If you read, “30 Day Challenge – Day 14” you know it’s been two days since I wrote about creating a new morning routine. Honestly, I’m off to a slow start. HOWEVER, everything I have read about forging new habits strongly suggests crawling before you can walk.
For both accountability and so I can give you a clearer idea of how this is going for me, I am going to outline the morning I would like to have and how it’s going so far.
- Wake up by 6:30AM (don’t laugh at me, I don’t work until 11AM most days so this is early for me and another reason I struggle to wake up early since I don’t technically have to wake up early.)
- By 6:45AM DRINK WATER (apparently if you drink water as soon as you wake up it’s really good for your body and could even support a healthier metabolism) *Around this time my husband would also take our pit bull Jayda out for her first walk*
- BY 7:15AM eat breakfast with some coffee/more water (I never really eat breakfast but I would like to get back into the habit of eating 3 meals a day)
- BY 7:45AM pack lunch & coffee for work (trying to SAVE MONEY and eat healthier)
- BY 8:00AM Meditate/Read/Write/Stretch/Listen to a Podcast (I never make time for any of these healthy habits and I’d really like for it to become a part of my morning routine)
On Days I go to the gym:
- BY 8:30AM feed my pit bull Jayda & get ready for gym to head out the door (this would give me enough time to get dressed and out the door and not have to RUSH to make it to class on time)
- BY 9AM WORK OUT (I am currently a member of OrangeTheory and they have 9AM classes most week days at the location near me)
- By 10:20AM SHOWER QUICKLY at home (has to be less than 10 mins so I can have time to get dressed and walk my pit bull Jayda!)
- BY 10:30AM get dressed for work and give Jayda her second walk before I have to leave for work! (My husband works a more typical 9-5 schedule so he walks her when we wake up and then I walk her before I have to be at work at 11AM. This way it’s not crazy long between walks and I can walk her after she eats her breakfast)
- BY 11AM be at work!!!!!! (I really struggle with this since I usually don’t leave myself much time to get to work which is ~15 mins away)
On Days I DON’T go to the gym:
- BY 8:30 feed my pit bull Jayda & shower (without the gym I can take more time in the shower but ideally keep it under 20 mins)
- BY 9AM work on a home project (laundry, dishes, straightening up around the house, prepping for dinner, misc errands or projects, etc)
- BY 10AM get ready for work (this would make sure I’m not only on time but early to work!)
- By 10:15AM give Jayda her second walk (she’s really efficient with her bathroom breaks so it’s pretty easy to keep this schedule)
- BY 10:30AM leave for work! (Yay to being EARLY instead of late)
- BY 10:45AM be at work (This would literally make me feel like a champion haha)
OKAY so, how successful am I so far? Well considering (except for walking Jayda) I have been doing none of these things consistently or timely, I’d say I should give myself some credit.
To start – I never wake up early. Or rather, I wake up early to help my husband get ready for work and then I go back to sleep because I’m tired. However, I know if I just push through it I could stay awake so that’s going to be my biggest challenge.
I do always make sure Jayda is fed and goes for her second walk but I don’t always give myself time to do any of the things I should be doing for myself. Quite honestly my current routine is:
- Wake up some time between 6AM and 6:30AM to help my husband get ready for work and then go back to sleep
- Wake up between 10AM and 10:30AM to feed and walk Jayda (sometimes I feed her before I go back to sleep…but yeah)
- Frantically rush to get ready and leave at practically 11AM
- Get to work sometime between 11:10AM and 11:30AM nearly every day
Yikes is right.
So baby steps. I’m packing my lunch and bringing coffee to work! That’s about it though.
I think before I can push myself to do ALL of the items on my morning routine, if I can at least get up earlier and stay awake that would really help get me closer to achieving the entire morning routine (heck I’d be happy with even half of the routine!)
Stay tuned to see how I am doing and look out for more ideas on how to start new healthy habits or to break unhealthy ones (I’m trying to do both with this routine so I’ve got so much more to share with you!)
Do you have healthy habits you are trying to start or unhealthy habits you are trying to break? How are you approaching your goals? Have you found anything in particular that has worked for you? If you’ve succeeded already, do you have any tips for maintaining?
Emily's Esoterica 
One of your better ones. Looks like you are doing some reflection. Good Job. And discussing solutions, go you. All are doable, just keep pushing yourself. I know you can do it. Be glad you don’t have four tiny children and a senile grandma and hubby to manage as you sort yourself out. As always, Love you.