The coronavirus pandemic has made everything a little but different in our lives. For many of us, school, work, and even our social lives have been confined to a computer screen. Suddenly, everything can be done online and in our pajamas. But does that mean it should?
While some people may not love the idea of waking up at 6 am every morning to go to an office job, I think there is a part of people that craves that. We crave structure and something in our day to look forward to. Usually, it has been getting home from work. But what happens when you work, sleep, exercise, and live in the same place?
Quarantine has made us all rethink our routines and refine them. But no matter what your routine is, you want to begin your day in a way that will propel it to go in a good direction. I do this by starting my day with cleaning, affirmations, quiet time, a workout, a shower, and then getting dressed. You might want to narrow it down to one of those things, or maybe add on to that. Start your day off in a way that will make you proud of all that you’ve accomplished before noon, though.
Here’s how I establish a healthy morning routine that keeps me productive, especially during that work from home life!
Clean
This doesn’t have to be the deep clean your house has been needing for months now, but it can be if you want. I never leave my room unless my bed is made. Literally, it’s one of my pet peeves. I also fold my pajamas as soon as I step out of them and either place them on my bed or in the laundry basket.
Cleaning helps literally and figuratively get rid of the clutter. If you live in a clean space, you are less likely to get distracted by the mess and more likely to do the actual work that is needed for the day. I suggest to clean as you go as well — if you make a mess, clean it up before you move onto another task.
Affirmations/Gratitude
Start your day in reflection. I write down 5 affirmations about myself every morning. This gets my mind in a place where I am already loving and taking care of myself before I even start to work. I also will pick one of those affirmations and write it on my hand to remember all day. Some people like to write what they’re grateful for, too. Look at the day before and write down a few of the highlights. This will also set your mind in the right place to go forward and keep with a positive mindset. You don’t even need to follow this specific idea — you could also start reciting a mantra. There is a sound on TikTok that goes, “I am healthy, I am wealthy, I am rich, I am that bitch” — maybe start reciting something like that to yourself every morning and see what you manifest!
Work Out
You do not have to burn all your calories in the first hour of the day, but try to get your body moving. I try to do a 20-30 minute power yoga flow every morning. This wakes my body up and stretches me out where I might have been stiff the day before. Some people love to walk in the morning, and spend the first part of their day outside in nature. Whatever it is, get attuned with your body and start to move it! You’ll be surprised how invigorating it will be.
Learn Something
This might be the most overlooked part of my healthy morning routine, but I try to learn something new every day before noon. Most of the time, I’ll put on a news podcast when I’m drinking my morning coffee. Other times, I’ll try to read a chapter of a book, or look up something on an online magazine. I’m not saying you should create a research paper with the information you gleaned during your morning time, but do try to find one thing that interests you and that you’d never thought of before!
Get Dressed and Get Ready
You may have nowhere to go, but still, get dressed. HuffPost wrote an amazing article about why you should still be getting dressed every day for work, even if you don’t formally have to ‘go’ to work. Getting dressed stimulates something in our brains that then gets us ready to do things and start the day. Some days, I get dressed and just go to the grocery store or Target, just to do something and go somewhere.
While these habits are all great ways for you to start your day with a healthy morning routine and get work done, understand that above all else, you need to be forgiving of yourself in these times. Some days, you won’t get out of your pajamas. Some days, the yoga mat will remain rolled up in the corner. You’re allowed those days. You’re allowed to have times when you don’t want to even start the day. Be forgiving and kind to yourself during this season of your life.
What are your favorite ways to establish a healthy morning routine? Let us know in the comments below!
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