I don’t know what it is about knowing people’s morning routines, but I love reading about them. And recently I read about 10 things to be more productive in the morning and was really intrigued by that process. Whenever a fellow blogger, or even a friend, shares what they do to get ready for the day, I’m all ears. We all do things a little differently and I think there’s something to take away from all the various routines people have – don’t you think?
Because I love reading about other people’s morning routines so much, I thought it was time I shared mine with all of you. Honestly, it’s evolving as George’s schedule changes, but for the most part, this is what I try to stick to.
You might find that these don’t take as long as you think. It’s about being purposeful and creating patterns of positive momentum. And now that the majority of us are still working from home, I feel like it’s a little easier to get some of these in before 10:00 am. Do you have a morning routine?
xx
Ashley
MY MORNING ROUTINE THAT KEEPS ME PRODUCTIVE
1. WAKE UP EARLY: Alarm goes off at 6:00. I’ve honestly always loved waking up early — Austin not so much. But for me, waking up early makes me instantly feel more productive and good about my day. That said, I usually need a little bit of time to feel alive, so when my alarm goes off at 6:00, I’ll hit snooze so I can actually wake up around 6:15.
2. REVIEW MY SCHEDULE / QUICK EMAIL SCROLL: I stay in bed for a few minutes after my alarm goes off. This is when I’ll check my phone, but I stay off social media. I spend this time looking over any texts or emails that may have come my way since going to bed. This is when I’ll also flag any emails I want to get to right away when I get to my desk. I also review my schedule to see if any meetings popped up. I like to review my schedule and make sure I give myself padding in-between meetings or photoshoots. This will allow me to tend to fires as they arise or any last-minute projects that come up. Padding your schedule with free time will also give you a better chance of achieving your goals and may even add some downtime throughout the day. I know it’s not the healthiest thing to scroll your phone in bed, but it honestly makes me more stressed to ignore any potential issues with the site, projects, etc.
3. MAKE THE BED: That is if I can kick Austin out, ha! He’s the type that will sleep until the very last minute and get ready in 15 minutes. It’s so annoying, ha. But making our bed literally takes 2 minutes and is something that genuinely makes me feel better when it’s done. It also makes me want to pick up my clothes and keep the room tidy — so I try to do it if I can.
4. HYDRATE, SUPPLEMENTS and COFFEE: Before I even wash my face, I make coffee. To know me is to know how much I love my morning coffee! While I’m making coffee, I drink a glass of water and will take my vitamins or supplements. This is when I also take my Shore Magic Collagen — it is the purest form of collagen on the market and the only one I’ve seen help this much with my hair and nails. Marine collagen (this has no taste) made from wild fish skins is the most compatible with human tissue. For skin, hair and nails, the best collagen supplement is low-molecular weight hydrolyzed marine collagen, like Shore Magic. There are numerous types of collagen found in the body and the collagen found in Shore Magic is consistent with about 90% of your body’s overall collagen.
It doesn’t have any taste, so you can mix it in coffee, smoothies, oatmeal, and still get the benefits. I like the sachets because they are easy to throw in your bag if you’re on the go — no need to use a frother with these either.
I do this every day and believe it has helped keep my skin and kept my hair healthy. My hairdresser even made a comment at how fast my hair was growing when I saw her a few weeks ago!
5. SET INTENTIONS: This is such a big one for me. I learned about this when I was dealing with some postpartum anxiety and even just trying to balance work life and becoming a mom. Taking that 5 or 10 minutes each morning to tune out the noise and FOCUS on what is going great in your life and being thankful for big and small moments, is everything. It also allows me to set goals for the day. The 5 Minute Journal has been a great guide in helping me maintain this practice. You can check out this post for how I quickly use the journal morning and night.
6. SOMETHING ACTIVE: Whether that’s a 30-minute walk on the treadmill or a session with my trainer, any movement helps wake up the body and boost my energy levels. If I’m really struggling or feeling tired, I like to stretch while listening to a meditation app. Headspace is great and they have quick 10-minute guided meditations. For those mornings that aren’t super hectic, this combo of getting in some movement + quieting your mind sounds pretty amazing.
7. EAT A HEALTHY BREAKFAST: If I’m not intermittent fasting, I eat a quick breakfast. I usually prep boiled eggs each week and often grab one of those and some GG crackers, but lately, I’ve been on an oatmeal kick. I also love a good smoothie for breakfast. If you’re looking for a good recipe (and a way to sneak in some veggies for breakfast), this cacao banana smoothie is one of my go-to’s. If you’re not a coffee drinker, you could mix in your Shore Magic to get your daily dose of collagen.
8. GET READY FOR THE DAY: Washing my face and getting ready play a big role in my productivity level. There were many lessons learned during quarantine, but one of them was get ready (even if you are just working at the kitchen table). You can check out these posts for the skincare products I use. The night before, I usually mentally plan what I want to wear the next day so it saves me time on trying to figure out an outfit.
9. PREP MY TO-DO LIST: When I sit down at my desk, I try to spend at least 10-15 minutes each morning either making my to-do list or mentally thinking about the projects or tasks I need to tackle. I set my phone to “Do Not Disturb” and it stops notifications until you’re ready, so the mornings can truly be yours…and you won’t accidentally waste 15 minutes scrolling Instagram at your desk. Having this time really helps me focus on my goals for the day. I usually map out the MUST-DOs and rank by priority. I always try to get things out to my team first because I hate having people wait on me.
10. HARDEST TASK FIRST: If you are a procrastinator, this is key. It’s human nature to put off or set aside something that is hard or requires more brainpower. I make myself do my hardest task first (could be an email, writing drafts, concept outlines, etc.) Once this is done, I feel like I have a weight off my shoulders and it allows me to focus on other tasks.
[…] it pretty fascinating to learn what people do to be more productive, relax, etc. I wrote about the 10 things I do before 10 am a few months ago, and wanted to share a list of 5 things I do everyday. Not necessarily work […]