Simplify Your Morning Routine
Morning routines can be tough. Stressful. Especially if you are in a season of your life where you are trying to get the kids out the door and off to school before work. While those seasons are behind me at this stage in my life, I have learned to LOVE my mornings and have established a routine that works for me. I will admit up front though - I am NOT one of these people who plan things out the night before. I don’t prep meals. I don’t lay out my clothes. I don’t make sure the kitchen is clean, dishes put away, etc. I wish I were that organized but that just isn’t me. Planning out all of those details actually stresses me out. Instead, I’ve established a routine that enables me to start my day in a way that helps me to feel grounded, peaceful, and centered (and it’s taken me a LONG time to get here!) so for our month of celebrating SIMPLE - I wanted to share those with you!
Here are a few of the best practices that I’ve established that I would highly recommend:
Get up EARLY. Now you may not be a morning person, but I PROMISE that when you become disciplined in this area, it makes ALL the difference. This is a practice I’ve had in place ever since my youngest was a baby (he’ll be 17!!!) where I have set my alarm early enough to give me at least 30 minutes of time alone before I need to do anything else. The actual time doesn’t matter. For some, that may be 5 am; for others it may be 7:30. Either way, set your alarm 30 minutes ahead of when you actually need to be up and moving. Oh and resist the urge to hit the SNOOZE. I know, I know - it’s a hard habit to break but I promise that when you intentionally rise and start your day at the time you planned, you will feel such a sense of accomplishment! For me, this is my favorite time of the day! Sitting quietly, cuddling with my pup, sipping my first cup of coffee for the day - absolute HEAVEN! Give yourself that gift in the morning and it will set the tone for your day!
Morning Devotions - While I’m sitting sipping my morning coffee, I always spend time in the Word. I love devotionals on the YouVersion app as they are simple, quick, yet get into the Word yet always spend time afterwards reflecting on the bible verse and journaling on it’s life application. I love the Give Me Jesus journal by Well Watered Women as it includes prompts to help you reflect and pray on your bible verse of the day. The devotions and journaling exercise doesn’t take long but really helps to center me on God’s word and really sets the tone for the day. There are days here and there where I may not get to do my devotion and I can definitely tell a difference in my disposition for the day. I am always more peaceful and grounded when I take the time to do it.
Move Your Body - Not everyone has the time in the morning for this one, yet even a brisk 15 minute walk around your neighborhood works wonders! Morning workouts are my FAVORITE as I love knowing that it’s DONE and I don’t have to squeeze it in, especially if my day gets busy. Before joining my local all-women gym, I used to lace up my sneakers and walk my neighborhood listening to my favorite podcast or an online sermon. Breathing oxygen into my lungs, while walking briskly is very energizing! Now that I belong to a gym, I love the early morning class schedule and feel SO good returning home before my youngest leaves for school. It’s such an accomplished feeling! Your body AND your mental state will thank you!
Simplify Your Morning Beauty Routine - I’m going to talk about this one in more detail next week, yet I’ll share a few strategies now for how I save time getting ready in the morning. #1 - I do not wash my hair every day. In fact, I only wash it twice a week. I’ve trained my hair to get to a point that it only needs that. Allowing the natural oils from your scalp to breathe is actually good for your hair and scalp; not to mention will save you loads of time! I typically do not even need a dry shampoo until days 3 or 4 and love The Champ by Monat. It does not contain harsh chemicals, is nice and light, and doesn’t leave a nasty film on your hair. #2 - Stick to an easy make up routine. I use Seint make up (more on that next week) and it literally takes me 5 to 7 minutes every morning. It’s a cream based 3D foundation and make up that is easy, efficient and looks amazing! #3 - Get dressed in a SNAP with the Closet Outfit Planner. Since adopting this strategy in my wardrobe, getting dressed in the morning takes me seconds! All three of these FAVs are listed on my website which you can find HERE.
Well - there you have it! All of my secrets that help me to maximize my morning time and start the day feeling ready for where ever the day takes me! Do you have some secrets to YOUR morning routine? What has worked best for YOU over the years? I’d love to know! Comment below!
See you next week for more on how to simplify your make up bag!!