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About 6 months ago, I shared my morning routine and how it had changed after moving from Cincinnati to Kalamazoo. And over the last 6 months, I’ve tweaked it even more, so I thought it would be fun to do a quick update! I might even make this a regular 6 month series!
6:30-6:45 a.m. – Wake Up
After snoozing the alarm roughly 5 times per morning, Sean and I bit the bullet and set our alarm for later in the morning. We also decided that we’re only allowed to snooze the alarm once. So between 6:30 and 6:45, I’m waking up, checking my phone (awful habit that I need to break) and willing myself to get out of bed despite the cold.
6:45 a.m. – Let Stanley Out & Make Coffee
Next, I let the dog outside and make coffee. We have our wonderful espresso machine that I love, and as part of my 101 in 1001: Take 2 list, I’m practicing using the steam wand to make lattes and create some latte art! So far it’s a lot of candlesticks and trees instead of the leaf I’m going for, but I’ll get there eventually!
7:00 a.m. – Relax While Sean Gets Ready for Work
Once the coffee is done, I let Stanley back inside and head upstairs with the coffee while Sean gets ready for work. Typically I sit on my phone in bed while I drink my coffee, checking my fantasy hockey team and catching up on the latest news. And more often than not, I’m also checking Instagram.
7:45 a.m. – Take a Shower
Once Sean leaves for work, I hop in the shower. This is new for me! I used to be an avid shower-at-night person, but I would often make excuses and say I was too tired to shower at night. After all, I work from home, so who cares of I don’t shower? Now that I shower in the morning, I’ve found that I’m showering way more often, which is better for those around me and my mental wellbeing!
However, if I decide to shower the night before, I spend the extra time in the morning reading! This typically only happens if I tell myself repeatedly “I’ll be so happy in the morning when I don’t have to shower.”
8:00 a.m. – Do My Hair & Makeup / Get Dressed
Once I’m done in the shower, I do my hair and makeup and get dressed for the day. I rarely leave my hair wet while I work, because I think having wet hair at work is generally unprofessional, and even though I work from home, I never know if I’m going to get invited to a last-minute video conference.
Plus, I’ve found that getting ready for the day (including hair and makeup—not just getting dressed) really helps jumpstart my productivity. I know it doesn’t work for everyone, but it really helps for me, so I’m going to stick with it!
8:30 a.m. – Begin Working
And finally, at 8:30, I start working. This was a big adjustment over 6 months ago, when I was working 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. I realized in a vent session with Sean that I had built my 8-4 schedule based exclusively around avoiding Cincinnnati traffic, and 1) I don’t live in Cincinnati any more and 2) I don’t actually deal with traffic any more, since I work from home. So now I work 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. (which is “normal business hours” for my office) and take an hour for lunch, typically 12:30 – 1:30.
It’s been so nice having extra time in the morning to get ready (and maybe even read!) and actually having a lunch break in the middle of the day. It’s definitely helped my mental health a lot!
So there you have it, my current morning routine! I’m sure it will be completely different in another 6 months when I check in again, but that’s the beauty of life! Things change, you adapt, and it becomes your new normal.
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