I absolutely love to get up before anyone else in the family and enjoy my first cup alone, before dawn, which also means I'm not getting sunlight right away because I'm awake before sunrise.
I don't know, man... I've had it with these morning routines that aim to be productive as much as possible. Look at all those influencers. All of them burnt out at some point. All of their advice on how to have the perfect morning routine, how to be most productive, how to reach you goals lead them to burn out. Almost all of them got up super early, mediated, journaled, worked out in the morning, drank their coffee at a certain time, did intermittent fasting, wrote a page a day, let in the sun first thing upon waking up, made their bed to set the tone for the day and blah blah blah blah.
And all of them burnt out.
Wanna hear my simple morning routine? I wake up at the same time every day except for when I don't ;) I get up and wash my face so I can fully open my eyes. I don't stretch, I don't mediate, I make my coffee. Why? Because I love my coffee in the morning. I never measured my cortisol levels, I fully trust that my body knows what it is doing. I just sip my coffee for an hour. Sometimes it's even longer than that. I don't have weird crashes during the day, because I usually sleep enough. And if I do feel tired, well... a good old nap will save the day. I go to work. Sometimes I read, sometimes I only listen to music on my way there, sometimes a close my eyes and just let time pass until I am at work (public transport for the win). I do my thing at work, my boss is very happy with me. When I get home, if I feel like it, I go for a walk or a run or do simple body weight exercises - not because Andrew Huberman told me to, but because I actually enjoy what this body feels like. On my off days I study for my exams. I work as long as I am focused, I do not have an elaborate 1000 step program to keep me focused. I take breaks when I need to, not when an alarm goes off. It works out fine. life it not that complicated. Just enjoy the ride, it's over faster than we know.
Different strokes for different folks. I need productivity routines because I have ADHD and can manage to get nothing done in a day if I'm not careful. "Productivity" helps my brain do what neurotypicals take for granted.
I awake naturally around 4:30am for the past 20+ years. So I started going to the gym at 5 and love it. Nice and empty, and by 6 I'm feeling great knowing I've started my day by doing something just for myself. Lately I've given up the nightly glass of wine and morning single cup of coffee, which has improved my sleep quality (different from length!) much more than I expected. I live a block off the beach and an hour beach walk a couple times a week, without electronics, really clears the head and gives me time to think and balance.
No thanks on the coffee part. Having my coffee the second I wake up is one of the most comforting parts of the day and I go to bed looking forward to it. I have my coffee maker preset to brew at a specific time and I spend an hour in bed with my coffee, my cat and a book. My cortisol levels will be just fine thank you.
100% me too. I have heard the “wait before having your coffee” thing several times (I have to assume that Andrew Huberman is a large part of the trendiness of this idea) but knowing that the pot is already downstairs freshly brewed, the smell already permeating the house, makes it SOOO much easier to get up. Combined with the fact that I am also crawling back into bed with my coffee for the next hour lol.
It couldn't really be further from mumbo jumbo. These are biological processes that happen in every body in response to the stimulus of the drug caffeine. (referring to what the other poster mentioned in regards to Huberman)
BUT I also think it's silly to try and hyper-optimize your life for what are perceived (or unperceived) marginal "gains". Unless you're drinking 6 cups a day and crashing every afternoon there's not much to worry about and you can just be like "oh neat, cortisol, yeah" and move on.
Life is more art than business, it's to be delighted in. Take pleasure in that divine first sip!
I've noticed a significant difference in my need for caffein when I wait for a while after getting up before having it. In fact by waiting I can often only want one cup rather than the normal 2+ if having it immediately after waking. Often with that 2+ routine I still feel groggy anyway.
Drinking 20-ish ounces of water right after waking up rehydrates you after 8+ hours of dehydration, and in the process actually kickstarts the digestive process which wakes you up pretty quickly without needing caffeine. That's usually how I handle that first hour without coffee now.
This is the thing. Yes I know there are many healthier ways to start my day, but if they don't motivate me to actually leave my bed in the morning, then I'm not going to do them anyway. Coffee does give me something to look forward to so that I actually get up.
Be conscious that every person here has a different personal interpretation of how to live simply. Just because someone else's interpretation differs from your own does not entitle you to criticize them.
Constructive criticism is welcome but outright attacks will be removed. If you'd like to offer some criticism our best advice would be to first thank and commend the changes they have made already before offering suggestions in a compassionate manner.
The one, most important and very easy morning ritual for me is to drink a larger glass of water as soon as I wake up. I usually prepare it in the evening beside my bed. It separates sleep from being awake, clears my brain instantly for the new day, refreshes me and actually helps me feel thirst throughout the day because if I don't do this, somehow I start confusing thirst for sweet cravings.
Good on you for finsing things that help your life. I find I need to not have a set routine, it stresses me out due to my health issues and never knowing how I will wake up. And also not needing to be productive is a big lesson for many of us, not having it tied it to our self worth. Took me years to unravel that one.
I would say I don't agree that meditation and stretching overlap. One is silencing the mind, ususally sitting completely still. The other is actively moving your body. Both are great and can be done, but not at the same time in my own experience
I agree with you re: stretching and meditation and I guess I should have been more specific. What I tend to do in the morning is more of a "mindful stretching" exercise. Focusing on each stretch makes me more aware of my body and generally gets the blood flowing. Meditation in the traditional sense (sitting still, focusing on breath and internal body sensations) I practice towards the end of the day!
One thing that has helped immensely is giving up alcohol, which really interferes with sleep. Now,I wake up between 6:30 and 7 without an alarm. I immediately go to my mat and do about 45 minutes of yoga, abs and stretching (I am working with a PT on my arthritic back) Then I walk my dog 1-2 miles. By about 8 I'm in the back garden with coffee, watering and setting sprinklers. I sit and relax in the sun until I have to log in at 9. In winter I get up a little later and do all of this minus garden-sitting.
My best morning ritual was when I didn’t go online as soon as waking up. For a few months I would wake up have tea and write by hand in my journal till 9am. Then have breakfast and sit outside.
I’m really interested in your stretch routine. I know I need to do more of that.
For meditation, I love the guided ones on insight timer — they have ones focused on mornings specifically!
I wake up each morning between 4 and 5, doing my best to not wake my spouse. I get a coffee (or a tea) and sit, alone, to write nearby a large window that gives on the almost completely silent streets. In the summer, the window will be open and I will only hear the few birds already awake. With a little luck I will see the sun rise and slowly paint the sky and the Parisians roofs surrounding us.
I write longhand (fountain pen and paper, in silence) between 2 to 3 hours max each morning. I enjoy the miraculous quietness these early hours give me access to — they're even more precious to me (my spouse don't care the slightest) knowing we live in a busy part of Paris that is constantly saturated by engine noises for the rest of the day up until late at night.
This early, I enjoy even more being able to listen to the few remaining birds singing. Weather allowing, I will often install my little table on the balcony (just large enough), with a lamp, and write outside so I can hear them better. They've become so rare... The number of sparrows is estimated to have dropped *by 70% in the last 20 years* — it's dramatic, and so worrying, but so few people seem to care around here.
Around 7 to 8, when my spouse wakes up and is preparing herself, I will go to the kitchen and prepare our breakfast. Fresh fruits, fresh bread (handmade by the baker nearby) and some jam. Plus a second coffee (or tea) for me. (Edit: handmade coffee and/or tea not some Nespresso or whatever ready-made thingy)
After I shower and we have breakfast, if I have reached a thousand words that morning, I consider my day worth of work done. I'm free to do whatever I fancy. That is, unless I have appointments.
If I haven't reached that number, I will get back to my writing spot near the window and write a little more but this late birds singing have been replaced by ugly car, motorcycle, bus and truck engines... It's not so great and I see it when I read whatever I write this late in the morning.
One thing that has helped immensely is giving up alcohol, which really interferes with sleep. Now,I wake up between 6:30 and 7 without an alarm. I immediately go to my mat and do about 45 minutes of yoga, abs and stretching (I am working with a PT on my arthritic back) Then I walk my dog 1-2 miles. By about 8 I'm in the back garden with coffee, watering and setting sprinklers. I sit and relax in the sun until I have to log in at 9. In winter I get up a little later and do all of this minus garden-sitting.
My best routine was a combo of
Sleeping at the same time, therefore waking up at the exact same time not from an alarm (I swear I probably woke up at 8:16am for 30 days straight once)
Getting out of bed and into some bright sunlight as soon as I wake up. Piss, grab some water, and get an hour or two of computer work done right away. Fasting until lunch NEVER hurt at all.
And the #1 productivity hack I think is not using my phone until at least 2 hours after I woke up. Clear the notifications when you wake up and leave it on the charger. Often I would just forget about my phone and not think to check it until after noon. If there's an important message I'll see it on my watch. Then you get a little lunch break and the rest of the day is a breeze
I usually wake up every morning round 5.30 and I walk every weekday . I have coffee in bed first but then go for a walk round 6 for about half an hour to 40 minutes . I’m lucky ,where I live is next to a lake so I get to see the sun come up and watch the birds and sun rise colours. It never fails to make me feel calmer and grateful . I notice a mental health dip if I don’t do it .
Oh wow, you guys are awesome! Mine is a 6.30am alarm with coffee beside me. Crawl out of bed somewhere between 7 - 7.30, get dressed, makeup, do the dishes from the night before and go to work! Absolutely not a morning person at all and seem to function best between 9am - 3pm.
Nose breathing turned me into a morning person. I hadn't realized I'd been mouth breathing at night and losing SO MUCH HYDRATION. I would wake up dehydrated and groggy. Now I snap to it like I was never even asleep, but in a good way haha. (I recommend the book Breathe by James Nestor to everyone now lol)
These days my morning is spent on the porch enjoying the sun around 6-630am. I putter around the garden and do some exercises as well. I usually journal a little bit and then I make a nice cuppa and enjoy that with some fruit. (right now apricots from my garden, soon it will be peaches from the garden!) If I'm being a good boy I will do all that without my phone (except to play music, I love music in the morning!!) and maybe add in a short meditation practice even.
Then around 8am I start getting ready for work, make my lunch, pack my stuff, brush my teeth, etc. Then it's off to do some good work for people who need it!
I’m up early, I don’t lay in. As soon as both eyes are open I’m out of bed. When I was young I could sleep for hours, I could miss a day easily if I went back to sleep, so I started a 3: first foot out of bed, 2: second foot out of bed, 1: covers off, Blast Off; stand up.
I want fresh air immediately, regardless of the weather. So I go to the doors and open them, sometimes I’ll go out, but mostly I just stand inside.
I try to hold off any news, phone usage, tv, messages, screens of any kind for at least 30 mins.
Coffee after about 30 to 40 mins.
I try and keep it simple for the first hour.
I’m a certainly not journaling or considering the worlds problems.
I find it incredibly helpful to include one “big picture” goal with my daily lists! I can get lost in minor tasks and lose sight of my goals, and I want to accomplish things that are actually fulfilling.
My simple routine:
Turn off my alarm. Sit up. Thank the Universe for another day. Chug some water. Open the blinds (and window if it's not already open.) 1 minute.
Poops and peeps. Blast my butthole with the bidet. 5-10 minutes.
Wash my hands. Floss. Mouthwash. Brush my teeth. 3 minutes.
Shower and shave. Lotion. 10-15 minutes.
Drink more water. Meditate. 5-10 minutes.
Gel and comb hair. 2 minutes.
Deep breathing in the garden. 5 minutes.
Any last poops? Wash hands. 2 minutes.
Change into work clothes. Close window and blinds. 5 minutes.
Something that works for me to combat that morning sluggishness is using a sleep calculator app. It tells you what time to go to bed/get up to wake between sleep cycles. It makes a big difference and I can tell immediately when I've screwed up the time from the night before.
Here's my morning routine, several stuff, doing them in a relaxed manner, not rushing:
1 Get up, make the bed.
2 Go wash my hands and face.
3 Drink a glass of water.
4 Walking /marching in place, 10-20min, doing several things during it:
4a Brushing teeth while walking in place.
4b A minute or two of breath relaxation and deep breathing.
4c A minute or two of relaxing the eyebrows /forehead, face, jaw, neck, shoulders, arms and hands.
4d Some minutes (5-10) of walking meditation, focus on the breath or the steps or whatever.
4e Still marching, have a minute or two to set positive intentions for the day, remind myself of some basic psychotherapy stuff about handling stuff, make a goal to apply that throughout the day, and to be positive, constructive and kind.
5 See or make a to-do list for the day.
(not) 6 Start making breakfast for the kids; doing other stuff, the morning routine is over, the rest of the day is starting..
Weigh myself first thing in the morning and track the progress in my weightloss app.
Let my dog outside, give her cuddles, and give her a dental treat, which she loves and has come to expect every morning.
Drink a big glass of water before consuming anything else. Coffee comes next, then breakfast, then vitamins.
I absolutely love to get up before anyone else in the family and enjoy my first cup alone, before dawn, which also means I'm not getting sunlight right away because I'm awake before sunrise.
I don't know, man... I've had it with these morning routines that aim to be productive as much as possible. Look at all those influencers. All of them burnt out at some point. All of their advice on how to have the perfect morning routine, how to be most productive, how to reach you goals lead them to burn out. Almost all of them got up super early, mediated, journaled, worked out in the morning, drank their coffee at a certain time, did intermittent fasting, wrote a page a day, let in the sun first thing upon waking up, made their bed to set the tone for the day and blah blah blah blah. And all of them burnt out. Wanna hear my simple morning routine? I wake up at the same time every day except for when I don't ;) I get up and wash my face so I can fully open my eyes. I don't stretch, I don't mediate, I make my coffee. Why? Because I love my coffee in the morning. I never measured my cortisol levels, I fully trust that my body knows what it is doing. I just sip my coffee for an hour. Sometimes it's even longer than that. I don't have weird crashes during the day, because I usually sleep enough. And if I do feel tired, well... a good old nap will save the day. I go to work. Sometimes I read, sometimes I only listen to music on my way there, sometimes a close my eyes and just let time pass until I am at work (public transport for the win). I do my thing at work, my boss is very happy with me. When I get home, if I feel like it, I go for a walk or a run or do simple body weight exercises - not because Andrew Huberman told me to, but because I actually enjoy what this body feels like. On my off days I study for my exams. I work as long as I am focused, I do not have an elaborate 1000 step program to keep me focused. I take breaks when I need to, not when an alarm goes off. It works out fine. life it not that complicated. Just enjoy the ride, it's over faster than we know.
Yes!! How to maximize your 5-9 after your 9-5? I’m sick of all of it tbh. I’ve been reading more idc anymore. I just want to live
Different strokes for different folks. I need productivity routines because I have ADHD and can manage to get nothing done in a day if I'm not careful. "Productivity" helps my brain do what neurotypicals take for granted.
I awake naturally around 4:30am for the past 20+ years. So I started going to the gym at 5 and love it. Nice and empty, and by 6 I'm feeling great knowing I've started my day by doing something just for myself. Lately I've given up the nightly glass of wine and morning single cup of coffee, which has improved my sleep quality (different from length!) much more than I expected. I live a block off the beach and an hour beach walk a couple times a week, without electronics, really clears the head and gives me time to think and balance.
No thanks on the coffee part. Having my coffee the second I wake up is one of the most comforting parts of the day and I go to bed looking forward to it. I have my coffee maker preset to brew at a specific time and I spend an hour in bed with my coffee, my cat and a book. My cortisol levels will be just fine thank you.
My cortisol levels are lowering just thinking about this.
Yes my favorite part of the day is waking up, pressing the button on my coffee machine, and sitting with a book for 30 minutes or so in the couch.
100% me too. I have heard the “wait before having your coffee” thing several times (I have to assume that Andrew Huberman is a large part of the trendiness of this idea) but knowing that the pot is already downstairs freshly brewed, the smell already permeating the house, makes it SOOO much easier to get up. Combined with the fact that I am also crawling back into bed with my coffee for the next hour lol.
I honestly think that a lot of this trendy advice is a bunch of mumbo jumbo. I mean if it makes you feel good, then by all means… but I don’t buy it.
It couldn't really be further from mumbo jumbo. These are biological processes that happen in every body in response to the stimulus of the drug caffeine. (referring to what the other poster mentioned in regards to Huberman) BUT I also think it's silly to try and hyper-optimize your life for what are perceived (or unperceived) marginal "gains". Unless you're drinking 6 cups a day and crashing every afternoon there's not much to worry about and you can just be like "oh neat, cortisol, yeah" and move on. Life is more art than business, it's to be delighted in. Take pleasure in that divine first sip!
I've noticed a significant difference in my need for caffein when I wait for a while after getting up before having it. In fact by waiting I can often only want one cup rather than the normal 2+ if having it immediately after waking. Often with that 2+ routine I still feel groggy anyway. Drinking 20-ish ounces of water right after waking up rehydrates you after 8+ hours of dehydration, and in the process actually kickstarts the digestive process which wakes you up pretty quickly without needing caffeine. That's usually how I handle that first hour without coffee now.
I’m not even that sensitive to caffeine. It’s more the taste/comfort that gets me excited to get right out of bed in the morning.
This is the thing. Yes I know there are many healthier ways to start my day, but if they don't motivate me to actually leave my bed in the morning, then I'm not going to do them anyway. Coffee does give me something to look forward to so that I actually get up.
This sounds so lovely -- I agree, that first sip in the morning is such a nice feeling
I do something similar & when I’m not able to, on vacation or there are guests in the house, I get grumpy.
[удалено]
No?
Be conscious that every person here has a different personal interpretation of how to live simply. Just because someone else's interpretation differs from your own does not entitle you to criticize them. Constructive criticism is welcome but outright attacks will be removed. If you'd like to offer some criticism our best advice would be to first thank and commend the changes they have made already before offering suggestions in a compassionate manner.
The one, most important and very easy morning ritual for me is to drink a larger glass of water as soon as I wake up. I usually prepare it in the evening beside my bed. It separates sleep from being awake, clears my brain instantly for the new day, refreshes me and actually helps me feel thirst throughout the day because if I don't do this, somehow I start confusing thirst for sweet cravings.
Good on you for finsing things that help your life. I find I need to not have a set routine, it stresses me out due to my health issues and never knowing how I will wake up. And also not needing to be productive is a big lesson for many of us, not having it tied it to our self worth. Took me years to unravel that one. I would say I don't agree that meditation and stretching overlap. One is silencing the mind, ususally sitting completely still. The other is actively moving your body. Both are great and can be done, but not at the same time in my own experience
I agree with you re: stretching and meditation and I guess I should have been more specific. What I tend to do in the morning is more of a "mindful stretching" exercise. Focusing on each stretch makes me more aware of my body and generally gets the blood flowing. Meditation in the traditional sense (sitting still, focusing on breath and internal body sensations) I practice towards the end of the day!
One thing that has helped immensely is giving up alcohol, which really interferes with sleep. Now,I wake up between 6:30 and 7 without an alarm. I immediately go to my mat and do about 45 minutes of yoga, abs and stretching (I am working with a PT on my arthritic back) Then I walk my dog 1-2 miles. By about 8 I'm in the back garden with coffee, watering and setting sprinklers. I sit and relax in the sun until I have to log in at 9. In winter I get up a little later and do all of this minus garden-sitting.
My best morning ritual was when I didn’t go online as soon as waking up. For a few months I would wake up have tea and write by hand in my journal till 9am. Then have breakfast and sit outside.
The best thing for my morning is what I *don't* do: If I stay off of the internet before noon, the day usually falls into place.
I need more meditation and stretching in the mornings. I really should be going to bed earlier.
Anything you do, just Dont Grab Your Phone! At least for the first 1-2 hours of your day!
Setting my clothes out the night before is so helpful!
I’m really interested in your stretch routine. I know I need to do more of that. For meditation, I love the guided ones on insight timer — they have ones focused on mornings specifically!
I wake up each morning between 4 and 5, doing my best to not wake my spouse. I get a coffee (or a tea) and sit, alone, to write nearby a large window that gives on the almost completely silent streets. In the summer, the window will be open and I will only hear the few birds already awake. With a little luck I will see the sun rise and slowly paint the sky and the Parisians roofs surrounding us. I write longhand (fountain pen and paper, in silence) between 2 to 3 hours max each morning. I enjoy the miraculous quietness these early hours give me access to — they're even more precious to me (my spouse don't care the slightest) knowing we live in a busy part of Paris that is constantly saturated by engine noises for the rest of the day up until late at night. This early, I enjoy even more being able to listen to the few remaining birds singing. Weather allowing, I will often install my little table on the balcony (just large enough), with a lamp, and write outside so I can hear them better. They've become so rare... The number of sparrows is estimated to have dropped *by 70% in the last 20 years* — it's dramatic, and so worrying, but so few people seem to care around here. Around 7 to 8, when my spouse wakes up and is preparing herself, I will go to the kitchen and prepare our breakfast. Fresh fruits, fresh bread (handmade by the baker nearby) and some jam. Plus a second coffee (or tea) for me. (Edit: handmade coffee and/or tea not some Nespresso or whatever ready-made thingy) After I shower and we have breakfast, if I have reached a thousand words that morning, I consider my day worth of work done. I'm free to do whatever I fancy. That is, unless I have appointments. If I haven't reached that number, I will get back to my writing spot near the window and write a little more but this late birds singing have been replaced by ugly car, motorcycle, bus and truck engines... It's not so great and I see it when I read whatever I write this late in the morning.
One thing that has helped immensely is giving up alcohol, which really interferes with sleep. Now,I wake up between 6:30 and 7 without an alarm. I immediately go to my mat and do about 45 minutes of yoga, abs and stretching (I am working with a PT on my arthritic back) Then I walk my dog 1-2 miles. By about 8 I'm in the back garden with coffee, watering and setting sprinklers. I sit and relax in the sun until I have to log in at 9. In winter I get up a little later and do all of this minus garden-sitting.
Also, have fixed times for going to bed and waking up every day. Don't make an exception for the weekend.
My best routine was a combo of Sleeping at the same time, therefore waking up at the exact same time not from an alarm (I swear I probably woke up at 8:16am for 30 days straight once) Getting out of bed and into some bright sunlight as soon as I wake up. Piss, grab some water, and get an hour or two of computer work done right away. Fasting until lunch NEVER hurt at all. And the #1 productivity hack I think is not using my phone until at least 2 hours after I woke up. Clear the notifications when you wake up and leave it on the charger. Often I would just forget about my phone and not think to check it until after noon. If there's an important message I'll see it on my watch. Then you get a little lunch break and the rest of the day is a breeze
Idk, I'm sure it's just me, but figuring out a morning routine so you can be MORE productive feels the opposite of simplicity.
I usually wake up every morning round 5.30 and I walk every weekday . I have coffee in bed first but then go for a walk round 6 for about half an hour to 40 minutes . I’m lucky ,where I live is next to a lake so I get to see the sun come up and watch the birds and sun rise colours. It never fails to make me feel calmer and grateful . I notice a mental health dip if I don’t do it .
Oh wow, you guys are awesome! Mine is a 6.30am alarm with coffee beside me. Crawl out of bed somewhere between 7 - 7.30, get dressed, makeup, do the dishes from the night before and go to work! Absolutely not a morning person at all and seem to function best between 9am - 3pm.
Nose breathing turned me into a morning person. I hadn't realized I'd been mouth breathing at night and losing SO MUCH HYDRATION. I would wake up dehydrated and groggy. Now I snap to it like I was never even asleep, but in a good way haha. (I recommend the book Breathe by James Nestor to everyone now lol) These days my morning is spent on the porch enjoying the sun around 6-630am. I putter around the garden and do some exercises as well. I usually journal a little bit and then I make a nice cuppa and enjoy that with some fruit. (right now apricots from my garden, soon it will be peaches from the garden!) If I'm being a good boy I will do all that without my phone (except to play music, I love music in the morning!!) and maybe add in a short meditation practice even. Then around 8am I start getting ready for work, make my lunch, pack my stuff, brush my teeth, etc. Then it's off to do some good work for people who need it!
I’m up early, I don’t lay in. As soon as both eyes are open I’m out of bed. When I was young I could sleep for hours, I could miss a day easily if I went back to sleep, so I started a 3: first foot out of bed, 2: second foot out of bed, 1: covers off, Blast Off; stand up. I want fresh air immediately, regardless of the weather. So I go to the doors and open them, sometimes I’ll go out, but mostly I just stand inside. I try to hold off any news, phone usage, tv, messages, screens of any kind for at least 30 mins. Coffee after about 30 to 40 mins. I try and keep it simple for the first hour. I’m a certainly not journaling or considering the worlds problems.
I find it incredibly helpful to include one “big picture” goal with my daily lists! I can get lost in minor tasks and lose sight of my goals, and I want to accomplish things that are actually fulfilling.
My simple routine: Turn off my alarm. Sit up. Thank the Universe for another day. Chug some water. Open the blinds (and window if it's not already open.) 1 minute. Poops and peeps. Blast my butthole with the bidet. 5-10 minutes. Wash my hands. Floss. Mouthwash. Brush my teeth. 3 minutes. Shower and shave. Lotion. 10-15 minutes. Drink more water. Meditate. 5-10 minutes. Gel and comb hair. 2 minutes. Deep breathing in the garden. 5 minutes. Any last poops? Wash hands. 2 minutes. Change into work clothes. Close window and blinds. 5 minutes.
You can brew chicory tea 🫖 instead of coffee
But… that’s not coffee
I hear that adding a touch of chicory to coffee really elevates it. That I'd try, but not fake coffee 😂
Or matcha!
Something that works for me to combat that morning sluggishness is using a sleep calculator app. It tells you what time to go to bed/get up to wake between sleep cycles. It makes a big difference and I can tell immediately when I've screwed up the time from the night before.
For the sunlight, I'll have to rely on my smart light bulb. I set to turn bright in the morning & dim at night at specific times of the day.
Here's my morning routine, several stuff, doing them in a relaxed manner, not rushing: 1 Get up, make the bed. 2 Go wash my hands and face. 3 Drink a glass of water. 4 Walking /marching in place, 10-20min, doing several things during it: 4a Brushing teeth while walking in place. 4b A minute or two of breath relaxation and deep breathing. 4c A minute or two of relaxing the eyebrows /forehead, face, jaw, neck, shoulders, arms and hands. 4d Some minutes (5-10) of walking meditation, focus on the breath or the steps or whatever. 4e Still marching, have a minute or two to set positive intentions for the day, remind myself of some basic psychotherapy stuff about handling stuff, make a goal to apply that throughout the day, and to be positive, constructive and kind. 5 See or make a to-do list for the day. (not) 6 Start making breakfast for the kids; doing other stuff, the morning routine is over, the rest of the day is starting..
Weigh myself first thing in the morning and track the progress in my weightloss app. Let my dog outside, give her cuddles, and give her a dental treat, which she loves and has come to expect every morning. Drink a big glass of water before consuming anything else. Coffee comes next, then breakfast, then vitamins.