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Anyone who knows me well knows I’m not and never have been an early morning person. {And to my brothers-in-law who came knocking on our trailer door before 9am those first few years I was a young bride and mother, no I have not forgiven you.}
I’ve always regularly needed at least 8 hours of sleep, and when my babies were little I needed at least 10! I used to wonder if I was missing out on some sort of holiness game-up, in which rising before dawn would not only improve my productivity but more importantly, my spirituality. Like, didn’t the Proverbs 31 woman get up while it was still dark? I always thought that if I had servant girls, they’d be making ME breakfast, not the other way around.
What I really want to wake up to every morning.
It took me a long time to get over the misplaced guilt of not being an early morning person. Though I did feel chagrined over my late morning habits during my early years of mothering, I didn’t let that stop me from sleeping in and napping as much as possible. I just knew my body needed to survive, and getting sleep whenever I could was crucial. Now, looking back this makes perfect sense. I’ve recently discovered I have a MTHFR mutation which, over the years, has negatively affected my health. I could be worse off, had I pushed myself beyond what my body was capable of in order to reach some non-existent legalistic standard. As it is, I have enough rebuilding to do with my health, so in looking back I’m gentle with myself.
Funnily enough, now that my children are older and I CAN get more sleep, I’ve been struggling with insomnia for several years. Sigh. Isn’t that often the way of things?!? When you are capable of sleep, you can’t seem to get enough of it, and when you can finally get enough of it, your body isn’t capable of sleeping.
Let’s all just laugh maniacally about that one for a bit.
I’ve tried various morning routines through the years, depending on the season of life I was in and how much sleep I needed and was getting (or more pointedly, not getting).
There was a time in my life when 7:00am was entirely too early for getting out of bed and having coherent thought. {We’ve all seen those coffee meme mugs!!} Now, I’m getting up at 6:00am or earlier and no one is more surprised than me. It’s often because my body won’t let me sleep later (body, what are you thinking?!?) but I’ve just gone with it and decided what I can’t beat I might as well join. The exception to this is if I have a particularly bad night and am awake for several hours, I’ll turn off my alarm so if I do fall asleep I can just go with it and try to recoup some zzzz’s. I give myself a lot of grace in this area.
The thing is…while I don’t truly love getting up when it’s still dark, and probably never will, working on a morning routine has not only helped my overall sleeping patterns, it’s given me quiet space that I covet. And I can get very greedy when it comes to having my own quiet moments in a busy household!
∇ My morning begins after, ideally, at least 7 hours of sleep. Don’t underestimate the importance of sleeeep!
5-5:30 a.m.- I wake gradually by the light of my helpful morning alarm clock. I used to employ my phone alarm but that’s asking for trouble. Trouble as in, “oh lemme just check Instagram real quick” and then half an hour later… Now my phone charges overnight in another room and this has made an improvement for the better in both my evening and morning routines.
∇ I spend the first hour of my day getting ready, meditating, and studying the Bible.
5:30-6:30 a.m.- Am I the only one who takes a solid hour to wake up? You think I’m joking but I assure you I am not. When people talk about how they’re exercising, writing, working, or doing anything that requires more than basic automation within 15 minutes of waking up, I am convinced they are a superior life form beyond my comprehension.
Once I’m out of bed, my only initial goal is to gently wake myself up by getting ready for the day. There are no mountains moved or Girl Bossing happening in that very first hour. And absolutely no harsh or bright lighting-it’s like nails on a chalkboard to my senses. I usually light a candle, and if it’s very dark I’ll turn on warm lamplight. I prefer to see the day lighten naturally on it’s own, so once Tom leaves for work I quickly turn off all the lights in the house! Idiosyncratic? Please tell me I’m not alone in this.
On the way to the bathroom I drink a cup of water and that does wonders for my alertness. Once I’ve had water, I’m less likely to run into a wall or stumble my way back to bed. Then begins my routine of showering, getting dressed, doing my makeup and hair, drinking more water and getting started on my supplements for the day. {First up, a B12 lozenge!}
While I’m getting ready, I listen to the Pray-As-You-Go podcast. Each daily episode features a passage of scripture and accompanying mediation. It’s short, the music is LOVELY and features artists and choirs from around the world, and there are Accents, which, let’s face it, is what I’m really here for.
During this time I usually keep my phone in airplane mode or Do Not Disturb, so I’m not tempted to idle away on it, but listening to a couple purposefully selected podcasts really help my forward motion. It’s the perfect way for me to transition into a prayerful and meditative focus. I used to listen to the news first thing in the morning, but I realized it wasn’t very wise for my mental health to begin the day that way, so I save that type of information consumption for much later.
On days I’m blow-drying my hair or moving slower than usual, I will also listen to another favorite podcast: The Next Right Thing, by Emily P. Freeman. Emily explains:
I’m all about creating space for your soul to breathe so you can walk in step with your calling.
After I’m dressed and have my face put on, I sit down for prayer, reading my Bible and a devotional or study book. I purposefully fast from everything except water during this time. It’s too easy for me to get distracted in the kitchen! {I have a problem with the whole squirrel effect.}
∇ The second hour of my day is devoted to coffee, writing, and creative work.
6:30-7:30 a.m.- Once my scripture reading is finished, next is coffee. I also pull out my laptop and writing materials and get started on a project I enjoy. It may be journaling extensively, working on a blog post, writing to a friend, or pursuing some other creative interest.
The kids are generally up between 7:15-7:30 a.m. on a normal school day and while they are beginning their routine I am wrapping up mine as we all head into the rest of the day together. From here on out I will make my bed, switch laundry, oversee breakfast, and get started on all the things. I used to do some of this earlier in my routine, but I found it was too easy to get distracted, and all these tasks could wait, anyway, while I prioritize what’s important to me. Turns out doing laundry instead of writing doesn’t make the cut!
I really love to learn about other people’s routines, especially what they do in the morning. Each pattern is unique to the individual, and I’m fascinated by what motivates people and how they prioritize their day. I feel like I always have something to learn, even if it’s not a takeaway I want to implement in my own life. {Favorite short read on the subject: What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast.}
I might condense this post down to my most basic, actionable steps, but it was fun to go a little deeper this time. Sharing here is great accountability for me, too, so feel free to ask how my mornings are going! Also feel free to show up with hot coffee and a croissant.
Update: here is the condensed version!
Photos by Brigitte Tohm, Jonas Weckschmied and Heather Schwartz on Unsplash
