My Ideal Morning Routine (If I Woke Up in Time for One)

I feel like people are always talking about their "morning routine" - & can I be honest? I don't have one. I don't wake up in time to have one. Living with two different sleep disorders means that I sleep whenever I can, as much as I can, & I often wake up late, at the very last minute, before I need to get my day started.

This mooostly works for my lifestyle, but I know it wouldn't work for everyone - & again, if I'm being honest, there are times when I'd like to figure out how to wake up earlier, on a regular basis, so that I can better implement a little bit of structure & routine into my mornings.

For now, I'm just focused on going to sleep & waking up at "normal" hours (more on that in a future blog post), but if I ever get there, well, here's the ideal morning routine I'd like to cultivate.

Wake up by 7 a.m.

I know some folks will consider this late, but for me? Well, for me, this is mad early. Way earlier than I currently wake up, given that I work from home, have no commute, & often go to bed circa 2 a.m. That said, I think 7 a.m. is my ideal wake-up time, as it would give me enough time to get some "me time" in for the day & to start my workday promptly at 9 a.m.

Meditate and/or set my intentions for the day. 

I love the idea of meditating but, uh, I don't really do it. I think morning is the best time for it, & so, with some extra time to spare in the mornings, I'd like to use an app like Calm or Headspace to center myself - & then use cards like Yetti Says' Self-Love Affirmation Cards or Gabrielle Bernstein's The Universe Has Your Back deck to enter the day thoughtfully & with intention. Oh, & with a sense of calm, something I don't often feel when I'm rushing to start my day.

Get moving - some way, any way.

I often wake up feeling sore & creaky (hazards of gettin' old), but I don't have enough time to stretch it out or to exercise in ways that will help me feel better before the day begins. Instead, I sit down at a desk, & all my issues seem to compound. I'd like to do Yoga with Adriene in the morning or even go to Harness Cycle classes (though those all start much earlier, like 5:30 a.m.!) so I can give my body a healthy break before it spends the day in front of a computer screen.

Listen to NPR's "Up First." 

I like to listen to this quick-hit political podcast first thing in the morning to start my day off right - with some knowledge of what's going on in the world. Right now, I usually listen to it while I'm getting dressed or putting on makeup, but if I had more time in the morning, it could easily be done while exercising, getting ready, or tidying up the house in the morning.

Eat breakfast - for real. 

I'm not much of a breakfast person, usually starting the day with a glass of water & maybe a Coconut Chocolate Chip Lara Bar (the best flavor). Ain't nothin' wrong with a Lara Bar, but I should also get some other nutrients in there, right? Like, say, a banana, or maybe I should just, like, make eggs with salsa, or... I don't know. If I had more time, I would try to be better about breakfast, period. I'll figure the rest out when & if that time ever comes!

Shower &/or get ready before work. 

I often shower at night so I can just dress & go in the mornings - but sometimes I still don't "dress & go" until noon. That's right: I basically literally roll out of bed & sit down at my computer to start the workday, staying in my pajamas until whenever I hit a break in the day. I've been known to take conference calls fully bare-faced & sweatpants-clad - which is not, ideally, how I'd like to face the world.

Get organized - for the day & for life.

I make lists & try to stay organized throughout the day, but it would be nice to be able to do the bulk of that organizing in the morning, before the day even begins. How much more with-it would I feel if I knew exactly what the day - &, indeed, the entire week or month - had in store for me? I can only imagine how this would cut down on my frazzled feelings!

Start the work day at 9 a.m. 

Sometimes I start right at 9 a.m., & other times, I work more like 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., depending on my sleep schedule, how I feel, what's on the docket, how busy I am, etc. I think that if I started working at 9 a.m. every day, though, I could more often be done by 5 p.m. (or at least some "normal" time) so that I don't work so late into the evenings... & then go to bed so late... & then wake up so late! It's all a self-perpetuating cycle, isn't it?

Do you have a mourning (or nighttime) routine? What does it entail? Any tips for working a morning routine into my life when I don't really, um, have much morning to work with?