It probably comes as no surprise that starting your day on a high note generally leads to going strong and ending on a high note, too.
Even when I know a few extra moment of shut eye would be welcomed, I never regret getting an early start to the day. I feel better knowing that I can get a jump start on the work I need to do and hopefully head to bed earlier. A later start for me means getting less done.
Regardless of how early I’m getting up, my morning routine helps ease my day in the right direction.
Trial and lots and error have taught me that I do better with slow mornings. Can I get up, throw on an outfit, get my hair into a topknot and dash out the door in under 20 minutes? Sure. But that mad rush usually means it then takes me longer to get into work mode when I’m ready to sit down and get things done. That speed rush and extra sleep in time may be golden to some, but for me the problems caused just isn’t worth it.
[Tweet “A slow start to the day could be just what you need to really #GetThingsDone”]
Morning Pages // 5-10 minutes
Have you ever heard of or tried morning pages? It’s basically a brain dump that you do early in the morning, shortly after waking up. The thought it that you get all of those looming thoughts, ideas and floating tasks out of your head and down on paper so that you can come back to them and work out plan for tackling them later.
I love morning pages because it doesn’t require much thought or structure. You can write a bulleted list of to-dos or just the last bits you remember of last night’s dream. The point is to be able start the day with a clear head, and it definitely does that.
This usually takes me about 5-10 minutes in the morning.
Read // 10-15 minues
I typically keep a book in my bag Rory Gilmore style to read on my way to work. But, I’ve been trying to get a lot more page time in lately, so I’ll also dedicate about 10-15 minutes each morning to getting a few extra pages in.
[Tweet “How you spend the first hour of your day can wildly impact your productivity”]
Coffee // On going
I know you saw this coming. Aside from being a great smell to wake up to and a nice jolt of energy, I just enjoy sitting and sipping that first cup of coffee in the morning. I like having one cup of coffee before I leave home and usually take a tumbler to have at my desk throughout the day.
I’ll usually sip while I do morning pages and finish a cup right before heading into the ‘get ready‘ portion of my morning.
Make and eat breakfast // 10-20 minutes
I am probably the hangriest person you will ever meet when I skip out on breakfast. I try to keep it simple (and at minimal dish-making levels) so that it’s not a time consuming process. This stops me from spending extra cash grabbing something out of the house and lets me focus on something other than my tummy until lunch time.
If I have some extra time before I need to start getting ready, I’ll go through social media. I try to avoid checking emails, but sometimes I just get sucked in (don’t we all). If I start the morning on my phone, I usually lose track of time and end up having to rush or cut out other elements of my routine.
What does your morning routine look like?
Sounds like a good start to a productive day!
I live with a night owl, and as I need A LOT of sleep to be fully functional, I end up waking up late most days, in between 8:30 and 9:30. I have a good breakfast, plan my workload for the day and do yoga. Then I do most of my work after lunch. It works because I’m self-employed, but it means finishing later than I would like to… Ha well, can’t have everything right?
I love that you get to workout early in the day! I usually push my workouts to after work, but I loved when my schedule allowed me to do it in the morning. It sounds like your routine works really well for you for the most part!
This is really great, Amber – such motivational ways to start your day. I’m exactly like you – I get most of my good work done before midday as I’m definitely most energetic in the morning. I love my routine, but I’m thinking of starting to get up ten minutes earlier and fit in some stretching!
It’s amazing how waking up just 5-10 minutes earlier can totally add more flexibility and relation to your morning!
haha I liked how coffee was “on going” 🙂 I’m trying to read in the mornings as well, and I’m happy to say that I did it this morning! I also went on a walk with a friend and we got coffee to-go along the way 🙂 -Audrey | Brunch at Audrey’s
Haha coffee is actually on going all day long for me 🙂 A walk in the morning sounds awesome! Good for you!
Man, this is so impressive, & I aspire to be one of these people. Alas, my morning routine is usually “Wake up to realize I’ve been hitting snooze for an hour without ever waking up, then start working immediately.” I work from home, so there’s no real divide between rolling out of bed & getting started with my workday. I’d really like to change that.
Haha snooze button happens sometimes. It’s all about finding a routine that works for you, which may mean getting a later start or organizing your day a bit differently. Whatever works!