Tim Ferriss asks every guest what theirs is. Leading business publications write about creating them (evidenced here, here, and here). YouTube is filled with over a million of these videos.
There’s even a website and best-selling book devoted solely to them.
Morning routines. Namely, the best way to start your day to be productive, happy, and balanced.
All the articles say that a solid morning routine should have something mental, emotional/spiritual, and physical included to set your day on the right foot. While manifestation and prayers just aren’t my thing, I do make sure I meditate, read, write, and sweat. I’ve also added breakfast (something I would otherwise skip) and time with my son as necessary things for a happy and productive day.
These articles also recommend that you do the entire routine the moment you wake up. My ‘routine’ is interspersed throughout my morning, while juggling a myriad of other tasks.
This is my typical morning – complete with the routine I try to do every day – in all of its harried, happy glory.
7 am – my iPhone blares “Bad Girls” by M.I.A in its charger on the opposite wall of my room. I stumble out of bed to turn it off.
Damn, I’m awake. Off to the bathroom to get in my contacts and brush my teeth.
7:01 am – “Honey, are you coming out? I need to get to the gym” calls my husband from the family room, where he’s playing with Rho. Rho’s bottle is waiting for him, as is my morning cup of tea (PG Tips, juice from half a lemon, 1/2 tablespoon of honey). I feed Rho while watching Morning Joe.
7:15 am – Rho’s finished his bottle and is playing on the blanket spread across our living room floor. I run into the kitchen for a quick breakfast – Greek yogurt sprinkled with granola, chia seeds, and goji berries. I scarf it down (with a glass of water and my vitamins) while scanning through my e-mails, starring the ones that require a response and deleting the rest.
7:45 am - The baby’s fussy, so I grab the baby carrier and strap him in. I wash the dishes, make the bed, and straighten things up while Rho settles in. He usually goes in his crib once asleep, he’s a little extra fussy and needs extra cuddles. I let him sleep while I sit down to my computer to do some light work – responding to urgent e-mails, creating my to-do list for the day, and filling out the morning’s entry in my 5 Minute Journal. Rho’s still sleeping, so I skim through my Feedly folder, starring posts that I plan to link to in upcoming This Week posts.
8:30 am – Rho starts to stir. I grab a few books from his bookshelf and remove him from the carrier. He gnaws on his Sophie teether as I run into the kitchen and make a cup of coffee. I sip my coffee (placed high above his reach) while reading him a few books and playing with him. The phone stays in the other room as I fully focus on him. Music is playing over our Sonos speakers – today, it’s a playlist of every song from Grey’s Anatomy.
9:30 am – the nanny arrives, and we quickly review the morning and the schedule f0r the day. I go back into my room, closing the door behind me. I make a beeline for my side of the bed and plop on top of the covers, with a fresh cup of herbal tea. I wake up my iPad and tap my “Morning Routine” folder.
First up – reading. I read the Economist Espresso and NYT Now apps, catching up on the news. Is it just me, or is the news especially depressing these days?
Time for a mental palate cleanser. I fire up Blinkist, reading a blink on Elon Musk. Fascinating guy.
With my mind running a million miles an hour (I should put an Elon Musk feature in this week’s links roundup. What else should I post? That sunset picture would do nicely for the post image. I need to step up my Instagram game. But…it’s so annoying. Also annoying – how the Eagles are playing. Get it together, offense. I forgot to read the game roundup on Birds 24/7 yesterday!), meditation is completely necessary. I turn on my Muse headset and calibrate it with the app. I settle on top of the bed, my back resting against the sham, listening to the crash of waves and chirping birds.
40 birds this session! Yes!
10:05 am – energized by my record-setting meditation session, I pull on a workout outfit (I keep them neatly rolled in a drawer) and my Nike wraps, and open my fitBallet book on the iPad. Beginning with the 8 deep plies, I go through the warm up and the latest workout on the yoga mat laid at the foot of my bed. One of Hunter’s playlists is playing through the Sonos in our room – best workout music ever.
10:50 am – workout complete. I pop into the kitchen for a smoothie (almond milk, protein powder, 2 handfuls of spinach, and half a frozen banana) and sip it while playing with Rho for a few minutes. I return to the room once our nanny and Rho are off for their walk.
Time to shower, get ready, and get to work. That to-do list won’t finish itself.
My must-dos every morning are below:
I also want to acknowledge how lucky I am to work for myself and have help for my son, so I can structure my schedule around him and myself. I’m deeply fortunate, and am thankful every single day that I can be with my son and grow my career on my terms.
Do you have a morning routine? What do you do in yours? COMMENT below and let me know!
