The Value of Morning Routines

Once our day starts in full swing, when we open our inboxes, see our notifications and start thinking about work and all our responsibilities of the day, it’s easy to get consumed by it all to the point that we believe we can’t afford to take time out for ourselves. We can feel we don’t have time for that elaborate beauty routine that makes us feel good, we don‘t have time to go for a walk in the park in the morning, we don’t have time to prepare a deliciously healthy and nutritious breakfast, we don’t have time to pray or even time to just take a moment to breathe. But this not the truth.

The irony is that us thinking we don’t have time, thereby giving into the stresses of life, is the very thing that is tiring and exhausting us. Whereas when we actually devote time to ourselves, to nurture ourselves emotionally, physically, spirituall, we gain so much strength, energy and productivity, that it affects all areas of our day. We make better decisions, we are more productive, we are calmer, our creativity flows better, we have a more positive and forward thinking approach to all tasks at hand, and most importantly we fill ourselves with more joy.

Why tire ourselves whilst constantly trying to convince ourselves the cup is half full, when we could actually have a full cup? Our bodies and minds want and need things from us to feel whole and fully functional so it’s up to us to give ourselves what we need and fill our own cups first. This is not a selfish act, because even if we’re thinking about other people and wanting to meet other peoples needs and pour into other peoples lives, how can we begin to do this when our own cup is running on empty?

Fill your cup!

If we ourselves are not full of joy, peace and health, how can we be in a position to pass it on to anyone else? So it is essential for ourselves and everyone that we love that we nurture ourselves by doing the things our minds and bodies wholeheartedly long for.

For me the best time of the day to fill my own cup is first thing in the morning, because it starts my day right. For some it might be better to have their routine in the evenings to end the day, but for me mornings are definitely the best, even though I hate waking up early in the mornings, but without exception when I do wake up early to start my day with my morning routine, I am grateful for it all day.

Here are some of the things that bring me joy and fill my cup that allow my day to start right:

• Going for a walk in the park, breathing in the fresh air and listening to the birds

• Enjoying a healthy and nutritious breakfast in peace

• Taking my time in the shower and allowing time for my beauty routine.

• Praying or meditating to work through my thoughts, feelings and clarifying my purpose for the day

• Journaling to work through my thoughts feelings and clarifying my purpose for the day

• Dancing to music and listening to music

Once you know what the things are that set your mind and body right for the day you can put together your own morning routine. Now of course you don’t have to do all of the things every day, you can also just choose a couple of them and switch it up each day so you have a 30min routine each morning that gives you joy and energy. If I for example wanted to do all of the above every day that would mean I would need 2h 30min every morning, which sounds like a lot.

But even if we decide we did want a long morning routine, once our bodies readjust to waking up earlier, we definitely will start to feel the benefits of how positively it affects the quality of our lives. The 2h and 20min will feel incredibly well spent, as we will find ourselves starting to look forward to it, going to be earlier with excitement, even on the days we feel lower on energy, because we will know from experience how much energy and life it gives us.

Start with something small, so you don’t replace the stress of the day with the stress of a morning routine, and you can always work your way up. So maybe start with a little 20min routine that is designed to bring you joy, and take note how your perspective changes, and when and how you feel, extend your routine to the length of time that feel ideal for you!

Enjoy! And if you find any helpful tips along the way, leave them in the comments :)