My 2022 morning routine

A good morning routine lays the foundation for a good day. I’ve been trying to stick to a routine for quite a few years now, and my days always feel more productive and coherent when I start them off in a good way. With the new year, I wanted to think about if there was anything I could do differently to set myself up for success. What are the things that I want for myself? How can I form a routine that helps me get there?

The big thing that I want to put more focus on this year is to write and publish. So I wanted to make sure to incorporate that into my morning routine in a stronger way for a while. I also want to try to get through my morning without getting in front of a screen. Many mornings where I have failed to complete my routine has been due to me being distracted by something. News, notifications, emails, etc. I really want to try to “finish” my morning before I open up to information from the outside.

So, here’s my 2022 morning routine.

  • Wake up.
    I’ve always identified as a morning person, and I love getting an early start to my day. A change I made a few months ago was to set my alarm for 7 hours after I went to sleep. That’s instead of having it set for a particular time every morning. It’s has been a good practice, but it has also led to me not always getting in bed in time. I’m going to change my habit a little bit, and try to set my alarm for a time that allows me to get through my routine before my kids wake up. This usually means 6:45. And since my new routine needs 1:15, that means that I should be out of bed by 5:30.
  • Water and morning clothes.
    I start the day with a glass of water and get into my morning clothes. That’s basically another way to say “my workout clothes”. This should be done in no more than 5 minutes.
  • Writing for 30 minutes.
    This one is new. I used to read for 30 minutes, but as I said I want to focus more on writing and publishing. So my primary focus in this edition of my morning routine will be to write. I’m not sure what those 30 minutes will look like yet. If nothing else, I’ll sit down to stare at a blank page for 30 minutes.
  • Workout 15 minutes.
    My routine for a while has been a 30-minute session every other morning. That hasn’t worked great, so I’m trying this short, everyday routine for a while instead.
  • Get dressed.
    No more than 10 minutes. Shower included.

At this point, I’ll consider my morning routine to be done. I’ll say good morning to the family, and I might help the kids get ready and ship them off to school. Once the house is empty I’ll sit down in front of the computer and get going on the day. That always starts with reviewing my to-do list and my various inboxes to make a plan for the day. Once that’s done, I’m off for the races.