Win the Day by Creating Your Own Morning Routine

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know how important routines are in all aspects of my life. Routines actually help me to be a better person. They allow me to have more bandwidth to love on the people in my life because I’m not scrambling to figure out the next step in my day. I began my development and improvement journey by identifying how I wanted to show up. I asked myself:

“What is the best version of me?” 

“how can I love and care for the people who matter most to me?” 

Part of my mantra is: to be better than I was yesterday, I need to fill up my cup. I recognize that if I want to be there 100% for my family, I need:

😴 sleep

💪 to move my body

🙏 time with Jesus

📖 time to read (because books bring knowledge)

⛽ fuel: water, coffee and proper nutrition to support the above

Every. Single. Day.

And guess what? I do these things even BEFORE my kids wake up and race down the stairs and BEFORE my husband greets me with a kiss, coffee in hand. 

I set my alarm for 4:20 a.m. so I can conquer all the things. That equates to having less stress, less rushing (and yes, even less yelling) as I scurry my little humans out the door. To me? That’s a huge win!

Disclaimer: I’m not always a ray of sunshine at 4:20 a.m., but waking up early allows me to hit that daily reset button so I can reach my goals.

Here are 4 ways to create your personalized routine

1. When do you wake up? How do you look? What are you eating? What accomplishments will you make? Taking time to visualize and write down your goals will help you achieve that ideal morning routine to get you off to the best start. Note any appointments or obligations first then schedule any other responsibilities like groceries, laundry, etc. Rank your checklist by priority and give yourself actionable tasks to complete, like tackling the dishes, taking out the trash, and so on.

2. Your health and energy are important! You want to be able to run with your kids, right? And you want your business to thrive. Exercise is key. Find a routine that works for you and stick with it. The Mayo Clinic breaks down 7 benefits of regular physical activity.

3. I ride on grace. It’s because of God that I am here and I have breath in my lungs. Every day, I take time to talk to my Creator. So, ground yourself, and spend time journaling, reading the Bible or a devotional (I’m currently reading Awaken by Priscilla Shirer). When life becomes hard, I can lean on scripture and it gives me peace.

4. I am a lifelong learner and I want to develop as I get older. For me, reading non-fiction books is a big part of that journey. I try to read at least 10 pages of a non-fiction book every day. Right now I’m reading Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell.

Pro tip: get yourself some highlighters. (See what I did there?) Highlighting sections of a book is a more active form of reading and helps with retention. Did you know some experts suggest a color system when highlighting? Check it out below.

What happens if I fall off track or forget about my routine? If I sleep in, I end up rushing to get the kids off to school. I feel frustrated. I may lose my temper. I haven’t accomplished any work. I haven’t even had a cup of coffee! Let’s be real. It’s a total crap show. It feels like a tornado swept through my house. Oh, and don’t forget about Mom Guilt. You know what I’m talking about. 

I try to prepare as much as I can ahead of time, specifically the night before. Here are some things you can do before bedtime to get yourself on track for the day ahead:

• Pack backpacks and organize your workspace the night before. 
• Lay clothes out ahead of time and let your children be part of the process.
• Program the coffee pot to brew shortly after your alarm goes off.
• Set out your non-fiction and devotional books and highlighters.
• Go to bed with a clean sink. That’s right: wash those dishes. Future you will be grateful!
• Find a good nighttime beauty routine.

There’s a popular belief that it takes 21 days to form a habit, so if you’re just starting out, give yourself some grace. Stick with your routine and I promise you’ll start to see a difference in your life, even if it’s just one task at a time. Remember: just one small spark can start a fire. I can help you plan your daily activities and reach your goals. Contact me to get started and make a change!