Master the Morning
How many articles have you read about starting your morning off “the right way”? I have read countless and let me tell you, my mornings are honestly hit or miss. Some days I am energized and ready to take the day by storm aka #NamaSlayTheDay with a morning yoga flow, shower, and mask. Other mornings I hit the snooze three times and then bolt out of bed when I realize my ‘I’ll just lay here for 5 more minutes’ became 45 more minutes and I show up to work after 10AM. No matter snooze or slay it takes me an hour to get myself and my little out the door. That is my morning.
There are countless studies and step-by-step scenarios that discuss/show morning routines and how they can jump-start your day and make it so much better. I don’t completely disagree, but I am honest about my ability to be consistent when my mornings are never the same. As moms, tired is a state of being, not to mention the fact that at night it seems as though our brains won’t shut off---going through the long list of ‘need to-do tomorrow’ and ‘did I remember to-do today?’ There are mornings when my kid wants to dress himself because autonomy is very important. There are mornings when my kid is still asleep when I dress him because instead of going to sleep the night before, he became a hungry, thirsty, philosopher who needed to know how to spell ‘washing machine,’ and wanted to make sure I knew that sleep and awake are opposites. Other mornings he is up bright and early and wants to practice mindfulness with me—which means I get to hear “Mommy, look I do yogurt (pronounced yoga) too” while I am in warrior I pose. Weekend mornings are especially fun, because sleep is a love language and I want to stay in bed at least until 8am. However, when the kid is up with the sun and wants to go the park before breakfast it’s not so easy. My mornings are never the same so to stick to a time-lined routine is hard.
There are suggestions to get up and have quiet time, read, exercise, and have a cup of coffee before opening the first email. Some articles recommend journaling first thing in the morning and staying off social media until a designated time. Some even say that meditating for just 5 min to start your day will shift the frequency of a room when you enter. I mean a morning routine is self-care right? Recite a morning mantra, listen to a special morning play list, and then post about it on Instagram so the world knows you are living your best life. LOL
I’m here for it….if it fits your morning, your preference, your lifestyle.
As an ISTJ, routines are right up my alley, right next to color pens and sticker-filled planners. That being said, I don’t think I have a true morning routine, it’s more of a lose blueprint to get my day started. I call it select and flex.
SELECT: To get out of the house consistently within one hour of being mobile I consciously decide who to get ready first. Something so simple can make a big difference for me. There is a method to my madness. If my kid is asleep, I get myself ready first to allow him extra Zzzz and I get a chance to “go potty” solo. If he is awake, I get him ready first so he can have breakfast with a book while I get dressed. I always take his clothes out at night, two shirts so he can choose one in the AM which averts meltdowns over a “wrong” color choice I made. Additionally, he is learning to make decisions, independent thinker…DOUBLE WIN.
Somewhere in there, music is playing for impromptu dancing, laughs, and a “no thank you mommy I don’t want to wear pants,” *face palm* and “I’ll have a pop tart please,” at least he used his manners. LOL
FLEX: I also have learned to be flexible in my approach to morning yoga. No pun intended. While I would love to do a 30 min free flow, some mornings I only have time for a 6 min stretch. I recognize that for my lifestyle morning mobility is key. NamaSlayTheDay allows me to feel more energized (I still have coffee, sue me) and I am overall less inclined to eat horribly throughout the day (self-care) and less likely to let little things annoy me (protect your peace girlfriend). Lastly, it keeps the synovial fluid moving and I have less joint pain, (no Meg the stallion knees over here), which means I can get on the floor with my son and play race cars, color, or put puzzles together-----because as a 4yo, the floor is the preference-go figure.
Select and flex make my mornings run a tad bit smoother and sets the tone for my day IF I get to do yoga. It is realistic for me to skip yoga all together some mornings to get a few extra minutes of sleep or Babybeez snuggles. I’m human and some days I just don’t want to. Between unpredictable mornings, daycare drop off, and a commute to work, my mornings are not IG glamorous, but I make the most of them.
Select and flex is how I manage to simplify my mornings. I would like to encourage you to examine your routine (whatever that me be) and see if there are ways to simplify your morning. Make it more mindful than mess. Less stuff could mean less stress and as moms we don’t need more of that. Instead of duplicating the unrealistic celebrities' green juice and hour long cardio hustle use the grocery store method. Take what you need and leave what you don't. While there is no right way to conduct your morning routine, what you do just has to work for you.
Master your morning.
