Starting your morning with a self-care routine is great way to get your mind and body ready for the day. I’ve found that even on days where I only have a few minutes to spare, I am more focused and productive when I’ve had a little time to myself before the workday starts.
When establishing a self-care routine, it’s important to find what works best for you. If you aren’t able to be the first one up in your house, find another time in the morning where you can tune out the noise and have some uninterrupted time. Finding something that works for your schedule and lifestyle will make it easier to stick to the routine.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Wake Up Before the Chaos
Set your alarm just a bit earlier than your family’s wake-up time. Even just fifteen minutes of quiet can change your whole morning. Use this time to do something just for you and make it a part of your self-care routine. Savor that cup of coffee, do some guided meditation, or spend a little time journaling or mapping out your day.
Wake Up Your Body
Take a few moments to do some simple stretching to add a little movement to your morning. It helps to wake up your body and provides a little energy boost. I personally love a good full body stretch to shake some of the stiffness as I wake up.
Add Mindfulness to Your Routine
Help add self-care into your morning rituals by listening to a podcast or your favorite music while you’re completing some of the mundane morning tasks like packing lunches or getting ready. My airpods have been a life-saver in the mornings to help me tune out the noise and have a little soothing background noise to my routine. Bonus! It blocks out the kids saying “MOM” over and over. If you’re like me and need something to help you focus on a mindfulness activity. Click the links below to see some of my favorites.
- These Mindfulness Cards are easy to pull out for daily tips and exercises.
- This workbook is great for anyone who loves to journal.
- This book gives ideas for 5-10 minute practices to incorporate into your day.
- A coloring book for adults for those who like to get a little more creative.
- A super cute buddha that gives daily guided breathing exercises.
- This water art board resets itself and is great for artists at any level.
Plan Your Day
Take a few minutes to outline your tasks and priorities for the day before it gets started. Review your to do list (I love this one) or planning app to help keep things organized. Getting all of the tasks outlined and out of your head can relieve some stress and help you stay focused for the day.
Don’t Forget to Eat
I’ve never been a breakfast person on busy mornings. My routine has always been to grab a cup of coffee to wake me up, and that’s about the extent of my breakfast outside of nibbling on whatever I’m packing in the kids’ lunches. That left me feeling a little “off” in the morning and starving by lunchtime. Keeping quick and easy breakfast items on hand has helped to prevent the morning crash. This article has some great ideas to get you started.
Just like the flight attendants say, you have to put your mask on before helping others, we must practice self care to be able to pour into our families. It doesn’t have to be time-consuming. Find a few things that work for you and continue to add small changes to focus on you in the mornings.
What’s your favorite morning routine or self-care ritual? Share your tips in the comments below and let’s inspire each other to make our mornings a little brighter.
#SelfCare #WorkingMoms #MorningRoutine #HealthyStart
Pingback: 7 Ways to Manage Stress During the Workday to Increase Efficiency and Happiness - Work Life Mom Blog
Pingback: Let's Look: At Our Summer Schedule {Working Mom Edition} - Work Life Mom Blog