Routines!!

One of the ways that I keep myself organized is through daily routines.  I have a morning routine, a bedtime routine, and many 'to-dos' that can be considered routines.  Today we are going to look at an idea for a morning routine. 

I find morning routines the most important of all.  Mornings that are rushed and hurried can influence your attitude for the rest of the day.  I believe that starting your morning on the right foot can put you in the right mind to handle what every comes to you for the rest of the day. 

I always begin the day with my quiet time with God.  I know for a fact I can handle anything if I put Him first every morning.  I find I'm more patient with my little hellins...I mean students, I am able to handle any upsets in my day, and I feel more positive and happy, even on those days when I'd rather just stay in bed with a good book!

I like to wake up with my husband.  His job requires him to get up between 4:30 to 5:30 am.  We have compromised that I will wake up at 5:30 every day and that gives me time to do my bible study and get his lunch prepared before he leaves no matter what time he got up. 

He leaves for work between 5:30 and 6:30, so after I make his lunch, I go about my morning routine.  Okay...next comes working out...I HATE working out.  I'm not going to lie.  ONE of my MANY resolutions was to talk only positive talk about working out...so really..I LOVE LOVE LOVE to workout.  If I wait until I get home from work, I usually make excuses that I need to clean the house.  So, about a year ago I put it in my morning routine.  At first, it was a nightmare.  I woke up every morning in a terrible mood.  I hated that treadmill looming at me in the garage as I ironed my husband's shirt.  I cursed Jillian Micheal's name on the days I did her video.  It was horrible...until, one day I realized that I had more energy since I began working out than I had in years! So, the workout in the morning is here to stay!

After workout begins the necessities of almost any woman's morning routine.  I put them in the order that makes the most sense to me (why brush your teeth after you've washed your face?)

Now, the question some of you nay-sayers might be thinking out there...why do you have to have a routine!?  Why not just do it?! BECAUSE, how many mornings could you make excused to NOT do it?  I know for me, if it was a hard sleep night, or just a late night up grading papers, I could easily hit the snooze and sleep until 7:30, rush to get ready, and get to school just in time for pickup bell.  Why let the bad previous day influence the new day?  With a routine, even those mornings when I feel completely brain dead I can just follow the routine. 

Here is an example of my weekday morning routine!!

Now, to begin your own, FIRST list everything you need to do in the morning and how much time you estimate it will take.

SECOND, you will need to put it in the order you would like to complete it.

THIRD, use it as a living document.  It will change. You'll realize that you forgot about picking up the house, or walking the dog.  You'll discover makeup takes you longer than you thought. ETC!

FOURTH, once you think you have your time frames and order down, type it up, post it, and set weekly goals to meet every item on it until you build the habit.  Eventually you'll get to the point I'm at, it's a walk in the park.  I barely look at the routine order cause my mornings just flow. 

DON'T get frustrated when your routine is not perfect immediately.

DON'T overload your routine.

DON'T short yourself on time per item.  The point of the routine is for RUSH FREE mornings. Doing time frames that are too short creates more stress as you rush from thing to thing like running a relay race (not my idea of a calm, God centered morning).

DON'T make excuses and DON'T give up!!

Good luck all!!

Let me know if you need any help!!

Blessed By Him,

Tilly