A Slow Morning Routine

October 20, 2017

A Slow Morning Routine

Mornings can be stressful. Getting up late, skipping breakfast, and rushing out the door can leave you feeling miserable and unmotivated. A slow morning routine is about using your mornings in a way that makes you feel motivated, focused, and energised. It’s about slowing down to create a routine that puts you in a good mood and sets you up for a productive day.

3 Tips For Creating A Slow Morning Routine

1. Prepare The Night Before

If you want a calm morning, prepare the night before. If you have too much to do each morning find ways to remove tasks from your morning routine. A lot of things can be done before you go to sleep like getting your bag or clothes ready, washing dishes or folding laundry, and a quick tidy of each room so you don’t have to deal with it in the morning. Getting these tasks out of the way before you sleep means more time in the morning to take things slowly, and you won’t feel so rushed to get everything done because you won’t have as much to do.

2. Don’t Hit Snooze

Don’t be tempted to hit the snooze button; getting up late will only have a knock on effect that will make your mornings feel rushed and ill-prepared. Hitting snooze repeatedly becomes a habit rather than a one-off so pick a time to get up, set your alarm, and don't hit snooze. If you find you wake up tired, create a nighttime routine that gets you in bed earlier and helps you sleep better. Going to bed on time means you’re more likely to get enough sleep and when your alarm goes off you won’t be so reluctant to get up.

3. Create Time For You

Staying in bed a little longer to get more sleep might make you feel less sleepy but it leaves you with less time in the morning to do something just for you. If you find your mornings are rushed and you only have time to do the essentials, consider going to sleep earlier so you can wake up earlier. It will create a little extra time in the mornings just for you to do something you enjoy. Creating space in your routine means you have time to slow down and enjoy your mornings; you could spend this extra time with your family or pets, read, listen to a podcast, or simply sit and enjoy your breakfast for longer.

A Slow Morning Routine

What My Slow Morning Routine Looks Like

My alarm goes off at around 7; if it’s been a busy day before I might sleep until 7.30. I try not to reach for my phone first thing in the morning but I inevitably do. I want to switch this habit out for reading during this wake up period instead. It would be far more calming to use this time to read a book than scroll through feeds I can easily catch-up on later in the day.

After a few minutes of scrolling, I get up; follow a simple skincare routine, light a candle or put essential oils in the diffuser, and drink a glass of water with lemon. It’s little things like this in a morning routine that make all the difference. I always feel energised when I’ve cleaned my face, hydrated, and filled the apartment with an energising fragrance.

A Slow Morning Routine

When Jack’s up we have coffee together, feed and animals, and spend a little time talking about life, work, and what we’ve got going on that day. Lately, I've been enjoying We Are Littles range of infused coffee grounds. This element of my morning routine is the foundation that sets me up for the rest of the day. Having someone to talk over ideas or through barriers is so important and keeps me feeling positive and uplifted all day.

Before getting into work I like to stretch my body with yoga and take a moment to think about my day. I consider what I need to do and want to achieve. I write a daily to-do list with only one major task and two to three smaller ones. I add to this list once I've completed these goals. Keeping it simple means I don’t feel overwhelmed by my workload (which, like everyone’s, is constantly growing).

A Slow Morning Routine

While I’m working at my desk I like to keep the diffuser topped up with a blend of essentials oils that help me feel calm and stay focused; or a candle that fills the room with botanical scents. Throughout the day I mostly listen to podcasts or the radio; nothing too distracting or requiring a lot of attention. If I find I’m getting easily distracted I use the Forest App to eliminate the temptation to reach for my phone and keep me on track with my work.

A healthy breakfast is important but it doesn't have to be eaten first thing. I find I’m more productive if I wait until later in the morning to eat but when I do I make sure it’s nourishing and filling. Around 10-11am, right before I head to the jewellery studio, I make either porridge with nuts, seeds, and fruit or rice, avocado, and tofu to keep me powering on through until the afternoon.

A Slow Morning Routine

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