When Life Throws You a Curve-ball, You Make Lemonade: Creating a Morning Routine During a Pandemic

Do you remember when I promised a series on my morning routine and how I was experimenting with different routines and would  fill you in along the way?

No? It's okay, I almost didn't remember too.

This series began about a month after I started this blog. It was going to be my first big series here and I was excited to dive into different morning routines with you.

Then…well you know what happened. Our world was turned upside-down by the coronavirus. I know, I'm tired of hearing and talking about it, but this virus is a major game-changer in our lives and our routines.

This blog series is a perfect example of how life got upended. I had planned to post a different routine that I tried every couple of weeks with a final summary that should've come out last week. Instead, I went into survival mode and if I'm totally honest with myself (and you) I still feel like I'm there.

I've been trying to write this post for the last several weeks. I spent hours over spring break thinking and staring at the blank screen in front of me. When it came down to writing, I just couldn't find words appropriate to the situation.

Here we are on May 1st and I still don't have the words. So rather than of giving an in-depth review of the routines I tried, I'm going to share my takeaways to help you build the best morning routine for you!


WHAT KIND OF MORNING ROUTINE DO I NEED?

That my friend, is a question that only you can answer.

Morning routines vary widely from person to person and what works for me will not necessarily work for the mother or father of 3 or for the senior in college or for the nurse coming off of a 12-hour shift.

To find the right morning routine, you have to know what your priorities are for the day and what will serve you best.


ASKING THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

Every morning routine I researched fell into one of three categories: productivity, self-care, or mindfulness with the allowance for overlap.

Remember, a good morning routine always serves you. When you know what type of routine you need, make sure you choose activities that answer the following questions for that category.

Questions for Self-Care Routines:

• What makes/can make me happy today?
• What can I do to find peace?
• How can I treat myself?

Questions for Productivity Routines:

• What do I want/need to accomplish today?
• What do I need to maintain my energy?
• How can I create value today?

Questions for Mindfulness Routines:

• What am I grateful for today?
• What did I learn from yesterday?
• How can I be more positive?

MY BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS

Start the day well rested.
You won’t enjoy your morning routine if you’re trudging through it groggily and half-asleep. Get yourself a good 7-8 hours of sleep. I know, it’s not always easy for us to get the right amount of sleep, but you’ll be amazed at how good you feel when you’re well rested!


Make sure that your morning routine serves you in every capacity.
If you need quiet and contemplative, focus on activities that calm and center you. 
If you have a lot of energy and need something vigorous, throw in some exercise. 
If you need a boost in creativity or productivity, find ways to spark your imagination.

Just because going for a run then doing 20 minutes of yoga before having your coffee and breakfast worked yesterday, doesn’t mean it will work today.  Find what you need and adjust your routine to meet you where you are this morning.


Give yourself more time than you think you’ll need for your morning routine.
I tried several 30 minute or 1 hour morning routines and they ALWAYS took longer! It started making these routines feel like a to-do list instead of the enjoyable way to get my day started. Give yourself at least 10-15 minutes more than you think you’ll need and future you will thank you.


Plan your morning routine before you start.
I know what you're thinking. "Christie, I'm not going to know how I'll feel in the morning, and what kind of routine I'm going to need, how can I plan it?"

Hear me out.

If you start trying to change your morning routine flying by the seat of your pants (like I did), you'll get overwhelmed, frustrated and you'll stop before having a routine becomes a habit. Creating a plan for each one of the routines listed above will set you up for future success.


So, what makes up your morning routine? Is it serving you or will you be making a shift? Let me know!