my morning routine.

Whether you’re a stay at home mom, a corporate go-getter or fall somewhere in between, establishing a morning routine that is both practical and enjoyable is extremely important! If you guys have read this post, then you probably know I’m an advocate for waking up early (5am to be exact). But what is it exactly that I do with my time in the morning? That’s what I want to talk about today. Here are eight things to do before 8 am in order to boost your productivity!

8 Things You Should Do Before 8am

I think when it comes down to it, there are 8 really important things everyone should do in the morning. My personal morning routine sort of ends around 8am because that’s around the time Fischer is up and asking for me to come get him. Of course, my morning doesn’t end then, but these are the 8 things I like to do for myself before he gets thrown into the mix of the day.

1.  Do Something You Enjoy

The first item on this list is important because it’s what helps you get up and out of bed in the first place. If you have something to look forward to in the morning, it’s a lot easier to wake up early. For me, this is a good cup of coffee. We normally use this coffee maker, but I recently found myself having a hard time waking up, so I switched to a programmable drip maker so that I could wake up to the delicious aroma of a freshly brewed cup. So far so good! It’s all the motivation I’ve needed to turn back those covers and go downstairs. If coffee isn’t your thing – substitute it for what is! A cup of tea? A walk outdoors? Time in your journal? As long as it’s something that’s going to motivate you to get up and out of bed, you’re golden!

2. Personal Development

While I’m drinking my coffee in the morning, I like to make the most of my time to myself. I’m always the first one up and the house is quiet, so it’s a great time to get in some personal development. Usually, for me, this means turning on my essential oil diffuser and prayer journaling/reading my Bible, but sometimes it means listening to a podcast or watching a Ted Talk. Starting your day doing something that’s good for your mind, body and soul will set the tone for the rest of the day!

3. Write Out Your To-Do List

Some people advocate for writing down your to-do list at night before bed so your mind can unwind and it’s easier to sleep. I totally get that. However, if my mind won’t shut down before bed, what I do is more of a brain dump than an actual to-do list. Just sort of an unorganized list of whatever’s on my mind. Then, in the morning I’ll write down exactly what I want/need to accomplish that day, taking my cues from that list from the night before – make sense? Regardless of how you do it, taking the time to make a to-do list makes it so much easier to stay motivated and focused for the day ahead.

4. Open the Blinds & Make Your Bed

Did you know sunlight can boost your mood? It’s said to increase the brain’s release of serotonin, which is associated with an improved mood. So, I like to open the blinds downstairs and in our bedroom as part of my morning routine. I start to head upstairs once I hear G get up around 6:45. Once he’s up I can make the bed and tend to the blinds.

5. Start a Load of Laundry

If you follow me on Instagram, you know I advocate for “A Load a Day Keeps the Overwhelm Away”. I like to get this load started early in the morning so that, by the time nap time rolls around, it’s ready to fold and put away. Getting this done as one of the first things in the morning really helps to kickstart my productivity level.

6. Get Ready

Depending on what we have going on for the day, I’ll either take a shower in the morning or the afternoon. If it’s a non-gym day, this is when I’ll take a shower, do my hair and put on a little bit of makeup. But if Fischer and I are planning to head to the gym for a class after breakfast, then I’ll simply wash my face, brush my teeth and put on some gym clothes. Either way, step 6 is to get ready for the day!

7. Tidy Up

G and I take a few minutes each night before bed to tidy up Fischer’s toys, do the dishes and wipe down the kitchen counters – but there’s a few catch-all spots in our house that almost always can use a little extra attention. So, I like to take a few minutes in the morning to tend to the items that accumulate at the bottom of the stairs, or clear the mail off the entryway table, put shoes away, etc. The less clutter around the house the better in my book!

8. Start Checking Things Off Your To-Do List

This is when I revisit that to-do list I made earlier in the morning and start getting things done. Sometimes I get one thing checked off before Fischer gets up and sometimes I get 8. Either way, the point is to have a game plan for the day and to start working on it.

And there you have it – my morning routine. Well – the first part of it anyway 😉 Would you guys like a post on what my day involves after I add a toddler to the mix?

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