Morning Routine Breakdown Q & A
All month long I’ve been sharing my personal morning routine tips. I showed you how I shaped it, why I added certain activities, and more. As we begin wrapping this series up this week I wanted to reach out to others to learn about their morning routine tips.
I interviewed many people from various occupations, many who also blog, and different locations. As you read this post I hope you can see some similarities, but also how different each morning routine can be. If you haven’t been able to create your own morning routine maybe you will be inspired by someone I interviewed. With that being said, let’s get to the interview.
When were you first introduced to morning routines, and from where?
Lyndsay: “I was first introduced to morning routines by my parents. For most of my life they followed their own methodical processes in the morning, even while getting two children on the school bus each day.”
Angelina: “Ever since I was old enough to make decisions for myself I’ve had a morning routine. The past two and a half years I’ve really upped my game and started to implement more practices learned from Tony Robbins, Les Brown and so many other motivational/inspirational influencers.”
Can you walk me through your typical morning routine?
Lyndsay: “My morning routine starts the night before, when I prep for the morning ahead. I pack my lunch, check the weather forecast, lay out my clothes for the next day, and then relax into sleep. My alarm goes off at exactly 7:08am every morning. I allow myself exactly one snooze and during that snooze I think about my day from the comfort of my pillow. I also outline three things I’m grateful for and three upcoming activities I’m excited about.”
It takes Lyndsay 32 minutes to complete her morning routine, which includes getting ready for work and making a breakfast smoothie.
Angelina: Angelina’s morning routine takes about 45-60 minutes and includes affirmations, exercise, coffee and motivational videos. “…Once the coffee is brewed I pour it and begin on my morning gratitude (this includes a 5 minute meditation and journaling)”
Tiffany: “When I wake up in the morning I take a few minutes to say my morning prayers. Then I change into workout clothes and spend about an hour either doing cardio on a tredmill or strength training with pilates.”
In Tiffany’s 90 minute routine not only does she complete a full workout, but she also catches up on blog notifications, reviews her to-do list, gets ready for the day and grabs a protein smoothie for breakfast.
Tamika: Tamika has created a two-hour morning routine that gets her fired up to start her day. The first hour is considered her “me” time, while the last hour is devoted to a work power hour for her business.
“… I turn on 5-10 minutes of guided meditation. Then I grab my 5-minute journal and personal journal and spend about 15-20 minutes creating my dream day with affirmations, goals, and visualization. My last 20 or so minutes is saved for personal development. I will either listen to a book on audible or read one that I’ve borrowed from the library or bought.” “I don’t check my phone for messages or get on social media. It gives me time to fill my cup and get my mind right for the day.”
Kristin: Kristen’s morning routine consists of reading, reviewing her to-do list, walking and feeding her dog, and eating breakfast. She also uses this time to pick a podcast to listen to during her commute for the day. Depending on her work schedule she also fits in some gym time. Her daily schedule may vary but she begins her routine the same time every morning.
If you are short on time do you alter your routine in any way or do you skip it for the day?
Angelina: “I never skip a day. I will alter my routine in that I will shorten my movement and meditation. Sometimes I will skip my meditation and do it on the way to work instead.”
Kristin: “I try really hard not to skip it entirely, but every now and then I do, like on a Sunday. If I sleep in a little late then I will skip reading for the morning.”
Why did you decide to start a morning routine?
Tamika: “When my morning starts right my day always goes better.”
Kristin: “My life was feeling really disorganized. I used to never wake up at the same time. Sometimes I’d sleep late and get so frustrated with myself that I had less time to do things. I wasn’t doing things I wanted to do that made me feel good – like reading and working out. If I wanted to stop sacrificing these things, I had to start structuring them into my day.”
Has your routine changed any since you started?
Lyndsay: “Creating this routine gave me structure for my mornings, which I badly needed. Originally, I was waking up earlier and rushing out of my apartment later before a big tour day. I wasn’t utilizing my time effectively. Now, my mornings are stress free!”
Tiffany: “Each stage of my life has meant changes in my routine. High school, to college, to missionary work for 18 months, then teaching full-time, and then as a stay at home mom with children.”
How does your day go when you do your morning routine versus when you skip it?
Tiffany: “My day is SO much better with a routine. I am much more likely to accomplish the goals on my to-do list. If I skip or give up on my routine, then I often don’t even look at my planner the whole day, meaning the next day is much more stressful.”
What would you say to someone who has just heard about morning routines and wants to start one of their own?
Lyndsay: “Figure out what factors are most important for you to set yourself up to have a productive day and use that as your guide.
Angelina: “I would first say that it is awesome that they want to start a routine of their own! Then I would go on to ask them why they want to start their routine and help them in any way that I could to make one that works for them.”
Tiffany: “Be consistent, and don’t try to make too many changes at once! Write down what you already do in the mornings, and add in what you want to get done a little bit at a time…”
Tamika: “Start by incorporating small changes. Make sure it is something you are excited for and set yourself up for success. Being disciplined in a morning routine is hard when first starting out. Give yourself grace, but don’t make excuses. Once you get comfortable do a little bit more until you have your perfect routine!”
Kristin: “…Learn how much time you need to devote to each task to feel good about it. If you overwhelm yourself, you’ll just feel like everything is a chore.”
What resources would you tell them to check out to learn how to develop their morning routine?
Angelina: “I would say to check out the people that inspire them most and take a page out of their book. Having something to base your routine off of is a great place to start and over time it will evolve to become their own.”
Tamika: “On Amazon: DreamLife Journal by Denise Walsh, App: Insight Timer for guided meditation”
That concludes this interview. I’d love to know your takeaways from this post. Will you be implementing any of these morning routine tips? What advice would you give to someone starting a morning routine?
Here is a summary about the morning routine tips given in the interviews. Don’t forget to connect with the interviewees by checking out their websites and following them on social media.
This post is a part of the month-long Morning Routine Breakdown series. If you are just joining us this month check out the other posts in the series that you have missed:
WTSM: Books That Have Shaped My Morning Routine
Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water
Inspiration For Tough Workouts
The Morning Routine Breakdown Q & A (you are here)
