I’ve always been fascinated by morning routines. (Can’t just be me, right?)
As the end of August neared, a small part of me was still living in blissful denial. I shared this on IG:
School starts next week around here. I simultaneously mourn the ease of summer schedules and look forward to the energizing, cooler weather and pace of fall.
One of my absolute favorite summer activities is to go out for an early-morning bike ride, return home, jump in the pool for a few laps, followed by coffee outside listening to the birds while drying off. Luxurious, blissful, grounding. So worth the early wake up time.
I asked for recommendations for a fall version of this. And then I realized…Wait a minute. When school starts, the morning routine takes on a whole new pace.
Now, two weeks into the new school year, my family has mostly adjusted. I am someone who thrives on routine and loves (reasonably) early mornings, though my body does not relish the jarring predawn wakeup.
I’m sharing my fall morning routine in case you are as curious about others’ as I am.
After many years of recalibration, this is the schedule on which I’ve currently landed, the school day morning routine that seems to set up the day with the most ease and balance.
Note: The morning routine actually begins the evening before. I pre-set whatever makes life easier pre-caffeine the following day. Coffee maker set to brew. Kitchen straightened. School supplies packed up and ready to go. Etc.
Here we go:
5:25 a.m. Alarm clock commences rude beeping
(Ancient habit I’ve never questioned until this moment.)
5:27 a.m. Pour espresso-strong Deathwish brand coffee (I should be an affiliate) with a splash of half and half (in giant mug the size of a bowl because I only drink one cup a day). Absolute first priority.
5:28 a.m. Bathroom, feed dog (who also finds predawn rude and does not yet want to go out).
5:32 a.m. Assemble fruit smoothie and peanut butter and nutella sandwich for the little/big 7th grade prince who should be ever-so-grateful his mom doesn’t mind making his partially nutritious breakfast.
5:38 a.m. Meditation with coffee. Moment of gratitude.
5:55 a.m. Greet/hug/kiss now-conscious husband. Blend smoothie in ridiculously loud blender.
5:58 am. Summon impossibly cute dog who loves to wake the little prince with a face full of kisses and yawny-type noises sounding eerily like I love you (canine version). Sleepy child silently ingests food while numbing his adolescent brain with YouTube.
6:05 a.m. Message my daughter to say good morning (5 hours ahead in the UK). Check email. Start laundry.
6:20 a.m. Confirm little prince is on his way back upstairs to get dressed, brush teeth, etc. Repeat the phrase keep it moving at least five times. Talking dog finally ready to go out.
6:37 a.m. Harness up dog and grab leash. One final morning admonition: We need to be out the door in two minutes! Adolescent maddeningly exhibits zero sense of time urgency (but thankfully manages to make it to the bus on time without fail. Did I just jinx it?)
6:39 a.m. Goodbye to husband, who leaves for work soon. Walk to bus stop with dog who, also free of any time urgency, leisurely sniffs every single blade of grass. Sun is coming up (At least for now. In winter, it will remain cold and dark and require a flashlight.) and birds are singing. (We drive if it’s raining.)
6:45 a.m. Realize I haven’t yet brushed hair or teeth and am donning the same sweats as yesterday. Also realize no one cares. WFH perk. Sweet.
Bus arrives. I say a silent thank you for another successfully un-missed bus, for the safe driver who waves kindly to me each morning (in spite of my unkempt appearance), and for the privilege of being mom to that continually growing little prince.
6:50 a.m. Dog and I walk home, clean up the kitchen, eat a few bites of breakfast if I haven’t already, and start the exercise of the day (any or a combo of biking, walking, lifting weights, YouTube HIIT workout).
8ish. Shower, eat, read the news online.
9ish. Start the workday ready to go (or, occasionally, tired, and already ready for bed :))
I showed you mine. Now I’d love to see yours. Hope you have a great one!
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