Making time stretchy. My morning routine + 4 more for inspiration …
Inspired by Gail LoveSchock’s (when am I not?!) recent instalive on time … I got thinking about how I manage my time and the time when I feel time is most stretchy. For me, the magic happens during my morning routine. It is the time that I spend totally on me.
I came to early mornings before my life alcohol free – so it is more than possible sober or not I promise.
I read (and listened to) The Miracle Morning: The 6 Habits That Will Transform Your Life Before 8AM by Hal Elmrod
Silence
Affirmations
Visualisation
Exercise
Reading
Scribing
I’d spend 10 minutes on each, with exercise coming last when I’d do a yoga practice. This routine stuck with me as I first started to question a lot of things that where happening in my life and provided some much needed structure. Every morning at 5.30 I’d wake up and work through the SAVERS, by the time I got to work I’d feel accomplished and like I had set myself up for the day.
Over the last 18 months this morning practise has shifted for me, it still includes many elements of the SAVERS but I have a more go with the flow approach. My morning routine lets me stretch time & I head to work feeling grounded and present.
My routine looks something like this these days:
Yoga Day
Wake up at 6ish, light a candle (Neom are my current favourites), make a coffee, write 3 pages in my journal, meditate using Rebecca Campbell’s Light Sourcing meditation, get dressed and cycle to the yoga studio
Non-Yoga Day
Wake up at 6ish, light a candle, make a coffee, write 3 pages in my journal, meditate using Rebecca Campbell’s Light Sourcing meditation, read some of the book I’ve been reading, reflect and say my affirmations and work on this very blog a little bit
I don’t put pressure on myself to ‘perform’ my morning routine & on days when I need sleep I sleep in, but the practice and the process of mornings makes me feel like I have so much more time in my life …
I love reading about other people’s morning routines (total guilty pleasure!) so I asked around on Instagram, here are some of the answers. More morning routines to inspire you:
RunBikeRide: I wake up and say my affirmations and thank the Universe for my blessings before I even get up. Then I make a cup of apple cider vinegar and hot water to drink while I check my social media/email. Then I grab my doggy and head to feed and love on my horses. Then after shower and make up, it’s coffee and phone calls to my family to catch up with the ones I love on my drive in to work. That is every morning before work. If not working, then I do all that and then read 😉
Rachel: Kiss my daughter and husband. Let out our dog and cat! Drink a litre of water, then 1 hour of asanas and meditation. Hot lemon water then coconut oil pulling as I sit down to write and plan my day.
Laura (The Wellbeing Feeling): Before I do anything I take 10 conscious breaths, inhaling deeply and exhaling completely. If I’m going to the gym before work I have a pint of water & a banana before I leave home. If it’s a rest day I grab myself a warm water and take some extra moments to reflect or set my intentions for the day. I try not to engage with my phone until I really need to, but as music is a huge love of mine I often find myself hitting the play button on my favourite album of the moment.
Skin care is a big part of my morning routine so wherever I am, home, gym or away, I always take time to look after my skin. Cleanse, tone and moisturise. Face and body. (L’s note: I WISH I had the discipline to do this, I give myself a pat on the back if I take my make up off at night, must get tips from Laura!)
I find mornings such a great time of day to really centre yourself and connect with how you’re feeling – mind, body and soul. Each morning we have a choice; a choice to bring yesterday’s stresses with us into this new day or to see every wake up as a fresh start.
Tell me about your morning routine, drop me a comment or let me know on Instagram.
All my love, L xx
You can find this blog lovingly linked to #TriumphantTales
March 3, 2017 @ 4:08 PM
What a great idea to ask about other peoples’ routines! My only routine right now is oil pulling and lemon water, followed by gratitude journaling, but I am really inconsistent. Thanks for this post!
March 3, 2017 @ 4:40 PM
I actually really like this and how “everyday” it sounds if you know what I mean. It feels good to get in a habit of things (good ones ofc) my only consistent thing right now is to just brush my teeth and cleanse my face when I wake up!
great post xx
March 3, 2017 @ 4:42 PM
I LOVE this list of habits! I will definitely begin implementation. I am thinking about getting into yoga so this will be interesting. Thank you for sharing!
March 4, 2017 @ 9:39 AM
I love these routines! Unfortunately, I don’t have many at this point, but I regularly do a vacuum exercise as soon as I wake up + lemon water. Thank you for sharing many cool ideas. ❤
March 6, 2017 @ 5:49 PM
I really like the SAVERS practice you have listed here, I’m going to start practising that! Do you recommend reading ‘The Miracle Morning’? Thanks for sharing
March 8, 2017 @ 5:29 PM
Oh I loooooveeee this!!! I work from home, so I actually have a bit more time for my morning routine than others! I have one I really enjoy but will definitely be adding some of these to my routine! Great post, girl! xx
March 8, 2017 @ 7:15 PM
I think what you do first thing in the morning can set up the sort of day you are going to have – when I wake up and do nothing I feel slightly off all day – the days I get up, walk the dogs, do a bit of blogging for example I have a much more productive day.
April 4, 2017 @ 10:25 AM
This is a great idea, although my morning routine comprises of running around like an absolute lunatic after four children!! #triumphanttales
April 4, 2017 @ 9:06 PM
This is a really great post! I always love the idea of getting up early, and getting stuff done. But I am such a night owl, and tend not to go to bed till about 2!
April 5, 2017 @ 2:07 PM
My mornings are all over the place, I don’t really have a routine. It would probably help me be less stressed to have one.
#TriumphantTales
April 8, 2017 @ 4:36 PM
My mornings when I have work are all about rushing around and when im not working about trying to have as much as a lay in as possible! hahaa whoops!
Thank you for sharing this with us at #TriumphantTales! Hope to see you back next week!
April 8, 2017 @ 8:59 PM
I just about have time to have a shower and get myself ready for the day whilst trying to get the little man ready to. This sounds blissful in comparison! Good for you. Thank you for sharing this with #TriumphantTales, please do come back next week.