I find this photo hilarious, because normally, this is how I look in the mornings (minus the makeup – I have embraced my messy hair in my normal life and don’t do much to it after waking up – thank god, because I’m lazy). Grumpy AF. My friends & family all know that I am NOT a morning person. I am angry, crabby…and on a really bad day, I’m anxious. You get the vibe – I’m just overall not pleasant in the AM. Do not speak to me until I’ve had my full cup of coffee. And oatmeal.
REAL TALK – this is not a quality I’m proud of. That first hour of being awake has so much influence on my attitude the rest of the day, and when I don’t start it off right…it’s probably going to be a sh*tty day. It’s sounds dramatic, but I swear it’s true. That said, I’ve gotten myself to adopt a little morning routine that’s helped me immensely. Nothing too drastic, just little changes that have gone a long way.
1. Meditate
Yes, EVERYONE is hyping up the meditation thing. It’s a fad at this point, and honestly, I thought it was a bunch of BS too. Until I tried it everyday for a month. I struggle with anxiety on and off, and oftentimes, when it’s on it’s here to stay for a couple of weeks. Meditation has helped me manage my anxiety better – no, it doesn’t make it go away completely – but I’ve picked up a few breathing exercises that help AND have learned how to bring my mind back to a good place when it’s gone haywire. On top of all that, I have this sense of calm as I go through the rest of my morning. I do it right when I get up for 5 minutes, sitting on the edge of my bed. 5 MINUTES. Everyone has 5 minutes to spare.
2. Mindful Skincare
I just made that up. Is that a thing? I’m making it a thing. But really, I have my serums/eye creams/moisturizer/SPF that I apply on my face every AM, and I love every minute of that process because it feels so good. I prefer just silence in the bathroom (which is a challenge because once Leo is up that is out the window – radio,TV, everything is on at once). When I do get those silent AMs, I take my time and really soak in the feeling of the cool creams on my face, the soothing smells…it’s like a mini face massage. I’m telling you, it’s the little things!
3. Walk to Work
SO this is under the condition that it’s not 17 degrees outside…which unfortunately, it still is here in Chicago. BUT, in the warmer months (because we have those right? PLEASE TELL ME THEY’RE COMING BACK), I like to walk to the office. I put on my favorite podcast of the moment and take a 30 minute walk outside. It’s a nice way to get the blood flowing, squeeze in some extra exercise, and also ease my mind into the day. I know not everyone has the luxury of living close to work, but maybe you can squeeze in a 10 minute walk to grab coffee, or walk to the train instead of taking the bus. There has to be somewhere you can walk for a bit, right?!
4. 30 Minutes of Quiet Time
On days where I can, I sit in a quiet place in the office, and take thirty minutes to sip on coffee, catch up on the news (via the Daily Skimm, naturally) and plan the tasks I have to tackle that day. I find that organizing my day is critical in being productive and also not feeling overwhelmed. When I don’t write down what exactly it is that I need to do, I think about everything that is outstanding and don’t even know where to start. There will always be work to do, but what needs to be done today. I’m a control freak, so I always need a plan. A list. SOMETHING WRITTEN DOWN. It makes me feel good inside. I’m the list queen, and I’m not ashamed.
What does your morning routine look like? What’s worked for you? Tell me in the comments!
