3 Things I Do Before Breakfast {Daily Routines Series Part 1}
Is meal planning a struggle? I'm so excited to announce... The CHK Seasonal Meal Planner is now available!!! Plan your meals with purpose and intention as you think through special days, holidays, and what each season uniquely offers. It will guide you, step-by-step, through planning each month allowing you to save time and money. Recently I shared my list of 10 (really 11) Things that I Do Everyday to Keep and Clean and Organized Home, and boy did it spark a lot of interest! Thanks to everyone who shared, pinned, and commented on that post. Because of you it has become the most popular post and most pinned article to date!
So in the spirit of that post I wanted to break down my daily routine with you in a little more detail. Over the next few weeks, I’m going to be writing about my morning, afternoon, and evening routines. I’ll be sharing exactly what I do, why I do it, and how I plan to do some of my tasks.
I also want to add (mainly due to some comments from this post that were very full of praise) that I aim to complete each task everyday. In all honestly sometimes it just doesn’t all get done!
It doesn’t always happen; life happens, my two little ones happen, I get tired and lazy some days. I’m not perfect and hopefully I’m not coming across that I have it all together. By sharing my routines, I am mainly holding myself accountable to do it, after all I AM emotionally allergic to cleaning! 🙂
OK now on to today’s post:
3 Things I Do Before Breakfast
Remember this picture?
To start off, my wake up time is 5:00 AM. I set an early alarm on my phone that goes off at 4:45 and snoozes every 5 minutes until I get up. Yes, I know that is an insanely early time, and no, I don’t think that everyone needs to get up early. Due to my husbands work schedule, if I want to work out in the morning then I need to wake up early too. I also aim to be in bed my 9:30 PM every night.
1. Devotional Time
I love starting my day in prayer and Bible reading. Reading a few verses from my Bible and devotional books help me to focus my mind and my heart for the day ahead. Spending a few minutes in prayer and communication with Jesus helps to center me. Now most mornings I’m not doing an intense study (my brain isn’t that awake yet), rather I’m mediating on a certain portion of scripture.
Currently I’m a part of the Hello Mornings online accountability groups where we are completing a study on Ephesians called Glorious Grace. It is not intensive at all, in fact daily we read a short passage and meditate on it though just a few journal prompts.
To help keep me disciplined, I have a Bible book basket that I keep on an end table in the living room filled with my Bible
2. Exercise
Yes you heard me, EXERCISE!
What could be a better way to wake up and get you body moving and grooving?
My personal exercise of choice is Jazzercise. My goal is three mornings a week is to get up and go to the 5:30 AM class. Yes, that’s early, and some mornings there is nothing more that I want to do than staying in bed. However once I’m there I have an amazing workout and how many people can really say they start out their day by dancing?
OK maybe Jazzercise is not for you, how about running, or going to the gym, or even a home workout DVD? The possibilities are endless.
I have two little ones (a 2 and a 1/2 year old, and an almost 1 year old), so I am aware of the challenges to get up and go somewhere to workout. I’m also aware of the unspoken rule, “Kids wake up when Mama Wakes Up.” My best advice to combat these issues is to make a plan with your husband. Maybe he can be on-call for the (early) morning a few days a week so you can work out.
Or possibly it might be unrealistic for you to work out so early in the morning. That’s OK, everyone is different and are at different stages. It doesn’t matter what time of day you exercise, what matters is that you DO IT!
If it’s a nice morning, after breakfast load the kids in the stroller and take a walk (we love this double stroller). Trade babysitting duties with another mom so you two can take turns going to the gym without having to pay for childcare.
There are plenty of creative ways to fit exercise into your day. Trust me, know one wants to work out, but once you do it you feel great, and your look great too! (OK maybe I don’t look great while I’m Jazzercising, thankfully there are no mirrors! But your body probably looks great after some hard work and self discipline.)
3. Breathe
Take a few moments and just take a few deep breathes because all to soon the chaos starts. The kids are up, there are breakfast and lunches to be made. Maybe you have several kids you have to dress and get out the door by a certain time. Or maybe you too have to be dressed and out the door by a certain time!
Take a few minutes and think through your day.
Every night before I go to bed I fill out my Daily Docket and review my calendar so I know what I need to get done and what my goals are for the day. Once the morning comes, I take a moment and review that list to make sure I don’t forget anything.
I realize that everyone is in different stages of life so these three things may not be practical for you to do every morning first thing. Most mornings I do complete all three, but there are also some mornings (at least once a week) that I don’t due to various reasons, the main being if I was up during the night with a kid.
So give yourself grace, and if you don’t already have a morning routine that works for you, try just to get up and have a devotional time every morning and build on from there. Research suggests that it takes about 3 weeks to develop a habit, so give yourself some time.
Great routine. I follow a similar one. Makes my day better!
So sweet! Thanks 🙂
Breathe! I need to add that in there 🙂
🙂
This is great! I have not been good in keeping up with a routine lately and need some motivation to get back into one. My main focus right now is definitely to make morning quiet time a priority.
I have gone through different seasons where I haven’t really had a morning routine either, but I do find that I am more productive during the day if I get myself moving in the morning.
I love my devotionals. I use the Bible app and they have many daily devotionals to use. I use to exercise like you, but I’m pushing 60 now and can’t exercise that much anymore. If I can get 2 days in a week, thats a good week for me. One of my fav exercises to do is walk in the pool in my community. Living in Florida means I can do that most of the year. So nice.
How nice to be able to have pool access year ’round! I think it’s important to just do what we are capable of doing, and 2 days a week is better than none. Keep up the great work, I hope I’m that active when I get older 🙂
I love these ideas! Looking forward to reading about the rest of your routines for the day!
Thanks, I’m looking forward to sharing them!
My son taught me a great morning routine before he was even born! In my last trimester I began feeling an urge to look out the dining room window for a moment each morning before going into the kitchen. Once he was born, he expected to be held up to that window the first time I brought him downstairs after sunrise; if I forgot, he’d start screaming! It’s not a spectacular view or anything, but we can see what the weather is like, how the trees look in this season, and a bit of traffic zipping by on the busy street at the other side of our block. That moment of gazing outward gives me a little peace before I start my hectic day! My son is 8 now and no longer does this every day, but I do.
Such a sweet memory with your son! Isn’t it amazing what our children can teach us! Thanks for sharing.
I like yours. I also try to get up before the boys get up and that helps me be better prepared. thanks for posting. Following you now from someday crafts hop on google+. I’m lorraine at http://lorrainesresources.blogspot.com have a great day
Thanks Lorraine for stopping by!
Oh what a wonderful routine. I would LOVE to do this but I have no idea how to get myself up that early. Also, hubby usually works until 8, so if I didn’t stay up late, we wouldn’t have much time together at night. We work together, but our evening time is relax time. Hmmmm… and I know the devotional time is sorely missing. I really need to figure out a way to do these things. Thanks for sharing.
I don’t think that everyone needs to wake up early and workout. I think that it’s so important for you to stay up late and spend that time with your husband. I love my evenings sitting on the couch with mine 🙂
I love that I have been able to instigate a morning routine. I start with my daily Bible reading and my gratitude journal. Starting with God’s Word and remembering his blessing are new every morning gives me a wonderful start to my day. I don’t exercise, per say, but I go out to do chores so I guess that counts as some active time 😉
I don’t, however, wake up early. I’m just not at a stage in my life where that works for me. But I have found a way to make my morning work, even with my little ones running around.
Here’s a bit of a breakdown that I wrote almost a year ago: http://aimedattheheart.com/2012/11/17/the-early-bird-i-dont-like-worms-enough/
Thanks for sharing Tessa, and I firmly believe that chores count as a form of exercise too! 🙂
I love this! I am not a morning person but the part that really resonates is making time to exercise. I have a 10 month old and 26 month old so I know how hard it is to fin the time! It would be so helpful if I could get myself out of bed that early! I love your other tips too – I would love for you to link this up at Tips and Tricks Tuesday – we’re trying to create a place where people can find an share weight loss / health advice and this would be so helpful for some of us busy Mommas!
Kristin
Exploringdomesticity.blogspot.com
Likea2-year-old.blogspot.com (weight loss blog)
Thanks for sharing, I linked up! I thought I had my hands full with my kids being 18 months apart! When my daughter was a new born the only exercise I did was load them up in the double stroller and go for walks around the neighborhood during the day because there was no way I could get up early either. Now that they are both consistently sleeping through the night, it is easier.
I LOVE your basket idea with your bible and devotional handy and ready to go!
During the summer, while drinking my coffee I read my Bible, (I’m in Hebrews) and then feed the kids breakfast. Now it’s going to require a LOT of discipline once school starts! Anyway, thank you for the GREAT idea to have a cute basket with a bible and devo handy 😉
I’ve only been using the basket this year and I’m so glad that I have because it does keep me organized. I purchased my basket at Michael’s when they had a sale where their baskets were 50% off.
All so important!
Great reminders!
Having a morning routine makes such a big difference for the rest of the day. Thanks for reminding me!
Great routine! I love the daily docket! Thank you so much for sharing & linking up at Thank You Honey’s Whatever Wednesday Party!!
Sarah @ Thank You Honey
Love your book basket! I keep all of mine on a tray on our couch (which we constantly move around because the couch = jungle gym to some members of our family), but your darling basket motivated me to contain them and find a new spot.
I can relate to the couch being a jungle gym too!
This is a great routine… Thanks for linking this up and co-hosting the Pinterest Power Party – we’ll be featuring it in this week’s party!
Happy Tuesday!
Danielle
SewMuchCrafting.com
That’s so great, thanks!
Love this, what a great list, I also have a similar morning routine, and with school starting back up I’ve been pretty good about it so far. Thank you for sharing this with the Cozy Reading Spot, this post is being featured this week, so I hope you are able to stop by and see it!
Thanks again
Marissa
Wow thanks so much!
Oh how i love this. Simple. Mom. To the point. Even I can do 3 things.
Thanks bunches for splashing with us and linking up. Every Monday, I post on Momma Notes. And as always, it is a joy to have you join us. Just moms. Sharing our notes. Creating a melody.
http://justsarahdawn.blogspot.com/2013/05/momma-notes.html
I am also doing Hello Morning 🙂 I do a very similar routine – with different exercise. I am visiting from Momma Notes this morning.
Have a great Tues.!
Joanne
Great routine, it’s very similar to mine.
I’m still trying to figure out my daily routine because I can’t seem to get myself to go to sleep before 2AM so I always end up sleeping through the morning (when my son is sleeping). I really should start going to bed on time and getting up to exercise and read scriptures before he gets up. Thanks for the reminder.
Hope these tips help you Britni. It always takes time to get a new routine or habit going so make sure that whatever you choose, it works for you. Thanks for stopping by.
I have struggled to get up early. I love the productivity that comes with getting up early, but I also have little ones who still wake up often, plus I have a love affair with my pillow. 😉 Anyway recently I have been able to get focused and get on schedule to get up early. I start my morning off similar to yours, quiet time alone with God. That is where we deviate though. I desire to use the rest of my time to write before my children wake up. (If you want to see the kinds of things I write about feel free to visit my blog.) But I have a 2-year old who sleeps really light in the wee morning hours and if she hears the littlest noise she is up for the day. Any tips, ideas, or thoughts there? I struggle with getting her to lay back down, she is rather cranky if she is up that early and would love to have the time to write uninterrupted.
Sara I have the same problem with my kids too, it seems they are light sleepers in the morning and usually wake up early. When I do work out, I have to leave the house but I have made an arrangement with my husband to be able to do that. I can’t go every morning, but I am usually able to go to the gym at least 3 mornings a week. Sometimes that plan is foiled though and I do have little ones awake with me too. I know this season with little ones is so hard, it seems like every morning is different.
I try really hard to keep a morning routine. It does start the same day with letting out the dogs and feeding them. Starting coffee and taking care of the fish. After that I start breakfast for myself and I try to exercise. Sadly, I often get derailed due to people being home when they should be at work/school or the amount of work I have to do there are so days exercise has to go on the back burner for the day.