Morning Routine

Morning..,.

I admit it, I am a morning person, and I know some of you might hate me right now:)
I know that for many people, the mere thought of morning brings feelings of dread and panic.

However, for me, mornings are the time I get some “me” time.
I like to get up 30 minutes earlier than hubby. He is one of those – “as soon as his feet hit the floor he is go go GO!”

My 30 minutes or so are quiet time.  I like to make myself a cup of tea, read a few pages on whatever book I am currently reading, maybe do some stretches and most importantly THINK!!

It’s the perfect time to focus on myself before life gets in the way and it’s the perfect way to ensure the day gets off to the right start.

Another thing I frequently do is to start the day with meditation. Meditation is a fantastic tool for relieving stress and helping yourself to cope better with the challenges that life throws at you.  So if I know I am in for a busy day, some calming thoughts can prepare me for the onslaught.

Part of my quiet thoughts are often gratitude exercises.  Gratitude is super valuable for being happier and more effective. The problem is that many of us forget to stop and take stock of how far we have come or how good our lives are already. Instead, we tend to overthink and dwell on the things we have yet to accomplish and what we want next.

Spending five minutes in the morning writing down at least three things that I am thankful for (these can be big things or small things), but simply by focusing on them, I will feel more content and happy.

Starting the day with a to-do list is an excellent way to enhance productivity. It’s also a very good way to avoid feeling overwhelmed by the volume of things you need to do.   I tend to make my “Tomorrow To-Do List” at the end of each day.  By reviewing this list in the calmer atmosphere of the morning, I can prioritise the top two or three tasks that will be my “Main Thing” for the day.   Chunking down the tasks into bite-sized pieces makes the day far less daunting.

My morning routine helps me save money too. By knowing what I doing throughout the day, allows me to plan meals, so I rarely have to resort to a rushed takeaway meal.   If my day looks like it will run late, a meal thawed from the freezer stash means dinner can be on the table in a matter of minutes.  Or it might mean packing some healthy snacks in my bag for lunch on the go.

What is YOUR 10/10 ideal morning?