I have never been one of those people you hear about that wakes up early and is ready to start my day. I tend to like to stay in bed and snuggle with my puppies and usually sleep in until 9:30 or 10’o clock. I use to think it was a self care act. I treated it like “You deserve to sleep in” or “10 more minutes won’t hurt anything.” I would envy those successful people who get up early, have a proactive morning and accomplish goals before I was able to get out of bed. I just didn’t think I would ever get to that place in my life that it would be possible for me.

My morning would typical start by hearing an annoying alarm around 9:30 AM and immediately hitting the snooze button. Once I was actually awake I would scroll through social media while cuddling one of my four puppies. After I was forced to get out of bed I would lounge around and watch TV before ever starting my day.

You see, I wasn’t someone who ever liked the idea of a routine. I was more of a go with the flow type of person. To me, the idea of doing the exact same thing sounded boring and something I wasn’t interested in. That was until I actually tried it. Over the last year or so I have created a productive morning routine that is actually doable and something that doesn’t seem like a chore.

When I sat down and started thinking about creating a morning routine I thought about what is most important and how to be successful while doing it. I came up with a few things I do every morning to help seize the day and I can honestly say I feel so great after completing them.

I start by setting my alarm for 7:00 AM. I do not allow myself to hit the snooze button anymore. (I realized how lazy this was making me.) Once my feet hit the ground I go and brush my teeth and splash water on my face. Next, I go straight to the kitchen and drink as much water as possible. Usually I shoot for 8 oz. After that I take my puppies for a morning walk because it is so refreshing to get outside early and seize the day.

After I get home the I sit down and plan out my day. This is something I highly recommend because having a list helps you stay on track of what to do that day. Sometimes the list is long and sometimes it only has a few things. Either way, ALWAYS create a to-do list based on the things you want to accomplish that day. By this time I am usually hungry and I will eat something light such as fruit or yogurt with granola. This tends to keep me full until lunch and I think breakfast is very important.

To some of you this routine may seem small or not important but the gratification I feel after completing it is truly life changing. I encourage all of you to sit down and start with a small routine and see how much better you will feel throughout the day.

What does your morning look like?