Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Your use of these links is greatly appreciated!
Last updated on April 8th, 2022 at 11:10 pm
This morning I woke up ready to take my morning routine up to a whole new level with my new BBG Sweat app. I heard a noise and peaked into my toddler’s room.
Surprise, surprise, she was sitting up and showing no sign of going back to sleep.
Morning derailed.
I know I’m not the only mama trying to get the day started off right. Mornings are the time when I am most fresh and creative. (Although I do find sparks of creativity during the most inconvenient hours of the night when I should be sleeping.)
Over the last few weeks I’ve been working on changing my morning habits so I can start on a positive note.
Before, I scoffed at the idea of a purposeful morning routine thinking that it doesn’t make that much of a difference. That is, until Merrick at Merrick’s Art starting posting more about the changes in her morning routine on Instastories.
I realized that I needed to make some changes if I wanted to be purposeful and productive.
For the last couple of years, I’d wake up to my daughter climbing into bed with me. I’d then struggle for the next 30 minutes to get her to lay there quietly so I can get some more sleep.
I would follow that up with a cup of coffee (or two) while she watched TV and I tried to get my brain going for the work day.
It didn’t help that I was working on my blog and side biz late into the night. There was no real rest.
Something had to give.
Making changes
Last year during the dreaded daylight savings time I switched it up and started getting up before my daughter. Thankfully she tends to sleep in and gets up between 8 and 9. So my alarm was set for around 7:30.
I’ve been better about getting to bed earlier (and I’ve rolled back my alarm to 7 now). Some days I stay up later than I want to because we were out or something needed to get done. Those are the days when I have to hand myself a little grace.
Getting up earlier helped to get a head start, but my habits still weren’t great. I’d check my email and social media before rolling out of bed. (Everybody does it, right?)
Then I heard Bishop Robert Barron talking about how he associates the smell of coffee with his morning holy hour. I immediately loved that association, so I’ve been working hard to get it going for myself.
For the past month now, I’ve purposely avoided email and social media until after I’ve done my daily devotion (the ones I do are over on Blessed Is She and in this book). After that, I get to work.
Working it out
For a lot of people, exercising after getting up works great. Not for me.
I need to use that time when my brain is most alert and creative for real work. So I wait until after my kid gets up to exercise.
I know a lot of moms prefer to exercise when their kids are asleep, but my kid actually tries to exercise with me. It’s so dang cute, so I wait until her morning round of Daniel Tiger watching is done and we work out “together.”
(The best part of this is hearing her exclaim how strong she is because “she’s been exercising!” But I digress…)
Making the perfect morning routine is not easy.
I’m still working on eating a good breakfast, getting to bed on time, and not looking at social media until midday instead of right after my daily reflection.
It’s a work in progress. I’m keeping in mind that this season will change and I’ll need to reset again. (Kids have a way with messing with your schedule right when you got it down…just head up to the beginning of this post.)
Despite the places that I’m still working on, things are a lot better. I’m no longer staying up late to work on my blog and I’m finding time in the evenings to read and prep for the next day.
It also helps that I’m not as frustrated and stressed out trying to catch up from missing out on the morning.
Leave a Reply