Finding the Perfect Morning Routine!

Perfect Doesn’t Mean SAME.

Because we’re in the middle of a world that is full of DOing, morning Routines can be a little intimidating. First things first, they don’t have to be perfect. They also don’t have to look the same every single day. Let’s be honest, life happens. As long as you feel good about your morning routine, BE with it. 

My personal morning routine changes from day to day and it looks a lot different than it looked 3 years ago. At the Pilates Barre Studio, we aim to create an environment that allows you to move your body in ways that feel good and move your mind and soul toward being the best version of you that you could possibly be. But really, being the best version of you, starts with your morning routine. 

4 things you should know about morning routines:

Keep it reasonable. 

If you know you’re not a morning person, don’t make a list of 18 things to do before you need to be somewhere. If you know it’s not really realistic for you to wake up at 4am, don’t expect that you’re going to try it one day and just pop out of bed. Instead, try waking up 20 minutes before your alarm typically goes off and add one thing that’s important to you into your morning. 

If you don’t already have an established routine, start small.

Think about what makes you feel alive and energized. Start incorporating those things, but set a limit. If time with your coffee is what soothes your soul, do that! 

Your morning routine doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. 

Social media can place expectations on us that seem out of reach, which could leave us feeling overwhelmed and failed by what our routines are “supposed” to look like.  Find something that works specifically for you and roll with it.

If you’re struggling to keep with your morning routine, make a nightly list of what you want to accomplish when you get up. 

Your morning routine doesn’t have to look the same every single day. Make a list at night of what you want to accomplish the next morning before you “start your day”. I like this tactic because rather than rolling over and grabbing my phone, I grab my list. Also, because I find a lot of satisfaction in crossing things off of lists.

We wanted to show you what our morning routines look like in hopes of inspiring you to find what works for you! 

Stephanie: This time of year my morning revolves around keeping myself and my kids healthy! I start the morning with drinking about 12oz of water before I’m even out of my pjs. Two mornings of the week, I get right on the bike, then start the rest of my day.  The other mornings, I try to get in a daily devotional before I go straight into mom mode (this doesn’t always happen!). After getting the kids ready, I have elderberry syrup, an emergen-c with my digest plus probiotics mixed together, and last I have a coffee throughout the morning. I wait to eat until I’m hungry which is usually around 11:30/12. My workouts then happen throughout the day because I have the flexibility in my schedule! 

Harley: Whenever I wake up, I do some sort of movement. Whether it’s stretching in bed or getting on my yoga mat and doing a little movement there. I drink a cup of water; I like to switch it up. More often than not in the winter, it’s hot water with lemon in it to help cleanse my body. In the summertime, it’s typically water with fruit in it. No matter what kind it is, I try to drink at least a cup before I have my coffee. I practice mindfulness each day whether it’s reading a few pages of a book, writing in my journal, or meditation. I’m one of those people who thinks about food the moment their eyes open, so I’ll make breakfast. My favorite is a smoothie and a slice of avocado toast with turmeric powder and sliced tomatoes. Then I’ll open my planner to start checking off my daily list! 

Olivia: Wake up- protein, plants, + planning! 

My morning consists of waking up my brain with a warm cup of joe with my favorite protein powder frothed in.

I prepare my shaker of greens, reds, collagen, & mushroom powder to have for later in the morning when I need a boost of brain power.

I then check my calendar and reminders list to prepare for my day. Knowing where I need to be & when to be there, is an important part of my daily teaching schedule. This helps me optimize my in between time, to get other life tasks done too! 

Some mornings are tough to get out of bed, others I spring up and get right into action. It’s important, I think, to have some sort of consistency, but to know that no two mornings are the same. Healthy habits at least help keep you moving through the slower mornings with a little more ease!

Place priority on your morning routine. Rachel Hollis says if you need to show up for a meeting at 9 as your best self, you can’t wake up at 7:45, rushing and scrambling through the morning, and expect to have your head on straight once you get to work. Take your YOU time. Regardless of where you need to be, you want to show up as your best self. It’s your job to figure out what gets you there. 

In Strength and Confidence,

Harley

The Pilates Barre Studio