This post may contain affiliate links which means if you purchase from a link I provide, I will receive commissions at no extra cost to you. I will only recommend products I use & love.
Autumn Morning Routine for the Girl Who Wants to Slow Down
Mindful Morning Routine for the Girl Who wants to Slow Down
I want you to take a moment & think about what your perfect morning looks like. Do you jolt awake in a hurry, rush around & get out the door? Do you wake up & open the shades, have a slow mindful morning? Do you have a specific routine you must follow or else the day goes to crap?
I am a firm believer that how we wake up sets the tone for the entire day. Today’s blog is all about how I went from stressed, rushed mornings, to slow mindful mornings by changing just a few things.
Why a Morning Routine is Necessary For Me
If you’re like me, then you must be thinking “I don’t have time for a morning routine, nor do I want to add MORE to my list of things to do”. Don’t panic, my morning “routine” isn’t absolute, it often changes! First, let me say that my work mornings start significantly earlier than my off days, but I still manage to make it work & create a mindful slow morning. Check out my work morning routine blog!
Onto my off days. I used to set no alarms for my off days, I would sleep until I FELT like waking up. Mind you, I still have some sleep in days, but I noticed that just because I got to sleep in, didn’t mean my morning was any better or any more mindful. Everyone’s morning is different, & since having my baby, mine is massively different. For instance, pre-baby me would sleep in, wake up not refreshed, I would mosey around & often not get out of pajamas unless I had to. I would feel like I wasted the day simply because I would sleep in & then wake up feeling guilty for doing it. Post-baby me, had to learn how to have a sleep schedule. If I was able to sleep in (didn’t happen often) I would wake up & be rushed around to immediately go into mom mode. I could barely wake up & go to the bathroom before I had to tend to her. This left me stressed, anxious, feeling down, thinking I was failing her, realizing I was sacrificing my well being, & ultimately putting me into a downward spiral.
What Did I actually Benefit by Adding A Mindful Morning Routine
Creating a morning routine is believed to help better your mental clarity, productivity, & all together well being. While I am no scientist, I can only assume creating a morning routine also helps with your circadian rhythm. The same way I have to have a schedule for my toddler is the same way I should have one for myself. Proper sleep is crucial for your mental & physical health. By coming up with ways to have a mindful morning, I seem to have a more intentional & mindful day!
10 Ways I Make Sure I have a Mindful Morning
1. Incorporate a Nightly Wind Down
If you’re like me, you find it hard to just lie down & go to sleep with no preparation. When I try to just lay down for bed without first winding down, I end up just tossing & turning. Adding a nightly wind down doesn’t have to be hard or take up time if you don’t want it to! It can be as simple as making sure you have no screen time before bed or as complex as a shower & skincare routine, nightly reading, adding red light therapy, reading, etc. Personally, I like to do all of the above. See my ideal nightly wind down here, but I don’t always have time to do it all! That’s why I make sure that even though I can’t do my entire night routine I have non-negotiables to help me wind down. By getting yourself ready for bed, you increase your sleep quality which in turn, helps you wake up feeling refreshed & ready to take on the day!
2. Wake Up Early
I know, I know…cliche & ughhhh. I never want to wake up early but hear me out…early can mean different for you than it does for me! It don’t have to be before the crack of dawn, it can just mean getting up 1 hour earlier than you typically do. For me, I like to wake up an hour or two before my toddler gets up, which means I am waking up between 6 & 7 each day. At first, it sucked, but as time went on, I realized I needed that time alone. I needed to be able to wake up & care for my needs before going straight into girlfriend & mom mode. I recommend getting an alarm clock & putting it on the opposite side of the room. The reason being, I tend to hit snooze on my phone alarm because it is right beside me! This sunrise alarm is great for a slow peaceful wake up instead of jolting awake. Not to mention, the sunrise is beautiful & it always sets the tone for a great day!
3. Ditch the Screens First thing
Something I still struggle with is grabbing my phone immediately when I wake up. I open my eyes & reach for my phone to check to see if I have any missed calls, texts, snaps, etc. & then head over to my socials. When I am done with that I usually go into the bathroom, brush my teeth & then come out & put on the t.v. simply for noise. Anymore though, I try to eliminate that habit for the first hour of the day. I’m ashamed to say it is still a challenge to avoid these things for me. By avoiding the screens first thing, I am helping to not disrupt my sleep cycle, eliminating a negative mood by eliminating the over stimulation to my brain before it has a chance to wake up. Ways to kind of combat grabbing my phone; leaving it another room for the night, putting it on do not disturb, replacing screen time with reading/meditation, & more. As much as I love our technology I have found that I am addicted to it in an unhealthy way so I strive to step by step eliminate just a little of it.
4. Take a Moment & Step Outside
There is nothing quite like fresh air to get you up & at em. Obviously this is easier to do in the warmer months. but there is still something so alluring to me about the outside, even in the cold. If you are someone who does breath work then you know fresh air is the best for you. Stepping outside for a breath of fresh air helps regulate my circadiafn rhythm which in turn helps for a better sleep at night. It also helps to boost alertness, exposes me to the elements & of coarse Vitamin D productions, which is known to boost our moods. My advice is to grab your favorite robe & step out on the porch for even just a few moments & watch the sunrise!
5. Coffee & Me Time
There are many things that bring me joy, coffee is one of them! I love trying new coffee flavors, I love switching back and forth between hot & iced coffee. Right now my current coffee fixation is an iced peppermint latte with homemade cold foam or my hot espresso with just a splash of cream & whipped topping. If you don’t drink coffee, that’s okay! There are so many other drinks you could find & enjoy! I’ll be sharing my list of Autumn drinks here soon. I just love sipping on my drink & taking some time to myself. You could use this time to sit outside, read, journal, meditate, pray, show gratitude & so much more.
6. Plan the Day
Planning the day ahead of me is one way I stay on task which allows me to take moments throughout the day to relax & not feel rushed all day. When I don’t plan for the day, the day is chaos & I typically fall short of what I need to get done. I don’t know if it is my age or what but if it isn’t written down, I forget. I like to take 10 minutes at the start of each day & map out my day. I use time stamps for most days because it makes it easy to follow. Mind you, life is all about balance, trust me there are days we don’t plan out & end up having a fun spontaneous day!
7. Morning Stretch & Light Workout
It doesn’t have to be anything special but take 30 minutes to stretch & move your body. There are many ways to go about this. I like to stretch first. Sometimes I like to do some light yoga, sometimes I just do light stretches, anything to get my body limber & awake. As for the workout, do what you feel is best. It can be walking, running, using dumbells, resistance bands, or a simple sequence of floor exercises. The main goal is to get your blood flowing & get you ready to take on the day!
8. Shower & Get Ready
Everyone loves a pajama & chill day, but we can’t just let everyday be a lazy day. Even when I don’t have anywhere to go, I find that my day is much more fulfilled when I actually get myself ready for the day rather than bum it out. It is true for me that if I look good, I feel good. Now I’m not saying you have to spend hours on your hair, makeup, & clothes, but simply just getting dressed & brushing your hair can do wonders for how your day will go. Whether it is an everything shower (IYKYK), or just a quick hop in, it sets the tone for the day.
9. Hydrate
Of course I can’t leave this one out. Staying hydrated is huge for our overall health. If we aren’t properly hydrated then all kinds of health problems can arise. Some experts say to drink up to 2 liters of water daily, that’s a lot! I try my best to get as much water as possible, but I’ll admit, it’s not near enough. I like to grab my water bottle first thing & fill it up. You might drink it first thing when you wake up, or maybe when you workout, for me, I like having it while I am getting ready. Bonus tip, if you add some Celtic salt or Himalayan salt, it helps to hydrate you even more!
10. Make Breakfast
Nothing says calm morning quite like making a nutritious breakfast you actually get to enjoy. Now I know that it might be impossible to make a 5 course meal every morning, but aim to at least get something nutritious in your stomach. I love to make avocado toast & top it with egg, add some fruit or yogurt, oatmeal, etc. On days that I have the time, I will make eggs, bacon, toast or cinnamon rolls, something I can sit down & eat mindfully.
Thanks For Reading!
I can’t guarantee that these steps will work for everyone. As for me, following these steps gives me clarity, motivation, a great mood, & the energy to take on the day! I try my best to stick to this morning routine, but like everyone else, I am human…sometimes I have lazy cartoon mornings with my little, or rush around because I didn’t plan properly! I hope this helped to get you started on a routine without feeling judged or the pressure to be “perfect” all of the time! As always, do what works for YOU!
xoxo,
Courtie D