New Morning Routine
Hay, Daizee Loves!
Between teleworking (#ThankYouRona), preparing to move, and now actually being in a new physical space… I do not have any kind of morning routine established or in practice. And for me, what I do when I first wake up HEAVILY influences the outcome of my day. On my best days, these things are done between 5-7am. On my off days or slower days…. 7-9am.
I have learned over the years that I function better when I am up early and decide to take charge of my day vs. just letting my day happen. Is that the control freak in me? Possibly. LOL Do I understand that God has the final say in the outcome of my day? MOST DEFINITELY. However, there is still power in our choices and action behind success and seeing amazing results in our life.
With that being said, let’s go through my ideal morning routine. The things that were implemented in previous stable seasons, and things I have been working to get back in the habit of doing.
1. Thank you God
First thing first. It’s a simple statement, but full of a lot of power and recognition. It gets you in the right mindset for living through another day. Start your day with a grateful heart. God did not have to wake you up, but He did for a reason. We live purpose-filled lives, and should strive to walk in that purpose FULLY each day.
2. 16 ounces of water
Our bodies are made up of a high percentage of water. WE NEED IT. Chugging it first thing for me gets the brain fog up off of me, wakes my organs up, and gets my digestion going. Typically, if I do not start off with water as my first beverage of the day, I do not have a high intake for the day. 64 ounces is my bare minimum goal. 96 ounces is my “Flourish, Young Meg” goal. On top of that, I feel awful for indulging in my addiction when I do not drink enough water. This bring me to #3 –
3. COFFEE
I am a WHOLE addict. Like severe headache and chills if I have not had caffeine by 3pm. JUST SICK. But knowing I am about to indulge in a hot cup is something I look forward to in the morning. It makes me feel alive. It is calming and relaxing. It is important to note that this is either first thing while I do other things or AFTER a workout when I am getting started with work. Which brings me to #4 –
4. EXERCISE
You guys know that I have been on a weight loss journey since April. I love to workout (run specifically) between 6-7am on Monday - Saturday. I like getting it out of the way and the boost of energy it provides. Sweating is great for liver detox (& considering other habits… A MUST LOL), and also great for your skin. Which… #5 –
5. Skincare
Cold water, Dove beauty bar, Clean & Clear morning burst, witch hazel, and Palmer’s cocoa butter or Cetaphil, baby. LOL I am NOT UP if my face is not. And if you are sweating like how I be after running, your pores need this TLC.
6. Oral Hygiene
And since we are in the bathroom; floss, brush, and rinse. I have been on my Crest Pro Health, and you cannot eat or drink 30 minutes after using, so depending on the coffee placement lol that’s where this falls.
*** Okay, so collectively that is like 20 minutes tops (minus the exercise & clearly a shower after that). So, Megan… what needs to be done in the remaining 45-60 minutes? Let’s keep going... ***
7. Daily Devotional and Journaling
I cannot stress how impactful this step is for me. This is really the most important part of my morning because journaling is a form of prayer for me. I need this moment of reflection and basically therapy. #DoctorJesus I need this for my mental and emotional health. I need to talk to God and deal with myself before I deal with anyone. Especially coworkers. LOL This step helps me to ensure that I am in the right head space for the day. This is how I renew my mind each day.
8. Music and motivational videos
This is generally gospel music and Christian motivational speakers. I generally wake up with a song on my heart, and I will play that. I love ET and Inky Johnson. I love the Grace for Purpose videos on YouTube. Sometimes, I will pull up a whole sermon. It really just depends. I will play things while I am in the bathroom, making my coffee, straightening up, or even while exercising, or driving to work #LifePreRona. This step can go along with all of the other ones, which is great. I just have to make sure it’s somewhere in the beginning of my day for added encouragement in the Lord and motivation for life.
9. Prioritize Tasks
I have a lot going on. No way around it. Jotting down the most important things I need to do for the day (and for the week on Monday) helps me stay on top of everything. I have a work specific list in my work notebook. I have a blog/vlog list in my phone/planner. Then, I have a list in my financial/budget book. Again, this just helps to keep me on a track, ensures I am being productive, and not letting things slip through the cracks. This feeds into my consistency with my goals.
10. Fun and cute alarm
I think we forget how personalized we can make our alarms. We can wake up to songs and notes of our own choosing. “Good Morning, Beautiful” is always nice. OR “Get up, fatty” if you are like my sister and need a kick in the butt to go workout. PAHAHA literally her note. I cannot make this up. Then, whatever music gets you going!
So, Daizee Loves… I could totally add more things, but for the sake of length I will stop here. I would like to point out that you can do these things in the order that best fits you. The point is… take charge of your day. It starts with the seemingly little things. You will find more success and productivity across the board with a solid routine and awesome morning habits.
I want to encourage you all to take a look at your morning routine and take note of the things you currently do and what you would like to do. Almost certain mine will have a few more things added to it by the end of the year. But my focus is to get this one solid in the next few months.
Also, I plan to have more health and fitness content coming if you are more interested in what my day looks like pertaining to those things specifically.
Thanks for reading, y ‘all.
Love ALWAYS,
Megan