I am a big believer in routine, and not having a schedule for the past few weeks has been tough. In the grand scheme of things, getting out of the endless cycle of rushing out the door-work-kid activities-meal prep-bedtime-repeat is not the worst thing in the world. I mean, we are in the middle of a pandemic so being a little out of whack is to be expected. But I have found that when I start my morning on the right foot, I am more focused, patient, and grounded throughout the day. Our nervous systems also like routine and predictability, so this help to keep the fear at bay.
Here are my four "Must Do" morning activities to start your day with a positive attitude and some small resemblance of normalcy.
1. Keep a normal wake up time. This has been one of the biggest things affected by the "stay at home" order. With my husband home all day and working almost around the clock, I have been going to be later than I usually do. That combined with a lack of anywhere we need to be in the morning means that some days I haven't gotten up and moving until after 8am. I realize that is not terribly late compared to my noon wake up time in college, but it throws off my entire morning if I haven't officially started the day yet. Like many people, morning is my most productive time so I like to spend it getting the least exciting tasks off my plate so I can enjoy our less-productive afternoons and early evenings.
2. Stay hydrated. Since the first time I did the Conscious Cleanse over a decade ago, I have started my day with a warm glass of lemon water. Not only does the water get you rehydrated after a night of not drinking any fluids, but lemon is high in Vitamin C which supports your immune system and antioxidants to help repair cell damage. I also use that time to also set a water alarm every 2 hours so I remember to drink more water during the day.
3. An attitude of gratitude. I recently started practicing gratitude for before I even get out of bed by saying "Thank you Universe for another day!" As cheesy as this sounds, I like starting my day being thankful for another day to spend time with family and loved ones, and connect with new and interesting people in my business. My daily planner (yes, I'm old school and still use a paper planner!) even has a space where I can write down what I am grateful for. So when I get into my day and start hearing about the news of the world that often brings me down, I have those items written down to come back to when I need a pick-me-up.
4. Top 3 goals. Each morning, I look at my to-do list and pick my 3 priorities for the day. If I don't focus on a few things that I need to accomplish by the end of the day, I will go to bed wondering what exactly happened to all my time. Then I look at the 47 un-eaten waffles I made for my daughter, the computer still logged into social media, and a half-read magazine and know EXACTLY where I spent my time! I am certainly not saying that we all need to be super productive during the middle of a freaking pandemic. In fact, limiting my list to 3 things actually gives me more freedom to go for a walk, create chalk art on the sidewalk, and make cupcakes. Even if I only get those 3 things done and it takes me until bedtime, I can sleep soundly knowing that I have accomplished something other than watching cat videos.
I hope you are able to find your own morning routine that keeps you sane and grounded during this abnormal time. Fingers crossed that we are back to our regularly scheduled lives soon!
And if you want more easy tips on how to keep calm and create a healthy routine, download the FREE 3-Day Wellness Guide.
Be well friends!
