My morning routine...
I've never been very “good” at a strict morning routine. But most experts say that in order to be healthy and successful, a consistent morning routine is essential.
Since I strive to be both of those things, I tried humoring the experts: wake up at 6:30 a.m., drink water, coffee, do yoga and meditate, walk the dog, exercise, shower. But by the time I complete this extravagant routine, over three hours have passed, it's now 10 a.m., and I am getting anxious about all of the work I still have to complete that day.
You see, some days I jump out of bed at the crack of dawn to get work done, or head out on an adventure. But some days I like to have a slower morning and revel in my sloth-ness.
Now, I am no expert. But after five years of experimenting with different routines, I've realized I prefer not one, but three different types of morning routines:
1. The get-shit-done morning routine
2. The mellow morning routine
3. The adventure morning routine
1. The get-shit-done morning routine
On these mornings, I get out of bed, drink a glass of water, make coffee, and head straight to my computer. I get the most important thing done right off the bat. Have 10 unread emails I need to respond to? Done. Have a newsletter to write? Done. Have a design that needs to be completed? Done. I have found that I prefer to paint and create in the afternoon, so I use my morning brain for the analytical tasks.
I got this concept from my partner Kory. He wakes up most weekdays to grind away on the computer for several hours before taking a break to go about phase two of his morning routine. He finds the most important part about get-shit-done mornings is to take a break after you complete the most important task of the day. So usually, after we both have worked for a couple hours in the morning, it's time for phase two. We walk the dog, have breakfast, shower, etc.
2. The mellow morning routine
Pretty self-explanatory, but every now and then I need a mellow morning. I relish those mornings when I get to wake up slowly. If it's sunny outside, I'll bring my coffee to the porch and just chill. Go for a walk, maybe make some pancakes. Life is good and it's time to slow down for a moment. Not every morning can or should be a get-shit-done morning, after all.
3. The adventure morning routine
These are the mornings when it's time to hit the road early. Whether I am going for a run, surf, or ski, I hop outta bed and get (sometimes drag) myself into the car. Time for some fun!
Now, let's talk about you.
As your eyes open to the promise of a new day, you have the opportunity to start fresh. How exciting!
Some questions to ponder:
What's the first thing you do when you get out of bed?
Do you look at your phone and scroll social media, or do you walk outside to smell the fresh air?
What does your morning routine(s) look like?
Most importantly, how does it make you feel?
Just like there is no one "right" way to live, there is no “right” morning routine. It's whatever works best to fill up your cup in order to set yourself up for success for the remainder of the day—whatever success looks like to you, that is.
Wishing you a week full of glorious morning routines!
xx,
Gianna
