Morning Routines - Tips & Ideas

Tools that I use to embrace the day today with calm, planning, and what I want my life to look like. I have more to give when I start my day well.

Mar 07, 2024

Spring and early Summer is a time that I focus on having a consistent morning routine.

I have found much value in starting the day on my terms. I need some time to be alone, shower, get fully dressed, have some tea in a dark kitchen and read. It does not go well if my day begins with others needing something from me before I feel fully human.

I have so much more to give when I meet my own needs first.

My Morning Routine Master List:

I have my “must get done” list and then my “would be nice if I had time to” list.

I allow each day to be a bit different and each week to have its own strengths and weaknesses.

My Basics:

shower – I must feel clean and presentable.
dressed and ready for the day – this includes my shoes on and hair up.
vitamins & water – We all wake up dehydrated. I always start my day with a tall glass of water and B-complex vitamin.
simple breakfast – a cup of tea with a banana, zucchini muffin, oatmeal or yogurt and berries
no tech – my morning involves: books, journals, handwriting words, and I do not check my phone
music – I have several morning routine playlists that I choose from depending on mood

Time to myself:

I cannot do each of these every day or even every week. These are the morning routines that I enjoy depending on the day and my mood.

I just pick the one that makes sense for that day.

read – starting my day reading something is my favorite thing!
light a candle – it takes a few seconds but creates a whole atmosphere that is soothing and calm
stretching – sometimes I do some yoga poses and flexibility exercises. (less than 5 min.)
exercise – some mornings I go for a walk but I usually prefer to do this in the afternoons.
Bible – I dive in to The Word. I read, take notes, look up Hebrew/Greek root words, read my Bible study notes, and underline. The Bible gives me wisdom, life and understanding of God’s character.
writing – some mornings my brain is awake enough to form sentences and original thoughts. When this happens I let it pour out into a text document and then save it to edit and process later. I keep judgement and nitpicking at bay and just let the words flow.
simple household tasks with hymns – somedays I am not ready for words and thoughts. So I sweep the porch, fold a load of towels, wipe down all the counters and tables, clean windows, or dust the bookshelves. Doing these things slowly in the quiet while my brain wakes up feels peaceful. (A different vibe than in the afternoon when I am power cleaning the house.)
sing – I have an old hymnal that belonged to my Grandmother where I have marked all my favorites.
sit on the front porch – I really should do this one more often. A cup of coffee on the front porch listening to the birds is a beautiful way to start my day.
baking – Muffins, cinnamon rolls, egg casseroles, homemade granola and biscuits are all good ways to get smiling kids to come downstairs for breakfast. I do more baking in the fall with the windows open.
quiet conversation – sometimes I have a relaxed chat on the couch with my teen who is a morning person
Bullet journaling & planning – Some mornings I am ready to work on planning and calendar details. I update my bullet journal, check my calendar and write out tasks.

Again… I allow each day to be a bit different. Each week will have its own strengths and weaknesses.

I cannot do each of these every day or even every single week. (I’ve tried to do that. It does not work…)

Reflection Questions:

What do you wish you had time for during the day but it often gets skipped?
If you had an hour to do whatever you wanted in the quiet of your home, what would you do?
What smells do you enjoy? Lavender candle? Fresh coffee? Fresh breezes from open windows?
What is your favorite muffin recipe? Can you make time to bake some tomorrow?

Whatever your day holds, my hope for you is that you claim the mornings as a time for you to set up your day for success.

As my needs change, and as the kids grow, I find that I have to adjust. Changing plans and redoing routines does not mean failure. We all have to pivot and do what is best for right now.

No matter what time you have to leave the house you can create a routine that makes sense for you. (Even if you are not a talkative social butterfly when you get out of bed.) Or if you get to choose your own schedule, you can still set up a morning routine that is life-giving and peaceful.

🍵Have a great morning!! – April

Photos from Unsplash

Resources for Morning Routines and Habits:

The 5 Second Rule – Transform your life, work and confidence with everyday courage by Mel Robbins
- If you need a kick in the pants, here is the video to watch from Mel. (4 min.) She is so motivating!
Better Than Before – Mastering the habits of our everyday lives by Gretchen Rubin
- Here is also my favorite podcast where she discusses morning routines. [Happier with Gretchen Rubin]
- Here are some quick tips for morning routines.

April Edwards [Embracing Home]

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