Mornings are tough. Let’s get a little background for that statement. I’ve always been a bit of a night owl, so when I say mornings are tough, I’m giving you my personal opinion. Maybe you can relate, or maybe you’re a natural born early bird and love mornings. Either way, I hope that you find one of these ideas makes your morning just a little more magical.
Before I share my ideas for making your morning better, I’m going to drop a truth bomb. Baby Fox still isn’t sleeping through the night. Our pediatrician (and several other sources) tell me that he should be able to do an 8 hour or longer stretch at this point. He’s not (4-5 hours is the current average). And I’ve learned to accept that. Lack of sleep has made my mornings quite rough for the past nine months. The tips I’m about to share have helped me to turn them around a bit.
1. Drink the coffee.
This is me giving you permission to drink the coffee (or tea if that’s your preference). I’ve read mixed things about whether or not coffee is good for you. I’m a strong believer that most things in moderation are okay. So, if you need a little coffee in the morning, enjoy it without the guilt. There are way worse things out there that you could be doing!
2. Do something you enjoy.
Find something you enjoy and include it in your morning. For me, this is listening to a podcast while I drink my morning coffee. There are so many other things you could include in your morning. Hobbies, music, and a warm shower are just a few that come to mind.
3. Keep it simple.
The last thing I want in the morning is a bunch of complicated tasks to remember. I like to keep things simple so that I can wake up and get going for the day. Keep things simple and make sure that you meet your needs while including a want here or there.
4. Get up and move.
Movement helps get the blood flowing and is a great way to wake your body up. You don’t have to do a full blown workout in the morning, but I do recommend doing a few stretches or walking back and forth across the house a few times. I tend to get my movement in by carrying Baby Fox around the house.
5. Create a magical routine that works for you.
Routines are great because they trigger our body to prepare for the day or night ahead. I recently read The Miracle Morning for Parents and Families* and loved the morning routine they set up in the book. Then, I attempted to do the miracle morning and discovered it just wasn’t for me – at least not right now. However, I did start to adjust my mornings to make them more enjoyable for Baby Fox and me. Instead of following the example in the book, I did some reflecting and built my own magical routine that works for me. Then, I created a workbook so that you can do the same! And today, I’m giving you the chance to download it for free!