I have always liked to have a little extra time to get myself together in the mornings. With the exception of my teen years, when extra minutes (or hours) of sleep reigned supreme above all other priorities, I’ve never been one to jump out of bed at the last minute before leaving for work/school/wherever I needed to be.
I think I realised fairly early on that I dislike being rushed, especially first thing in the morning.
When COVID-19 dictated a move from office to home working, I did at first enjoy lying in a bit longer in the mornings, since I no longer had to put on ‘nice’ clothes, get made up and get the bus to the office, which saved so much time. However, over those first few fever dream-like months of the pandemic, my pre-work early morning routine changed dramatically and, although I am still working from home, I now wake up at 5:30am, an hour earlier than I used to when my commute alone dictated my timings.
Now, I know already there is an air of controversy around this topic, and can hear you protesting that you need your sleep!
And yes, I know life tires you out and sufficient sleep is important for both physical and mental well-being. That’s exactly why my early morning routine actually starts the night before, with the all-important first step:
Go to bed at a reasonable time. Some people are night owls, of course, and legitimately do their best work in the evenings, but personally, my brain shifts into slow gear after dinner, and pretty much screeches to a halt by 9:00pm. If I try to work too late into the evening, I inevitably start making mistakes – it’s just not worth trying. It can also be incredibly difficult to wind down enough to get to sleep if you’re working (especially on a screen) right up to bedtime, so for me it’s important to have some time to chill out before bed, which for me is ideally around 10:00pm.
Allow some time just to wake up properly. I allow time to enjoy my first morning cup of tea, without trying to accomplish anything other than brushing away the cobwebs. I try not to do anything stressful like reading the news or checking work emails during this time; the aim is to just ‘be’.
Exercise. During lockdown last year, I did faithfully complete a home HIIT workout, yoga session or walk every weekday morning before sitting down to work, and it absolutely did raise those endorphin levels and warmed up my sluggish muscles! I will admit this has been my biggest shortcoming and failure over the dark winter months, as I’ve not felt motivated to work out or go for a walk whilst it’s been cold and dark out, but I’m getting back into this aspect of my morning routine and feel better for it already.
Get dressed. Not once in the last year have I been tempted to stay in pyjamas all day. Regardless of whether anyone can see me or not, I firmly believe that feeling clean and presentable (even in something casual, like jeans and a fleece, as I normally wear) makes me feel ready for the day and whatever it has to throw at me. Pyjamas make me feel cosy, relaxed and zen, and I absolutely advocate wearing them for lounging around in front of the TV of an evening, but they do not inspire me to achieve anything in my workday.
Eat breakfast. I understand that some people don’t feel hungry first thing in the morning, and I don’t recommend forcing yourself to eat if you don’t want to; all I’m saying is that you should eat when you get hungry, and not let your to-do list bully you into waiting to eat until you’re actually sitting at your desk working. We’re always being told to be more mindful of our eating, and nothing takes away from the enjoyment of food like composing emails whilst you chew.
Get some small tasks done first. It’s amazing what a sense of accomplishment I feel when I sit down to start my working day having already checked things off my personal to-do list. I like to water my plants, add to my list for the weekly food shop, have a quick tidy-up of the living room, take out the recycling, and maybe put a load of washing in the machine first thing. These aren’t complicated or onerous tasks, but just getting a few small things done early on in the day, before I try and tackle any big projects, fools me into thinking I can conquer the world (clearly my ego only needs the gentlest of boosts).
I’m not listing all the things I do in the morning to brag, or to insist that you do the same; however, for me, following this routine keeps me feeling fresh, motivated and organised, and adds structure to life in times when the world is in a constant state of flux and uncertainty. This in turn allows me to take control of my day, and to feel in charge and empowered.
Your routine could consist of very different stages, but the main thing is that you know what works for you and what gets you off to the best possible start to your day.
So, tell me: which aspect of your morning routine boosts your productivity, and why?