Have you ever thought about what routines really are? I've heard both sides of the spectrum---it's good to have a bedtime routine, for instance, but it's bad to get stuck in the dreariness of an everyday routine or a routine filled with bad habits. Routines can mean safety and stability, and within them, there is always room to move around and adjust as needed. Personally, I recommend a few good routines each day---they're good for the soul.
One of the first things my roommate asked me when we moved in was what my morning routine was. This was something I had never actually thought about before, and I found it pretty interesting to walk through my entire wake-up process. Here's what it entails:
1. Alarm (preferably something that does not blare or yell is my preference) goes off. I check the Sleep Cycle app on my phone to see how well and how many hours I slept.
2. I sit in bed for at least five to ten minutes. Literally, just sit. Mornings are hard.
3. Get up. Brush teeth. Always the very first active thing I do.
4. Depending on if the bathroom is occupied or not, I either get dressed, do my hair, or put on makeup. This also is interchangeable with #5.
5. Keurig for coffee. Measure out Starbucks Dark Roast (any flavor) (if you love me, you will buy me dark roast), and then a splash of cream and honey. This is always the part of my morning I look forward to the most.
6. Granola or an egg. Or an apple if I'm in a rush.
7. Finish anything that I paused before...clothes, hair, makeup, packing my purse, lunch, or gym bag for the day.
8. Make my bed if I'm feeling especially triumphant.
9. Coat, gloves, boots, transfer coffee in mug to thermos (or sometimes just leave in mug), purse, lunch all in hand and out the door.
10. Google Maps app the shortest route to work on my phone. I have about a 35 minute commute, and depending on the time of morning, rush hour is worse or better in different areas.
11. Listen to the news and radio for the drive. This is also a nice part of my morning.
And there you have it. A morning routine. Have any quirks in your AM routine? Feel free to share.