Morning Survival Kit

I have something I need to confess.

I'm a morning person.

*GASP*

Glad I got that off my chest.

Yeah, I know it's pretty weird.

But it's true. I wake up at 5am (almost) every morning and most of the time I hit the ground running.

Notice I said most of the time.

Some mornings are a struggle! Not all, but definitely some.

And when I wake up as a passenger on the struggle bus, I need to make sure I'm getting off at the next stop.

That's where my "Morning Survival Kit" comes in.

It's things I need to do to feel ready for the morning and prepared to take on the day. This will definitely change from person to person, but here are my basics:

1. A Fresh Cup of Coffee ~ Sure, instant coffee may be convenient, but it's not very good (in my opinion) and doesn't perk me up quite the way a fresh brewed cup can. I prepare my coffee every night and then just press the on switch right before I hit the shower so that's it's ready and waiting when I'm out. If you're more likely to forget to turn it on every morning, you might want to invest in a coffee maker with a timer. Or you could get a one-cup machine, like a Keurig or Tassimo, so you can be ready to go with your cup of coffee! Or 2. Or 5.
   
   
   
2. The Today Show ~ Okay, so I'll admit it. I'm basically an old lady. I absolutely love watching the Today Show in the morning. I turn on the TV right after I pour my first cup of coffee and watch my local news for about an hour and a half. Then? It's time for The Today Show!! I love it because they don't only hit the important news-worthy events that are happening all over the world; they include trending pop-culture news as well! What better way to stay in the loop than to get all of your information in one place? Enjoy your coffee, a nice balanced breakfast, and the Today Show in the morning and you'll be ready to go!
   
   
   
3. A List ~ Okay, so maybe you hate lists. I don't. I absolutely adore them. They let me see a quick overview of what I need to get done that day so I can plan accordingly! And now that I have my super cute Kate Spade Notepad, making lists is an even more exciting part of my morning! The format of your list can vary based on your specific needs, of course. My list items are short and sweet, usually one or two words, but you might need to use a full sentence to get across what you need. Shape it to fit you!
   
   
   
4. Exercise ~ I'm pretty sure every person in the world knows that exercising in the morning can help give you energy for the rest of the day. Well, here I am telling you the same thing. And trust me, it WORKS. I cannot begin to explain the difference I feel between the days I exercise and the days I don't. But I'll try! I have way more energy and I'm more optimistic about the day. You know that dragging, why-won't-this-day-end feeling? I don't get that when I squeeze in some exercise in the morning. And, of course, there are the health benefits, too.
   
   
   
5. Get Started ~ Remember that list I was talking about not too long ago? What better time to start on it than first thing in the morning? If you wake up early enough to have time, do ahead and jump on it. I have a lot of free time in the mornings, so there is absolutely no reason why I shouldn't be able to tackle at least one list item before I formally begin my day. And the great thing about this is that it gives me a jump start on my productivity. If I've already completed one task and the sun isn't even up, what's to stop me from finishing everything else?

There you have it.

My "Morning Survival Kit."

Probably not what you were expecting, since there aren't really any tangible items that you can go out and buy to make your mornings instantly better (except for coffee. Coffee definitely does that.)

But it's the little things that I do every morning that help me tackle my day, one task at a time.

Does anyone else have a similar "Survival Kit" that they swear by? I'd love to hear it. Maybe there's something missing from mine!

Morning Routine

I have something I need to get off my chest:

I'm a morning person.

Whew. Glad I got that out there. 

Some people ask me "how" I do it, and honestly...I don't know. I've always been one to just get up, get out of bed, and get stuff done. If I don't, I feel like the whole day is just going to be a complete wreck.

My morning routine goes something like this:

• Wake up (woah, how innovative), typically at 5 am
  
• Make my bed, start some coffee Or tea, depending on what I'm in the mood for that day.
  
• Exercise. his also varies based on my mood. Sometimes I go through a Zumba video, other times I just wing it, if I have Snickers I'll take him on a walk. It all depends on the day! A few of my friends like to judge me because sometimes I do Blogilates. But you should definitely try it!!
  
• Breakfast time! I almost always eat either a bowl of cereal or a cup of yogurt, with that cup of coffee (or tea) I started earlier. Or, you know, 5 cups of coffee. If you recall from this post, I have a coffee maker right next to my bed. I don't have a problem. I swear. Okay, I might.
  
• While I eat breakfast, I also take the time to read the news and catch up on my favorite blogs. I love to use Feedly for this, because it separates everything into categories and formats it so it's simple to read everything in one place. I have it on my phone, my tablet, and my computer. I definitely recommend it. Sometimes I do this in the chair by my bed, but I also love to take it out onto my balcony and get some fresh air before the rest of the complex is up (and loud. So very loud.)
  
• Now it's time to actually get ready. I shower, brush my teeth, do my hair and makeup, and get dressed. This can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and a half.
  
• Start the day! Yep, that's the last step. After I'm done with my morning routine, I just start on whatever I happen to have on my to-do list. (Have you used Todoist? It's basically saved my life.)

So I guess that's how I do it; that's how I'm a morning person. I have a routine and I stick to, it I basically just run on auto-pilot until I get dressed. Once you establish a routine that fits your lifestyle, it really isn't that difficult to maintain it. So, if you want (or need) to become a morning person, I definitely recommend establishing a routine for yourself!!

Obviously, I'm not telling you to wake up at 5 like I do; that definitely doesn't work for everyone. Just find something that works for you and stick to it! You'll be amazed what you can do (and how early you can do it) when you really put your mind to it!