Morning routines

A few people have got in touch recently asking me how I spend my mornings so I thought I’d share my morning routine on here as well as give you some advice on how to build one that works for you.

How you spend your morning is so important as it can set you up for the day ahead. If you run out the door after a stressful rush you are going to feel a lot more on edge than if you take time to stretch and breathe before leaving the house. I know that most people don’t have the time to spend ages meditating, exercising or journaling but just taking a bit of time to ground yourself into the day is so beneficial. In the mornings we so often reach for our phones and scroll rather than take some time for ourselves, so before you say you don’t have enough time think about how you are spending it!

I think Instagram has definitely made the morning routine a but if a thing recently and we see people sharing perfect photos of early gym sessions, perfect bowls of porridge or smoothies and meditation sessions. I’m not saying that these things don’t happen but they definitely don’t happen every single morning, however if we compare ourselves to this we can end up feeling a bit less. I am completely the same, some days my morning routine is picture-perfect and others are completely messy and all over the place. I’m sure that you are exactly the same too, some days it goes to plan and others you spend half an hour scrolling and have to rush. This doesn’t make you a bad person, it makes you human, a human being who is trying their best. And that is completely okay.

I absolutely adore routine and find it so helpful for me if I start my morning the same every day, however for other people routine doesn't work at all. You also need to take into consideration whether you are an early bird or a night owl. It’s really important that you find what works for you without comparing what you’re doing to others. Go easy on yourself and only do what works for you. If you pressure yourself into having a perfect morning routine it will only end up making you more stressed and disappointed with yourself when inevitably it doesn’t go to plan.

The first step for a good morning routine is what you do the night before. I know that sounds a bit weird but if you are planning to get up early but go to bed at midnight it’s not going to work out well. Making sure you get enough sleep is really important. You can also make things easier for yourself the night before by setting out your clothes, making some breakfast and packing your bag, meaning that you are in less of a rush.

Recognise how much time you have in the mornings for your routine. Be realistic with this, not how much time you want to have but how much you genuinely have. Take into account when you actually want to get up in the morning and stick to it.

My usual morning routine is…

Wake up at 6:30 to my Lumie sunrise alarm clock, this has been such a good addition to my mornings as it gently wakes me up and I definitely feel more energised in the mornings. Take a few minutes to lie in bed and wake up, often end up drifting off again but try not to. Open my blinds and drink a glass of water by the window, this is inspired by Maisie Hill and I find it really helps wake my body up. I then brush my teeth and get into some yoga clothes. After that, it’s all about me listening to my body, maybe I do some yoga or a workout or just sit and breathe if that’s what I need. I try not to put any pressure on myself to do a high intensity workout if that’s not what I’m feeling for, make sure to listen to your body and do what feels best for you. I’ll then write down three things I’m grateful for, my daily affirmation and my daily tasks in my Mäl planner, I find this really helpful as it gets my head in the game. Then I’ll get dressed, make and eat some breakfast before leaving the house.

This is what works for me and may not work for you, so create a routine that suits you rather than trying to copy mine. However I think there are a few essential things to add to a morning routine:

• Sunlight

• A glass of water

• Some deep breaths- or if you want something more sit and meditate

• Movement of your choice- this can be absolutely anything from HIIT to a gentle stretch or a quick walk

• Gratitude

• Writing a to do list

• A yummy breakfast

Also, I always try to stay offline as much as possible for my morning routine and won’t open social media or my texts until after breakfast just so I can get my head in the game.

I really hope that you found this blog post helpful and have managed to put together a nice morning routine for yourself, remember to make it baggy enough to live in!

Megan x