Mindful Morning Routine

The first thing that I am trying to be intentional about is setting up a routine for myself, even for the summer. As the morning sets the tone for the rest of the day, it makes sense to be to have this be the first thing I try to think more mindfully about.

The first couple weeks of summer I’ve woken up at different times everyday and I’ve often felt rushed to leave for work. I didn’t leave any time for myself, a quiet time, or even enough time to sit down and have a cup of coffee. After a couple of weeks of this, I feel exhausted and to be honest, a little lost.

I am a creature of habit. I love a good routine and I feel less stressed when I have my schedule established. I also know that I feel more rested if I go to bed around the same time each night and wake up around the same time every morning. This is where the “morning routine” comes in.

I intend for my mornings to look something like this:

  • set my alarm for 6:15 every morning, except on two select days a week (I could sleep in those days!)
  • do not look at my phone first thing in the morning
  • eat breakfast at the kitchen table, not in my bed
  • make myself coffee
  • write for 5 minutes–how I’m feeling, praises, reflections, etc.
  • read at least one chapter in any book of the Bible
  • write about my thoughts on the passage
  • pray for 3 people/circumstances
  • pack a snack or two just in case
  • make my bed
  • leave my room clean

This morning, the start of my day looked something like this, although I didn’t get around to making my bed or picking up my room. This is most likely because I woke up and immediately looked at my phone, which encouraged me to stay in bed for another 10 minutes, mindlessly catching up on social media.

But, in the end, this morning was a lot greater than a lot of the other mornings I’ve had in the past couple weeks. I feel more awake and more able to tackle the rest of my day. I feel more encouraged and more inclined to think on things above.

Of course, making this routine a reality is ONLY possible when I am getting plenty of rest, so I plan on being more intentional about when I go to bed, which would be around 10 PM or so.

What would you like your morning routine to be? How do you plan on making this a reality?

Love,

Jennifer

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