On Creating a Slow Morning Routine

I’ve been working on figuring out a morning routine that works for me – which is rough. Some days I work from home, some days I have a 60 – 75 minute drive in to work, some mornings I need to travel and other mornings I’m waking up in a hotel room bed. But I finally figured out that for me, I crave a slow morning routine to set me up for a day of productivity.

So what’s a slow morning? That’s one where you take your time to ease into the day ahead. It might be by waking up early enough to do a few things that YOU like to do … before you have to do things for everyone else – whether it’s your spouse, kid(s) or job. It might be a few minutes after you successfully get everyone out the door when you take a breather for yourself.

It can be challenging to find the time, but I found that even if I have to get up at the butt-crack of dawn to get some peace and quiet in the morning – that’s what I’ll do. It’s absolutely important to ensure that I’m not feeling grumpy and frustrated mid-way through the day.

Find a Calm Spot

When I’m working from home – it’s pretty easy. I wake up at 6 AM and head downstairs to the kitchen to make some tea. I’ve gotten into the habit of making sure to clean up the night before, because the chaos in the morning makes me want to clean – and ruins my zen. Then I take my tea and head to the dining room, or the family room in the summer. Both are usually clean and clutter free (not so my living room – so I’m not going in there).

Bigelow Peppermint Tea has been my go to in the recent months. I take my vitamins and feed my plants some water. My son is also up at this time – but thankfully, he’s old enough to get himself ready + my husband is retired so he handles making breakfast and driving him to the bus stop in the winter.

[Faberware Electric Kettle + Centrum Adult MultiGummies]

Do You Things

I’m one of those people that checks my phone first thing. I look at my calendar to remind myself of the meetings I have for the day. Otherwise, I’m a bit anxious. I briefly check emails too, but I’m no longer in a job where I have serious issues that must be attended to first thing in the morning.

Then I read The Upper Room Daily Devotional and then check the Feedly app on my phone and save posts I want to comment on or write about in our Weekly Links post that goes up on Mondays.

Then I’ll start work at 7AM. And the day can unfold many different ways from then.

When I have to drive in to work which is a 60-75 minute commute, I wake up at the same time, but my “me time” is in the car listening to an audiobook, and sipping my tea on the drive in. Currently, I’m listening to now is The Immortalists, Chloe Benjamin.

[Buy The Immortalists @ Amazon]

When I travel for work I like to get up early and head to a local coffee shop and just chill out before I head in to work.

[At The Golden Roast in Knoxville, TN]

I think my personality matches my morning routine. In general, I’m a calm person. Daily I problem solve issues – but what always works for me is that in order to find a solution, I need a moment to think … to be in my own head. What’s your morning routine like? Do you think it matches your personality? Are you happy with it?