My Morning Routine

I’ve been adding some small self care steps to my morning routine and I thought I would share.

The Start of My Day

To start, I have stopped using my phone as my primary morning alarm. I bought an alarm clock on Amazon that slowly brightens the room to wake me up. It has various sounds and I chose waves crashing for my alarm. My goal was to start breaking my dependence on my phone. (That Screentime alert is freaking me out, no kidding.) I haven’t quite shook it, but now my phone is in a drawer near my bed (with a backup alarm, just in case the waves don’t do the trick) instead of laying on my pillow. Baby steps. I am hoping to slowly cut that cord.

Also near my bed is a cup of water. I mentioned this before. I’m trying to drink a cup of water first thing as part of my morning routine when I wake up. We get dehydrated when sleeping and it makes it hard to get up and move. A glass of water helps me start things off right. It also helps me remember to take my morning meds, which I have moved out of the kitchen and into the bedside drawer.

A Bit of Morning Gratitude

Then, I write in my gratitude journal. It’s a small notebook and I jot just a few sentences, maybe a half of page. I had a few rough months this year with depression. Taking a moment in the morning to remind myself of how good life really is, helps me reset my mood.

After that, I get up. The dogs know the morning routine well. They watch as I get dressed for dog walking, and then happily follow me out of the bedroom. I let them out first thing, then back in for their breakfast. The boys are used to this by now, and since there is four of them now, we walk two by two. Dempsey and Bandit first, then Thor and Duncan. After that, I get to eat!

The Dogs Settle, It’s Back to Me

I wake up at 6:15, it’s usually 7:45 before I get to eat. That seems like a long time, but with along with the nutrition challenge I have been doing I have been experimenting with some Intermittent Fasting. I’ve tried it before and hated it, but this time things are going much better. I think the higher amounts of protein are helping. Though I admit, by this time, I am ready for breakfast.

I’m also trying not to look at my phone while I eat. I’ve been meal prepping way ahead, so I can have a hot, delicious breakfast on the table and ready to go in 2.5 minutes. If I remember to put a pot of coffee on before I walk the dogs, life is beautiful! I’ve found that keeping a book right on the dining room table helps so much. If I clean off the table and set it aside, even on the sideboard next to the table, I will go right back to my phone. But, if the book is sitting on the table at my place when I sit down to eat, I read.

After that, it is mundane. Do the dishes and get ready for work. But I am trying to use those little moments of time to make life just a bit better.