Handcraft Your Morning

Let me tell you a secret: I’m not a naturally early riser. Two things affected me to get me to where I am today: having a job and having cats. Chiefly, it was the having cats which affected my sleep schedule. My assistants, as I like to call them, are very good at remembering when something happens especially when it involves food. However, I had to teach them to want to eat at 5 am. Once I did though, I doubt they will ever forget. So it was easy enough to handcraft my morning around their understood breakfast time.

1. Choose Your Times

Because of certain mental health challenges I have, I choose to wake up at the same time every day 7 days a week. Consistency for me is key. I may not get the same amount of sleep every night cause some nights are better than others, but I get up at the same time every day. In my case, it is 5 am. I chose this time because previously I had a job which required me to be prepared and at the office by 7:30 in the morning. I could have possibly chosen to sleep in until 6, but I like to get some stuff done in the morning before I have to go to work, so I chose to get up at 5.

Choose the time which works best for you and gives you enough time to have a routine. I suggest at least 30 minutes prior to the time you have to be out the door.

Once you’ve established your start time, you should consider your end time. My overall habit routine takes less than an hour to complete in most cases. I have budgeted more time than that to make sure I have enough time to complete the entire routine, however. Knowing how long things take is beneficial here. If you’re a 30 minute shower person, you know you need to get up more than  30 minutes before you leave so that you’re showering and dressing routine can be done properly.

2. Choose Your Habits

What do you need to do to be prepared for your day. Notice I said need, not want. This list could be short or it could be long. In my case, it’s medium and most of it I can finish in the first thirty minutes of waking up.

• Feed cats
• Feed me
• Take medication
• Prayer
• Journal
• Shower/Dress/Makeup

Notice also, beyond my journaling, I don’t consider writing a part of my morning routine. I consider that work and work goes into a different time slot than my morning routine. Handcrafting your morning routine to allow you to get to work is the point, not to do the work. If you need to write as a part of your morning routine, be sure to add it in with the requisite time to do it well.

3. Create Your Flow

Here’s where things can get a little sticky, you have to try things out and figure out where each of your component habit pieces go.

For me, some of it follows naturally. The cats wake me up because they wish to be fed. I feed them first. While I’m in the kitchen, I prep coffee and grab a spoonful of peanut butter to settle my stomach so I can take my medication. By the time the cats are done, the water is boiled for coffee and I have taken my meds. You see where this is going. I generally save journaling for last because while I like to have at least a half-hour for that, if I don’t, I don’t sweat it. However, I consider it a part of my morning routine because I do it every day in the morning.

I suggest planning out on a sheet of paper which habits go in what order and following it from beginning to end at least until what you do starts to work for you.

4. Work for the Click

I didn’t always do things the way I do now, but now I feel a little strange if a component of my routine is missing for some reason. I’ll still wake up at 5 am but I may not be at home to feed the cats, that sort of thing. You’ll know when you’ve developed the habit of how things are to be done because you won’t want to alter it anymore. Things will feel natural and comfortable.

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