Good Day Or Bad Day? What You Do In Your Morning Routine Can Make All The Difference
These working women have created mornings they love waking up to.
Your mornings definitely set the tone for the rest of your day. When getting out of bed and setting work-life boundaries become grueling, establishing a morning ritual can actually help.
Over the past year, almost everything has turned digital and so many people have started to work from home. Transitioning from the usual office culture to creating a conducive workspace in the place that used to be work-free can be tough. It has been extremely difficult to catch up with responsibilities while prioritizing your wellness during such a time. It is times like these when you may need to give some thought to your morning rituals, which have proven to be beneficial in more ways than one.
Here are a few thoughts and tips from women who have established a morning routine before starting work on a daily:
What are their mornings like?
Wryanne, 24, is a government employee who thinks maintaining a morning routine keeps a person grounded, centered, and focused. Her routine makes her feel accomplished and motivated to work. Ideally, her mornings start with meditation and journaling at around 6:00 AM, then she’ll proceed to have breakfast with her family at 7:00 AM and make herself a cup of coffee. Before logging in for work, she would also check on her garden, take a shower, and do her skincare routine.
“I learned that in order to be successful in maintaining my habits, I have to first address my own mental hurdles. As ideal as my morning routine may sound and seem, I admit it's challenging to maintain it, especially, when I haven't had enough sleep the night before, or if there's something on my mind that's bothering me.
“There is a temptation to immediately address what I feel like I need during those days: more time in bed before breakfast and work. But then I learned that the only thing hindering me from being consistent is myself. And so thankfully I learned to respond to these initial hurdles by just physically getting out of bed so I can get on with my day,” she shares.
Twenty-two-year-old Yssa currently works as a writer. She values the structure that helps her go on with her day. Ever since she started working, she has been very strict with her schedule so she can stay productive all throughout the day. She wakes up at around 6 in the morning and begins to work at 9:00 AM. Yssa believes that having a routine gives her a sense of control, especially because working from home can blur the boundary between a person’s job and personal life.
“I include making my bed, working out, and taking a bath in my morning routine because they make me feel refreshed. I once read that when you make your bed every morning, you will have already accomplished your first task of the day. This encourages me to finish another task, then another, then another.
“I work out in the morning as well because I think I have the most energy right after I wake up. Working out also makes me happy! Plus, if I rearrange the schedule and try to work out after my day job, I won’t have enough energy anymore,” she describes.
Roenna, 64, is an executive director for an export business. She starts her mornings with a prayer then takes a shower after. She never fails to paint her face, wear her earrings, and put on perfume daily despite working from home. She emphasizes how fragrance triggers powerful memories for her.
For 23-year-old operations support analyst Isabel, she also starts her mornings with a prayer. She then makes herself coffee and attends her daily meeting first thing in the morning. She also tries to work in their garden from time to time for a change of scenery.
Isabel mentions how important it is to filter the content you consume especially in the morning. “It’s best to choose what you do or “feed” yourself [with]. As food is for the stomach, what we choose to read and consume is for the soul. Make sure that you consume ONLY healthy mental content in the morning! If Instagram triggers anxiety or stress, choose not to look at it first. Choose content that will empower you, like self-help podcasts or books,” she shares.
Joanna, 25, is a tax analyst who considers her morning routine as therapeutic. This helps her take care of herself amid the pandemic and has given her a sense of comfort during this time of uncertainty.
“I usually wake up at around 9:00 AM, [then] I check my phone for messages and/or packages arriving for the day. I spend about 20-30 minutes scrolling through social media and then I get up and head to the kitchen to drink some warm lemon water. I then prepare and eat a quick breakfast, usually cereal or granola with chia seeds paired with some warm milk or hot chocolate.
After that, I go straight to the bathroom and wash my hands, brush my teeth, and put some sunscreen on. I open the drapes to get some sunlight in. I water my plants, do some light exercises, drink some water, take a quick shower, do my daytime skincare, and then prepare lunch. After I eat lunch, I clock in for work at around 1pm and continue working till 10 pm,” she narrates.
Why should women have a morning ritual?
Morning routines prepare you for your entire day. Having a consistent morning ritual can actually increase your productivity, lower your stress, boost your energy levels, and even improve your relationships and confidence.
It’s not easy to face challenges that come with the new normal. During a time of unpredictability, following a pattern might be able to help you go through each day. When you look forward to waking up each day, you stay motivated to keep going on.
“It works for me because I know what my long-term goals for myself are in terms of overall health and well-being. Having my morning routine is not only beneficial for me in the long-term, but I believe it is also a good way to remind myself why it is necessary to actively take care of myself, says Wryanne.
”"It's not just for me, but also for the people around me: my family, my friends, my co-workers, etc. I know I won't be able to give my best to them if I'm not at my best. And I know I'll only feel at my best if I also give myself my very best efforts to care for my well-being,” she adds.
Roenna thinks that morning rituals make you feel good. “If you feel good, you are always in your element,” she states.
How do you create a morning routine?
“The most important thing, I guess, is doing something you love, be it cooking or reading or playing some instrument. It can be anything. Find a way to incorporate that into your routine, even [if it’s] not every day, say, every other day or during weekends only. It's nice to have a routine but it doesn’t have to be complicated,” Joanna shares.
Isabel and Yssa reveal how finding the right routine takes time, so you should be patient. According to them, you should not follow someone else’s routine because everyone has different circumstances and priorities. You should find what works for you and you shouldn’t feel pressured in doing so. Just keep on doing what you think is suitable to your lifestyle. To successfully carry out your routine, you have to be comfortable and happy with it.
“When it comes to morning rituals and routines, I think it's different for everybody because it largely depends on our own unique situations at home, our work set-up and working conditions, as well as our own set of responsibilities both within our careers and outside of it. I'm well aware that when I talk about my morning routine, I am coming from a place of privilege. I am privileged to be allowed to work from home where I am well taken care of by my family. And I am truly thankful for that,” Wryanne adds.
Starting a morning routine is not easy, especially since it can be difficult to stay consistent, but the benefits are worth the shot. Working from home can be draining and demotivating, but having some sense of control over your life can be rewarding. Sticking to a structure and routine may be able to help you physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Mornings don’t have to be painful. Can you imagine being excited to wake up and work? You might just thank yourself for building healthy habits in the long run.
