’m reading, I jot down thoughts to remember for the day. I also like to spend a few minutes after reading to review my day, week & goals (this planner has a goal-specific section!). This is the perfect opportunity to pin down a to-do list for the day.
Have you ever heard of brain-dumping? It’s basically just dumping everything in your mind onto paper. Grammar rules go out the window here. I typically do it at night (totally helps me sleep!) but occasionally I start my day with this too. If you are feeling scattered or overwhelmed, give it a try! It’s like a mental cleanse that takes 2 minutes to do!
If it’s a workday, then that’s where my personal time in the morning ends. All in all, it’s about 20-25 min. Then I head upstairs to nurse Shiloh, change for work, and head out the door.
workout time
If I’m not heading into work then this is when I do my workout. I like to have it planned out at the beginning of the week what I will do so that I can just jump right into it and not waste any time trying to figure it out in the moment. Whenever I have tried to wing it, something usually comes up or I run out of time or quite frankly – motivation.
My preferred workouts are between 30-50 minutes. If I’m doing cardio, I will run for 30 minutes and then tack on 10-20 minutes of core and/or arms plus stretching. On the days I run, I love to bring Shiloh with me. She is such an outdoors babe and ends up being the best jogging buddy. If I’m doing strength training, I love to do a HIIT style workout since they are so efficient! Again, about 30 minutes plus a few minutes of stretching, and I have my workout done for the day!!
so that’s it!
I found the key to any routine is keeping it simple and prioritizing just a few things. This morning routine is about 20 minutes on workdays and 1-1.5 hours on non-workdays and it is time so well spent. What I didn’t mention was screen time. I try not to check my phone first thing in the morning. I have really found those first few moments frame the rest of the day and I don’t want Instagram or email or any other things to own this time!
What do you think? Are there any things you want to try or tips you can share about your morning routine? Please share!
Thanks so much for reading & sharing!!!
xx, rae
Leave a Reply