My Morning Routine in Detail

I really like my morning routine so far.

Going to bed is a part of the routine. I switch off all electronic devices at 9:30 except the computer where I write the blog post, and the iPad where I make the illustration. What you read in the morning is what I wrote the night before. Then I read in bed before going to sleep by 11 PM.

I naturally wake up at around 6 AM these days. If I don't, my wife's alarm wakes me up at 6:30.

First I pee, then wash my face with cold water. It really wakes me up.

Then I drink a full glass of freshly drawn water. I have spent a few mornings ignoring this step and my body can immediatelly tell the difference.

By this time Olive is awake and alert. She is watching my every move. She knows we walk in the morning and she will make sure it happens every day. I generally avoid eye contact with Olive while I put away dishes from the dishwasher or any other chores left over from the night before. I took the recycle bin to the street this morning, and the trash to the trash bin.

Then Olive and I walk. She is usually quite spirited in the beginning. We go around the block and we enjoy the slow Florida morning watching the humidity and heat rise with the morning light. Olive starts grazing towards the end of our walk. It is a challenge getting her back home.

I make an omlette with two eggs. Just a simple dish, no adders. I eat it quickly with some spicy ketchup.

Then I make our bed. This is my new obsession. I like to pay attention getting the blankets tucked in just right. I am going for tight hospital corners and a taut bed surface. This bed stays pretty set even after pets sleeping on it all day and us lounging on it in the evenings.

Then I clean the cat litter before jumping into the shower.

By the time I leave for work, I have accomplished many tasks fully. It feels like I had a full and productive morning and the tone of my day is set. The morning routine takes about ninety minutes from start to finish. I feel very grateful for being able to do it all.

I used to roll out of bed and into the shower. I would still be waking up when I got to the office. I needed the coffee.

None of that any more.

In Defense of Routines

In defense of routines that are not created as just substitutes, here are a couple of routines I have been developing in the last few months that are actually making my life a little better.

Morning routine

I start winding down by 9:30 PM, no electronic devices from this point on (writing the blog post is the only exception)
In bed by 10:30 PM and I read one of three books at my bed side table
Wake up naturally without an alarm at around 6:30 AM
Wash my face and drink an entire glass of water
Take Olive for a walk
Make a smoothie / omlette
Scoop the cat litter
Jump in the shower and off to work
Note: no time allocated for checking social media

Gym routine

Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings are gym days (I want to add a 4th day later).
Drive to the gym, 20 mins
Warm up on a cardio machine, 5 mins
Interval cardio, 90 sec of high rev, 30 sec of low rev... repeat till I can't do it any more, which is about 20 min at this time
Weight circuit, this is designed with 10 machines and 10 aerobic step exercises, done alternately over 30 mins
Stretch for 10 mins
Drive home, 20 mins

I am staying midfull of diversions from this routine. I let diversions happen. If they seem like a good idea, I include them in the routine. I do the same to take things off the routine. The intent is to be only as rigid to develop a habit but still flexible to let it improve.

My friend Chuck recommended a Saturday routine that I will explore in the next few weeks.

What routines do you have that you really like?