Mornings are sacred to me.
With all the responsibilities that I have to tend to, blocking this time off is incredibly important for my sanity. It's easy to get caught up in everything that's waiting to be done. As a college student, it seems to never end. But no matter what I have on my to-do list, it can wait until after the first two hours of my day.
I've noticed a big difference in my mood, my energy, and in my mental health when I don't prioritize this time for myself. It's when I invest in myself through doing things that make me feel good, and when I prepare for the day ahead by setting my intentions and reminding myself what I am working towards. It's incredibly important for my mentality, and honestly, it really make or break my day.
I wanted to share my morning routine with you because I know many of my readers are fellow students who are dealing a heavy workload, and sustaining that can become very exhausting. After years of waking up dreading the weekdays, I finally wake up looking forward to my day because of my morning routine. I have found these habits to genuinely improve my ability to focus, to be able to produce high quality work in response to my courses, to have energy throughout the entirety of my day without any caffeine (shocker, I know), and to have so much enjoyment as my day goes on.
Plan the night before.
As many successful people know, a successful day begins the evening before. Depending on the day of the week, my day finishes either after my last class or around eight when I've decided to put away course work and begin my evening routine.
The first thing I check my Google calendar whereI keep all of my events like classes, school festivities, appointments, meetings, work, etc. and write anything that I have for the following day into my physical agenda. This helps me visualize what my day is going to be like so I can mentally prepare myself, especially if it's going to be a busy one.
Next, I make sure I've done everything that's due the following day, that way I don't have to compromise the serenity of my mornings with the anxiety of finishing something last minute. Usually there's nothing because I like to stay on top of my school work, but it's always important to double-check. With the number of responsibilities that I have, it's easy to let something slip.
I make a to-do list of the things that need to be done the next day, that way I already know. Essentially, everything I do the evening before is to make sure my mornings can go as smoothly as possible without any surprises of disruptions. I finish my work day by cleaning up my desk and living space, and continue to unwind for the night.
Prioritize your sleep.
My alarm is set for 6:27 a.m. I prioritize my sleep no matter how chaotic my schedule is or how much work is waiting to be done—and trust me, it gets to be a lot. The amount of sleep I get, and even when I go to sleep and when I wake up, greatly affects my performance. And like the average adult, I require eight hours of sleep to feel fully functional throughout my day, so I'm in bed by 10 p.m.
The culture surrounding sleep, the idealization of people who brag about getting only three or fours hours of sleep, is very harmful to our health. Sleep regulates a surplus of developmental and restorative functions such as restoring the armory of our immune system, regulating our appetite and the body's metabolic state, and maintaining the microbiome of our gut. It enriches a diversity of functions like our ability to learn, memorize, and make logical decisions. Regular inadequate sleep increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, a variety of cancers, and the likelihood of your coronary arteries being blocked which can lead to a variety of cardiovascular diseases.
So please, prioritize your sleep.
Begin the day with silence and gratitude.
To some, waking up at 6:27 may sound like a questionable time to choose when my earliest class isn't until 11. But, starting the day while the most of the campus is still asleep and the sun is just beginning to rise, is so nice.
Don't get me wrong, sometimes I question my decision to wake up so early. However, once I get going, I forget about it. The vast quiet of the early morning allows me to wake up slowly with a quiet mind, and as someone who is a chronic thinker, waking up when I'm still a bit sleepy is actually a key to managing it. I always start my mornings off with gratitude. I'm a firm believer in the happiness a regular gratitude practice brings. When you're grateful for everything around you—even the bad things, because you either learn or get something good out of them—then there's so much to happy about. It also helps with getting up so early.
Sunlight, music, and stretching.
Once I finally get out of bed, I make my way to the window and open the blinds. Because autumn is approaching, it's still dark when I wake up. But surely enough, after I've splashed my face with some warm water to wake up my senses, there's always a little bit of sunlight beginning to peak through the collage of trees.
Lately, I've been playing either my 'morning muse' playlist, which is filled with light and bright instrumental/acoustic songs, or the new 'autumn' playlist I recently made to set the tone for the oncoming changing of the leaves and the brisk air. Putting on music has been one of the best things I've done for myself in terms of setting the tone for my day. It wakens up the room and creates a comforting atmosphere to do a few vinyasa flows in while I'm still waking up.
I always make sure I stretch in the morning to help wake up my muscles. It helps a lot regarding soreness from walking up and down the many hills and stairs of my campus. Plus, it's just a gentle way to warm up the body before doing any rigorous exercise like I'm about to do.
A moment for mindfulness.
I recently made the decision to make a shift in my mindset and that required a lot of changes in my life. One of the many things I've done to support that is practicing mindfulness. It's honestly nothing complicated; it's about be aware of yourself, your thoughts, your feelings, your surroundings, and focusing on being in the present. As a result, I've been much more content with myself and my life.
I make it a priority to have a moment of mindfulness in the morning before I go to the gym. There isn't any particular way to practice mindfulness. For me, I do it in a variety of ways throughout my day, but in the morning, I often like to journal. I'll write down any thoughts lingering in my mind or a little motivational paragraph to start my day off on a good note, remind myself of my goals and my intentions. Or I'll even just write down memories from recent days that I want to document.
There isn't a theme or rules; I simply go day by day.
Afterwards, I like to sit in silence for a few minutes. I'm not really one to meditate, but I will focus on my breath, taking a series of deep, slow inhales and exhales. It helps ground me in the present moment and clear my mind of any doubt or anxieties lingering about. In moments like this, I like to remind myself that I have to power to choose how I feel, who I am, and what I give power to.
You choose.
Exercise.
Anyone who knows me knows that my health is a major priority in my life. Aside from the fact that exercising has many physical benefits, I do it for two primary reasons: my mental health and the natural rush of energy that is endorphins. Nothing, not even caffeine, can beat the feeling of endorphins.
I try to get in some organized form of movement into my day whether that be my regular weight lifting routine or attending a yoga class a few days out of the week. It's the perfect way to wake up even though it might sound exactly the opposite. I promise that once you get used to going, breaking a sweat is the best way to start your morning.
By the time I am heading back to my dorm after an hour long session, I'm awake and ready to tackle my list of responsibilities, and the best part is that the energy I get from exercising lasts me all day. I'm able to sustain my mood with the heavy workload I have to tend to until it's time to unwind and get ready for bed.
Because I am always looking for an opportunity to learn how to better myself and improve my quality of life, I usually listen to a podcast while I'm exercising. There's so much we can learn from listening about other people's lives and experiences, and with how much the world of podcasting has grown, there's really something for everyone. Some of my personal favorites are Souls at Sundown with Meghan Hughes, The Skinny Confidential: Him and Her, NPR's Hidden Brain, and Good Life Project. All of theses are available on most podcast streaming platforms.
I usually go for self-help, health and fitness, deep conversational podcasts, so if you have any recommendations, please let me know!
Final touches.
When I get home, depending on what I did at the gym, I'll either take a shower or go ahead and begin getting ready for my day. Either way, I always do my full skincare routine and make sure to eat a protein dense breakfast to help with recovery before bringing out my agenda to double check what I have to do for the day.A lot of what I do before the rest of my day truly begins is simply making sure I won't miss anything. Because I usually have a demanding schedule between work, courses, and the time I need to do assignments, and I also always making sure there's time for me to relax throughout the day. I will actively schedule five minute breaks throughout my day. I like to call them my slow moments.
I cannot emphasize the importance of taking care of yourself, especially when you're a college student and there's a lot being asked of you. The primary reason as to why I am so happy and content with my life right now is because I prioritize taking care of myself. I make sure that there is a balance between work and my personal life.
At the end of the day, no matter how much you have to do, it's about knowing what your priorities are. There are 24 hours in a day, and after blocking out eight for sleep you're left with 16 hours you choose what you do with. There is always time.
If you got this far, congratulations. I hope this gave you at least a little bit of inspiration and motivation to start your day with some time for your self.
It's important, and it makes a difference.
Until next time,
take care.
What's your opinion?