Is it just me or do mornings go by so fast? I wake up early and still feel like I rushed out the door just barely making it to work on time.
It didn’t take me long to realize I need to have some type of plan. Not only that, but the older I get the more I love a good routine. It just keeps everything in line and I can expect to have a successful day if my morning starts off right. Even if you aren’t a morning person, these are great tips to help encourage healthy habits.
Of course you can make the changes that you need to fit your lifestyle, this is what I do as a newlywed and a full-time secretary. I promise you, making changes even if it is just one small adjustment at a time works!
I start my first alarm at 5:30 and I am out the door by 7am. My husband is on a different schedule in the morning so my only focus is to make sure breakfast and lunch is prepped so when we both leave at 7, we are ready to go! Eventually I want to push myself to get up at 5am! But that’ll be another blog post in the future! Ha!
Here is a list of things that I do in the morning to set myself up for success!
Set 2 alarms: This has worked wonders for me! Think about it, you set one alarm for when you HAVE to get up and then you hit snooze. Now you are at least 5-10 minutes late and haven’t even gotten out of bed yet. I did this almost every morning and I could not get myself back on track after such a late start.
Now I set an alarm 15 minutes before the main alarm goes off. I wake up to the earliest alarm, knowing there is another one that will go off soon. It’s a game changer! By the second alarm, my body has processed that it’s time to wake up and I am on the go!
Start hot tea kettle/breakfast: After I roll out of bed, I go straight to the kitchen to start my hot tea kettle. Whether you start with hot tea or coffee, get the process started! That way if you take a little longer to get dressed or take care of things in the bathroom, you already have the machines working!
Another thing I like to get squared away is breakfast! I always eat on the go so a healthy granola bar, yogurt parfait, and/or bowl of cereal would be great to prepare to eat now or set out to pick up on your way out the door.
My husband and I were gifted with a HADEN Dorchester Matte White electric kettle as a wedding gift. You can purchase it off of the Crate&Barrel website bit it sells for $95. I found a more affordable kettle that is rated #1 on amazon at just $20!
Read/Devote/Quick Workout: Set time for yourself. This part is very important! I spend time with the Lord during this time. Reading the word, sitting in silence, or praying. If you don’t do anything else, this is the most important step. I always ask the Lord to align my day with His will and to clear any noise that prevents me from hearing His voice. Mornings are sacred and quiet. For me, there are very few distractions other than feeling sleepy some mornings. Don’t miss the opportunity to spend time with Jesus!!
I set time in the afternoon to do devotion instead, I’ll typically do a 15-30 minute workout in the morning. You do not have to slave in the gym for an hour to get a quality workout. I use youtube! Below is a link to a pilates workout that I use often. The instructor is amazing and her gentle voice soothes the soul first thing in the morning! From this video you can find the rest of her awesome workouts. You can find a video specifically for your wants and needs. You won’t be disappointed. Just grab a water bottle and mat!
Set an alarm to get ready: Okay now I know this sounds a bit premature. However, think about it, if you set a 10 minute alarm for children to pick up their toys they’ll move at a speed that allows for that task to get done before the fun sounds go off on the phone. The same works for adults or at least for me! I set a 20 minute timer to use the bathroom, shower, tidy myself up, and get dressed. I know that doesn’t sound like enough time but it is! Until I started setting alarms I didn’t realize how much I was wasting time scrolling or getting sidetracked with other tasks that slow me down in the morning. Setting an alarm keeps you moving and it’s kinda fun! Especially if you lay clothes out the night before or at least have an idea of what you want to wear that morning. It shouldn’t take you more than 20 minutes to get ready in the morning.
Final touches: At this point you should be ready to go. The kettle is hot, the coffee just needs creamer, and breakfast prepared and ready to go.
