How’s your new morning routine going? I’m encouraged at the slow and steady progress I’m making each day in following my New Morning Routine.
Here’s how Day 5 went for me:
6:30 a.m. — My alarm goes off. I roll over and fall back asleep for 5 minutes.
6:35 a.m. — I crawl out of bed and head downstairs to clean up the living room and kitchen. The dishwasher needs to be unloaded and re-loaded and there are quite a few odds and ends around the living room. I make a pile on the stairs of all the items that need to go upstairs and then make one trip up to put everything away.
7:04 a.m. I light a candle in the now clean kitchen and take a few minutes to answer and send some texts. Texting is one really effective way I’ve found to keep up with most of my close friends. I often text to ask what I can pray for them, to let them know I’m thinking of them and praying for them, or to just pass on a quick word of encouragement or to share a fun story to brighten their day.
7:18 a.m. — I head upstairs to our bathroom to put my contacts in and wash my face.
7:23 a.m. — I gather all the laundry from all the hampers in the bedrooms and start a load of laundry. I take the kitchen trash out of the big dumpster and then wipe the kitchen countertops off.
7:35 a.m. — I make some coffee and sit down at the kitchen table and read my Bible, write in my Blessings journal, and read 3 short chapters from Pursue the Intentional Life.
8:00 a.m. — After my Bible reading is finished, I hop online to take care of a few quick things and then change into my running clothes.
8:14 a.m. — I head out to the garage where the treadmill is and read a chapter of Love Idol while doing my walking warm-up. And then I get in a short but good run.
8:40 a.m. — When I come back in, everyone is up and around. I drink some water and switch the laundry into the dryer.
8:50 a.m. I make myself a bowl of granola, finish loading the dishwasher, and then sit down to read aloud to the kids and enjoy my breakfast. (Today we read two chapters from Brother Andrew: Behind Enemy Lines.)
9:30 a.m. — Time for me to do my Morning Computer work.
I just had to share this photo that Kaitlynn took of the clouds today. It’s so peaceful and beautiful — and makes me smile every time I see it.
How did you do on your morning routine today? Let us know in the comments!
Happy Healthy and Wealthy Girl says
I survived my 6.30 wake up for 4 days! tomorrow I am setting my alarm for 7am and it feels like a treat! on working days during summer I usually stretch for 5-7 minutes, take shower, get ready, eat breakfast, feed cats (they scream for wet food every morning) and go to work. I am excited that soon I will be done with my consulting project and be able to spend more time with kids. So my mornings will be much more exciting. 🙂
Rabea Boyle says
Hi, I just wanted to send a quick comment to Jennifer Bealmer. I saw your post above and I could really identify with how you feel with a young baby (& many other responsibilities). I want to encourage you that the reality is, no matter how organised you try to be with a young baby, you simply can’t expect yourself to be as organised, energetic or disciplined as you would usually be, or as you have been in the past, or even as other mothers are. Each of us are very different, and we need to give ourselves time and grace to recover from pregnancy and childbirth, and to adjust to the new life that the new addition to the family has brought. I am sure in time you will find a routine that works for you, I hope maybe some other women can help you out with that, but no doubt adjusting the routine to suit your life will be a continual work in progress (as life is so ever-changing).
I can remember feeling very overwhelmed when my second baby was born, but I realise now that my energy levels simply weren’t up to what they are now that I’m past that stage (I think we underestimate how much sleepless nights / broken sleep and breast-feeding take out of us). It’s a wonderful time and such a blessing, but when we feel like we’re not measuring up, it takes some of the joy out of it. I hope you find the help and routine you need, and also that this helps in some small way. God bless you.
Amber says
Does anyone have any advice on how to create routines for myself and my fiancee. I work 1st shift and am usually scheduled from 5 am to 1:30 pm or from 12 pm to 8:30 pm. He will be working from 11:30 pm to 7:30 am starting on Sunday! (So thankful that God has given him this opportunity. We have been waiting for the company to call him since he lost his last employment).
Amber says
Forgot to mention my normal schedule when co-workers aren’t on vacation are 5:00 to 1:30 on Saturday, Sunday and from 12:00 pm to 8:30 pm on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and off Thursday and Friday. He will work 3rd shift Sunday-Thursday with Friday and Saturday off.
Patricia says
I want to thank you for mentioning the You Version Holy Bible app that you use read through the Bible. I love that it reads it in many different versions and you can follow along as you read it or do other things. I am not very app knowledgeable and I downloaded it last night and I love it.
Crystal Paine says
I’m so grateful to hear this!
Amy says
I have a 2 month old so she determines my morning routine!! She woke at 7:45 and I nursed her. It’s a rainy day here so we couldn’t go on a walk. I planned to work out on our elliptical but we snuggled in bed and the next thing I knew, it was 10:30 and she was ready to eat again!! The first few weeks of this “routine-less” schedule stressed me but now I love it. Sometimes I feel guilty when we don’t leave the house all day, but I figure in a few years, we will be going to preschool, dance class, soccer practice, etc. right now we can enjoy our lazy days at home, playing and reading and getting to watch my daughter grow and learn!!!
Julie @ Logger's Wife says
Hey, you are saving gas by not leaving the house everyday. 🙂 It’s a 10-30 miles drive for me to go anywhere. We only run errands one day a week to save the fuel. Enjoy that baby and the snuggling. 🙂
Crystal Paine says
Quiet, lazy days can sometimes be some of the most memorable. Soak up the moments!
Becki @Running with Team Hogan says
My morning routine this morning had a “hit the ground running” moment. I’m sure others have this too when you wake up realizing something you forgot. I pack my husband’s lunch every morning as part of my morning routine. His gluten-free individual meals (that I make) are in the freezer waiting for me. I woke up and panicked realizing that today he would be somewhere for work with no microwave and had no food to really feed him. I scrambled to throw something together for his lunch (gf muffins, homemade gf granola bars I made yesterday, and so on), but I really sent him off to work with a lame lunch. He said he just hoped the frozen meal thawed, and he could eat it cold. I’m sure glad he isn’t picky about his food. While in the middle of all this, I started the dishwasher, and it was leaking. My husband quickly fixed it, and I got back on track. Ah, after all that adventure, I was thankful for just a “normal” morning routine to finish.
Crystal Paine says
Wow! What a morning!
And you inspire me with all your GF baking and the individual meals you freeze for your husband — what a great idea!
Suzie says
Even though I work from home, I am still have the responsibility of checking in for my shifts on time so my morning routine is the same as always. Get up at 7:30, dress, take the dog out for a walk, fix a quick breakfast and iced tea and clock in for work at 8:00. It is the same 6 days a week, on Monday’s I might get a half an hour extra, but the dog still needs to go out so we still get up. 🙂
Crystal Paine says
I love that you have such consistency in your days! What an inspiration!
Stephanie says
Ok I started and this is my day 2. I am very excited.
5:45 Walk on treadmill and listen to podcast on incourage.me
6:00 Bible study- Beth Moore-Children of the Day
6:20 get ready for work
6:45 watch a few minutes of news
7:00 Clean up small part in house
7:15 talk with BF about encouragement
7:30 head to work at 8.
So happy about doing this!
Crystal Paine says
Woohoo! Way to go!
jennifer bealmer says
I feel like my morning routine is always a mess. I have a 4 month old, and 8 year old. I also watch a 18 month old random days of the week and watch my 8 year old god daughter atleast 3 days a week.my husband leaves early and basically even trying I can never get a routine set. Ok so today im frustrated! Help!!
jennifer bealmer says
I didn’t mention im also breastfeeding so that is hard to do on routine for me.
Julie @ Logger's Wife says
I was blessed (in a way) that my now 2yr old was every 2hrs like clockwork when she was still nursing. She only got up once at night, sometimes, twice. But she was every 2hrs right up to 10m and then it was still pretty much every 3. It helped to get things done because I knew I had that time slot. It can be so hard to have any sort of routine with a nursing baby, even when they have a strict schedule. Life is broken into few hour time slots.
Of course, she is now making up for being so “easy” when she was a baby. lol
Crystal Paine says
{Hugs!} Could you just choose 2-3 things you want to do in the same order every morning and just wake up and make those 2-3 things a priority? Even if it takes you until noon to get them done, you’ve gotten something done.
Jessica Hanson says
Pretty good, making progress and feeling better about it!
Crystal Paine says
Way to go!
Maria says
We slept in again. Yesterday was an unexpected whirlwind day (I got off work super early, so I took the girls on an improv trip to the local amusement park right before they went to VBS). We’ve (even the girls) been staying up til 10:30-11:00pm all week, so I’m just rolling with it now. The girls will be going to Grandparent’s for 2 weeks on Sunday, so I’m not going to stress about the lack of routines at this point.
Crystal Paine says
Yes, sometimes you just have to roll with it and be okay with that! Sounds like you’re having lots of fun at your house!
Denise says
Do you do laundry everyday? Just curious 🙂 Also, do you just wash everything in one big load to make it simple or do you do a bunch of sorting? My mom ALWAYS sorted and did so many different batchs of laundry and I just throw everything in together. Saves me a lot of time!
Crystal Paine says
I usually try to do one load of laundry from start to finish 4-5 days per week. That seems to work well and keep us on top of laundry (well, mostly!) I don’t do much sorting — unless it’s some special item with special instructions.
Monica says
What a beautiful picture of the clouds. My kids and I always look up at the clouds and try to make animals or things out of them. I always tell them, this cloud will never form this way again so enjoy Gods beauty. I live in the CA desert and we don’t always get clouds. After many years you learn to appreciate the little things and look up! Have a blessed day. =)
Crystal Paine says
There have been so many beautiful cloud formations recently! We’ve been loving the weather here in TN!
Julie @ Logger's Wife says
I’m just jealous that your kids sleep so late! My 2yr old used to consistently sleep until 7/7:30, sometimes 8. Now, she tends to wake up when my husband leaves for work at 6:10. Sometimes she’ll sleep until 6:30. My mornings are pretty shot as she wakes up and hits the ground running. I….do not. lol
Crystal Paine says
That’s a hard stage — especially if they are waking up early. {Hugs!}
Robyn says
I am amazed at your ability to go from dragging yourself out of bed to instant productivity.
How do you do this??
It’s usually all I can do to stumble to the coffee pot, and I need at least one cup before I can consider the things I *have* to do.
Crystal Paine says
Hmm, I’m not completely sure. But I DO know that when I get enough sleep it makes a big difference on how easily I wake up in the morning. If I’ve not gotten enough sleep, I find that I drag a lot slower.
Robyn says
I need 8-9 hours of sleep to function well, and now that my kids are older, I usually get it. I still need that jolt of caffeine, though, before anything else!
I’m amazed at people who can get so much done so quickly.
I guess this is one of the disadvantages of being more of a Type B personality!
Liz says
Lol, same here. I’m still too much in sleep mode to get anything done and especially not at the amazing pace of the post and in these comments. I’m amazed at how fast people get things done. Perhaps i am a turtle.
[email protected] says
So, I originally said I was going to try and get up to run at 5 before hubby leaves for work. It happened once but I don’t think that is going to work out….. I like the idea of waking up when I wake up then following my routine. My sleep is more important! 🙂 For exercise, I go downstairs and use our elliptical and yesterday started an exercise video (which the boys found fairly amusing to watch anyways)!
Crystal Paine says
I’m so glad you have found a good system that works for you!
Sharon Piatt says
I love hearing how other women go about their morning routines. Having a morning routine is how I stay organized. If I ignore my routine, bible reading and prayer just don’t happen since life seems to eat up the rest of the day. Up at 6:30, go for a 20 minute walk, get dressed and ready, have breakfast with my husband at 7:15, tidy up the house. Then I sit down with coffee and my bible at 8:00.
Crystal Paine says
Thanks so much for sharing your routine!
Elizabeth says
Love the cloud picture. My day yesterday was no where near as productive though I said why yesterday (which I did give my husband heck about the hangers and he apologized profusely he was just tired though I still found it funny). I’m scatterbrained in the morning. I think it is because I can’t seem to get away from the midnight bedtime.
It always sounds like you have such peaceful mornings. I can’t even function until I get a cup of coffee in me.
Yesterday was a highly unproductive morning for me.
7:20 – Husband wakes me up (Kids are gone for the rest of the month w/family so I get to sleep in)/PC time/Coffee
7:50 Start cooking Breakfast for myself
7:57 Prep lunch (still cooking bfast)
8:03 load dishes
8:06 Breakfast/PC Time
8:15 Pick-up Livingroom & Bathroom
8:22 Get ready for work
8:32 PC & Coffee + still working on the getting ready thing strapping on my steel toes and such
8:38 Update Myfitnesspal
8:40 Leave for work
Compared to day 1 where I started keeping track of what’s going on that was a pretty unproductive morning. I guess we can’t run around like chickens w/o heads all the time though. Right now not trying for a schedule I’m just tracking times because I am curious where my time goes. I should start tracking the afternoons when I get home from work too maybe I could motivate myself more because it seems soon as I walk through the door all I want to do is veg.
Hope you have an excellent day today.
Crystal Paine says
Sounds like you had a very productive morning! And I love that you’re tracking your time — it can be SUCH a helpful exercise!
Ashley P says
Mine was the same as yesterday, but I also went outside and picked 32 mangoes out of my back yard. We have a tree and a huge storm blew a lot of them down, so I just picked up the ones off the ground that the bugs hadn’t gotten to yet. I kept some of the ripest and ones with splits and bruises to make baby food and put the rest in bags to give away to coworkers.
Jessica says
Yum, a mango tree!
Ashley P says
lol. A mango tree, a soursop tree, a mulberry bush, a starfruit tree, a coconut tree, and a sugar cane.
The mango and the mulberry are my most prolific growers (I just sent a bunch of berries to my MIL and she made 12 jars of jam out of them for me). The soursop keeps dropping the fruit before it ripens so I have no idea what they taste like, and I’ve only ever gotten one fruit off the starfruit tree. And I need to buy a machete so I can harvest the sugar cane, but I have no idea what to do with it once I do.
The person who owned the house before us was *definitely* from the Caribbean. 🙂
Tasha Allen says
Where do you live that you can grow all those exotic fruits!?
Ashley P says
South Florida. 🙂
Crystal Paine says
Wow! I LOVE that you have a mango tree!
Ashley P says
Come down to South Florida some spring and I’ll give you a whole box of them! I can’t seem to get rid of them fast enough! Thank God i have a lot of coworkers and friends who will take them. I just love sharing my blessings! 🙂
Tracy S. says
I did pretty good. Another 15 minute late start but all in all I did ok. Still up, clean, and dressed before anybody else and got some things done. 🙂
Tracy S. says
And reading your blog is ALWAYS part of my morning. 😉
Crystal Paine says
Aw, you’re so sweet! And way to go on your morning routine success!