Who would’ve thought that it would take a global pandemic and a complete shakeup of my normal rhythm for me to begin establishing a real morning routine? This time at home has been challenging but also life-giving in a lot of ways – one of those being the formation of some solid routines in my life. I am not a person who just totally embraces change wholeheartedly, so the abrupt change in my days was startling and difficult to adjust to at first. But here I am sixty-something days later, and I’m loving it.
For the first couple weeks of quarantine, I set no morning alarms, rolled out of bed and straight to my computer, and sat all day long. That got old quickly. So I began slowly but surely finding some new habits and routine that worked for me during this time. I’ll obviously have to adjust my mornings again when I’m going back into the office on a regular basis, but for now, this is what my mornings look like!
Wake Up & Workout: Between 6-7:30 AM
I generally wake up between 6:00 and 7:00 am, depending on what I’m doing for my workout. When Hotworx was still closed, I would get up at seven and do an online Neighborhood Barre workout before starting my day. Now that Hotworx has reopened in the last couple weeks, I’m doing a little bit of both! Hotworx classes are only available at certain times, so I’ve been alternating between 6:45 classes and barre workouts at home.
Get Read for the Day: 7:30-8 AM
After my quick workout, I’ll jump in the shower and get ready for the day. I use this term loosely because “getting ready” during quarantine means showering, washing my face with my Recharge regimen, and dry shampooing the heck out of my hair. For makeup, I’ve been sticking to only concealer and Bright Eye Complex eye cream, mascara, and blush most of the time! When it comes to clothes, I’ve been switching around between “athleisure” and flowy, comfy dresses! And of course my favorite statement earrings.
#Quarantea & Bible Time: 8 AM
One of my favorite habits I’ve started during this time is morning coffee or tea (dubbed #quarantea time in my Instagram stories). Savoring coffee at home in one of my own mugs is such a small thing, but something that I literally never made time for when going into the office every morning. I have a small-ish commute, and I’m always rushing like a madwoman to get there on time, so sitting down with a real mug of coffee is not normal, until now! And of course, I jumped on the Tiktok whipped coffee trend, because duh!
Other Morning Essentials:
My dad gifted everyone in our family with a chronological Bible for Christmas this year, and I’ll be honest, I’m much farther behind in the reading than I’d hoped. But sitting down with my morning coffee to read a day or two of this Bible plan is the best way to start my day. I’ve never read the entire Bible through, and so I’m pushing myself to do this by the end of the year. In the time I’ve been reading so far, I’ve noticed so many stories and little details that I’d never remembered before, even having grown up as a kid in Sunday school all my life.
Working at home means slippers all day every day. I put them on the second I step out of bed and you’ll find me in them allll day long. I even wear them to Hotworx (should I be embarrassed to admit this?) because I go barefoot during the workouts, so it’s easier to wear slippers instead of taking shoes on and off.
Ipad Pro
I recently inherited my mom’s old ipad pro when she got a new one for Mother’s Day, and I’m obsessed. It has become essential to keeping my sanity every day in work and my personal life. I’m generally found carrying around approximately 3-4 different notebooks/planners/lists and having to flip back and forth to locate things when I need them. With the ipad, I’m able to keep to do lists, work tasks, little notes and reminders, grocery lists, etc. all in one place so I don’t have to flip through my millions of notebook pages. And it’s also pretty fun to doodle on.
Lastly, and maybe most ridiculously, I bought a gallon-sized water bottle on Amazon so I can keep track of my water intake and drink a gallon a day. The bottle is bigger than my head, and several pounds when it’s completely full, and I’m fully aware I look absolutely ridiculous carrying it around. But when I get out of bed, filling up my water for the day is one of the first things I do!
What are some new habits or routines that you’ve established during quarantine?
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