Starting your day off right: morning routines
Starting your morning off right can set a positive tone for the entire day. But what is the “right” way to start your day? While the answer is different for each of us, I believe inspiration can be gained from hearing what others do and periodically reviewing our own routines.
In my wanderings through the Internet, I came across the My Morning Routine website, which shares numerous real-life examples of people’s morning routines using a standard set of questions. I decided to review my own routine with those questions.
What is your morning routine?
Since I retired, my husband and I have started drinking our morning coffee together while we watch the local news, sometimes followed by a game show like Chain Reaction. After that, we do our own things, which for me is working out and meditating.
What time do you go to sleep?
Between 10:45 and 11:00 p.m.
Do you do anything before going to bed to make your morning easier?
As you can see, my mornings couldn’t get much easier! I do sometimes struggle to fall asleep, so there are some things I do to make that easier…which in turn makes the mornings more pleasant. I start by creating a to-do list for the next day, mostly so I get those thoughts out of my head. Then I list three good things that happened during the day, filling myself with positivity for the night. While I get ready for bed (washing face, brushing teeth, etc.), I keep the bathroom lights low and play relaxing music or a nighttime meditation. That last bit is a recent addition to my routine, which has proved to be highly effective.
Do you use an alarm to wake you up in the morning, and if so do you ever hit the snooze button?
Not on most days. Waking up naturally is one of my favorite things about retirement. If I have an early-morning obligation, I do set an alarm…in which case, I do not hit snooze. Also, I prefer to use a chime or other gentle tone on my iPhone. I hate being jarred awake by a blaring alarm.
How soon after waking up do you have breakfast, and what do you typically have?
I typically eat breakfast after my first cup of coffee, usually within an hour of waking up. What I eat varies. Some of my favorites are avocado toast and a side of strawberries, a banana and yogurt, or oatmeal with blueberries.
Do you have a morning workout routine?
Yes. That too varies. I love going to Orangetheory Fitness, walking outdoors, or doing yoga. I also have a stationary bike, rowing machine, and free weights at home.
Do you have a morning meditation routine?
Yes, I meditate for at least 10 minutes each morning, usually sitting on a cushion, but I have also tried standing and lying down. I alternate between silent meditation and guided meditation. For the guided meditations, I use the Simple Habit App or Great Meditation on YouTube.
How soon do you check your phone in the morning?
Since I silence my phone at night, I check texts first thing in the morning to see if I missed anything urgent. I check emails and social media a short time later, often during breakfast. That’s a habit I may want to change. There’s rarely anything pressing in my email or social media.
Do you also follow this routine on weekends?
Yes, there is no real difference between weekdays and weekends since I retired.
On days you’re not settled in your home, are you able to adapt your routine to fit in with a different environment?
If we are traveling, the routine may change. I do, however, make time for meditation and some kind of physical activity during the day.
What do you do if you fail to follow your morning routine, and how does this influence the rest of your day?
It’s not a big deal to me if my routine changes a bit on any given day. I was more strict with myself when I was working full-time and “me time” was harder to come by.
Anything else you would like to add?
When I was considering retirement, one of the things I worried about was whether I would miss my quiet time in the morning when I was the only one awake in the house and the world was dark and hushed. Surprisingly, I have not missed it much. I love waking up to sunshine, and I can find the quiet moments that being an introvert requires at other times during the day.
Your turn
- I’d love it if you’d answer one or more of these morning-routine questions.
- Are you a morning lark or a night owl?
- What else is on your mind? Anything at all; I just love to hear from you.
I’m not a lover of really early mornings – retirement has been such a blessing in that I can wake when I feel ready (except on my one work day a week when I set the alarm). I start every morning with a walk and that’s been an extra joy after losing that ability for most of last year. Great to read a little more about your day to day life Christie.
I’m with you Leanne. I’m not an early morning person. I do love taking a morning walk, especially in the summer before it gets too warm and while the air feels fresh and the birds are singing. There’s nothing like losing the ability to do something you love to remind you how wonderful it is. I’m glad you are enjoying your walks again.
I’m a morning lark. I like the peacefulness plus I [usually] haven’t screwed anything up in the first hour or two I’m awake so there’s a joy in that. I have decided that with the change to DST & with my husband retired now, I’m going to set an alarm for 7:00 a.m. so that I get up at a consistent time. I feel like I need that kind of structure in my life.
Isn’t it wonderful to have the freedom to choose whether we want to set an alarm or not? I confess I do enjoy the peacefulness of early mornings once I’m up. It’s the waking up part I struggle with.
Hi, Christie – You’ve asked great questions here. I am definitely a morning person and not a night owl (this has always been true for me). I am also a creature of habit. If I do something daily, I continue to do it. But if I break the pattern – it is super hard for me to get back on track. During the pandemic, I began working out at home each morning as soon as I woke up (and before I could talk myself out of it). I began with 10 minutes each morning and now do 30 minutes most days, varying what I do each time – but never break the routine. Even if I am traveling, I do at least 10 minutes every morning. It’s such a habit now, I can’t imagine not working out when I wake up. 😀
I can relate to being a creature of habit, Donna, and the struggle to get back on track. I am the same way. I used to run regularly prior to the pandemic. When my race that year got cancelled, I backed off the running and never got back into it. I have replaced running with other workouts, but I admit I miss the anticipation of race day…and the shirts and medals.
Hi, Christie – Great minds think alike! And great habits are hard to build — and even harder to rebuilt once stopped. <3
With that in mind, let’s keep the momentum going!
Great questions and answers Christie! Since retiring our mornings are so much slower, we wake naturally unless we have something planned for early in the morning and take the day at our own pace. My husband and I often have things to do each day, sometimes together but more often separately, given our various community interests but we’re very flexible these days. I try to work out each day, either yoga, a walk or riding my bike and I’m in bed by 9-10pm most nights.
I too love the freedom to wake up naturally and take mornings at a slower pace, Debbie. I always enjoy seeing the trails you walk and ride. We’re both blessed to live in beautiful areas for enjoying nature and physical activity in combination.
I’m a night owl living the life of a lark. We go to bed at 9pm due to Himself’s work, except at the weekend. As a result, going to bed is rather rushed, so I know I’d benefit from taking the time to meditate and then plan my day first thing over a cup of tea. The problem is I allow myself to get caught up in my emails and social media… and the moment is lost. But I am going to really try.
That is exactly how I felt when I was working, Debs…a night owl living the life of a lark. If you decide to give a new morning routine a try, I’d love to hear how it goes.
I think I long for a morning routine. Or…mornings where I can enjoy my morning routine. I am trying very hard to at least have Wednesday mornings to do the routine I would like to implement M-F. But even making it happen one day a week isn’t always possible. It seems I always have things that interfere with my quiet time, my journaling. I would like to believe when PC retires, I will be able to have 90 minutes every morning for my morning routine. But who knows? He likes to be on the go. I love to be home. It will be an interesting time once he retires.
Going to follow your link to My Morning Routine and see what I can do about making ine successful more often.
I do love a quiet, orderly start to the day, Leslie. It may take a while for you and PC to come to a routine that works for you once he retires, considering your different preferences, but I have faith in your ability to work it out. Larry is still working, but since he works from home, we are spending a lot more time together. Often, we are doing our own things, but it’s nice to be able to stop and talk or share a quick hug or a laugh.