Running made me a morning person. I used to get up before 5am everyday and run no matter what the weather or the mood. I am not training for anything now however.
I keep hearing and reading lots about morning routines. The information centers around creativity, productivity and being a leader which I enjoy. I also like reading about routines especially when they are about the process or writing.
I like the Ninja Writers W.R.I.T.E.R. acronym: For 10 minutes each Write-READ-IDEAS-EXERCISE-REVIEW but I do not stick to it.
I have read a lot of about other people’s routines here.
I do have morning routines for home and school.
My ideal morning routine is to wake up naturally, have coffee in bed with my husband, write and read for several hours, and then run outside.
At school I try to freewrite before my official day starts. I either write what comes to mind organically or use a prompt I am feeling that day. Many times it is something that was sparked by a podcast that I listen to on my way to work.
When the day starts I look at my bullet journal and what I have for the day. I double check email to make sure that I have everything on the list. I pour a cup of hot Joe and then get started.
I feel like my mental clarity has been better the last couple of weeks which is refreshing. Throughout the day I read my Bradbury Trio. There just isn’t enough time in the morning to get that all in!
I am an early bird as well, but never a runner. This morning I got up, watched a tv show while riding my bike, organized, and now I am having coffee while writing. During school mornings (it is spring break now) I try to ride my bike at least 3 mornings, read/write and have coffee before leaving for school. Occasionally, I pick a fancy coffee on my way to work. It really is fun to read about other people’s routines and find similarities and differences.
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My day begins with yoga, usually, unless I am feeling really run down. Then I sleep an extra 20 minutes. I share a cup of coffee with my husband before he leaves for work, then I get ready for my own day at work. On my drive, I usually think of a million things that could be potential material for writing, so I pull out my tiny notebook when I get to school and hurriedly write them down before I forget them! I then check email and project the day’s agenda. I get my kiddos and start the school day!
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I’m also an early bird and love having that morning time. I really like the W.R.I.T.E.R. acronym and need to create my own version of that to try. With slicing, I am writing every morning and have let my reading life go a bit dormant. Looking forward to getting that part of my morning routine back next month. It is very true that there isn’t quite enough time for all we’d like to do in the mornings!
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Wow! That’s awesome that you make the time for free writing in the morning. I do have a morning routine, both for school days and weekend days. But I feel like I may not spend enough time on reflecting as I’d like. Definitely need to make time for that and alter a routine, perhaps!
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I think mornings are usually the best part of the day, so I (almost) always get up early. I don’t run but I often do exercises. I read, research, prepare school work, get in touch with far-flung family members, get the school ready, have breakfast.
The biggest interruption to this routine is either the power or internet going off or torrential rain (all of which can happen anytime!)
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Early-morning routines for me are a bit mundane, but I have a pleasant mid-morning ritual in my office that I wrote about last week: coffee, a pastry, and the New York Times crossword. There is no sanity without this half hour alone in my office. Thanks for posting your morning experiences.
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My morning routine includes mindfulness and a bit of yoga. I am certainly not a morning person and would sleep much longer than my alarm allows me on work days. I admire people who effortlessly can get going before six o’clock. Getting up before 5 a.m seems heroic.
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I am a yoga instructor but haven’t practiced in a while.
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Even though “they” say it’s a no-no, part of my morning routine is checking my email and twitter, getting it out of the way for the day. I like to do my Bible reading before I get out of bed and generally plot out my day. Routines really help me stay functional. 🙂
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I sometimes check email right away too. It is important depending on the day!
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I used to be good about doing yoga in the morning, but I started sleeping in once it got cold. Hopefully now that the weather is nice, I will get back to it!
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It depends on the day… I have routines; notice the plural form. If I’m catching a flight, I’m up at 3 AM…and preparation is a well-rehearsed routine until I’m finally at my departure gate sipping my first cup of coffee around 4:30 AM. If I’m working out of my home office, I’m up at 5 AM but may stay in my PJs and sip coffee until mid-morning… working as I do. I use a bullet journal… but, I recently fell off that wagon again. I need to get back on it because the loose ends are driving me crazy… probably because I’m participating in two writing challenges this month.
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Whew – by the end of March my morning routine is to get up, get the kids up, get my post up… Ok, it’s not that bad. We realized a while ago that our whole family does better when we eat a big family breakfast and make dinner much more laid back. So I get ready & get the kids ready while my husband cooks breakfast, then we all come downstairs and chat about the day to come. Then my husband gets ready while I help the kids. Once they’re on their way, we finish up & off we go. It’s a bit chaotic, but it works for us!
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I start each and every weekday at or before 5:30 AM. I write. Sometimes I run, but I have become an afternoon/evening runner (since my streak started in July, I have only run 27 times in the morning). I chat with my ninth grade daughter (who wakes up at 6:00 because her school day starts at 7:10), and then, I head to school to set up my classroom and get ready for a day of teaching. Thanks for sharing this post and question. I loved reading the post and the responses.
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This is a definite area of growth for me! I’m definitely a night person, and I love to do my reading and writing after my kids go to bed and the house settles down. I’m in awe of your morning routines!
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Love reading through these morning routines. Mine are nothing special, but they get me out the door with minimal effort. Thanks for starting this conversation!
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Thank you for sharing your morning routine and how you make writing a priority. Because of March daily posting, I do find myself thinking about what to write first thing in the morning. Once in a blue moon, I have my post for the day ready to go because I wrote it the night before.
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It’s interesting to read all the routines! I like yours, but without the run! My favorite is write, read, coffee, then yoga– that’s in the summer and on weekends!
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Up at 5:00: Proofread and post my slice. walk the dog with my husband, have breakfast with him, too, and the dog as well! Make the salads for lunch, get ready for school, and go!!
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