morning routines

riparian · Post by **riparian** » Sun Dec 09, 2012 9:28 am

I've been thinking about what I do in the morning a lot. And developing routines in general, and what "good" routines are. Was it Emerson who said mornings are for thinking, daytime for doing, and evenings for reading?
What are your morning/evening routines and habits? What do you think are good or healthy or successful routines? How do you develop routines and habits?
I'm really into:

- morning journaling

- morning push ups and pull ups (every morning, contrary to science n stuff, cause otherwise I don't do it)

- late afternoon walk of about an hour
I wish I was better at:

- doing physical therapy exercises and yoga in the morning

- making lists and planning out days and stuff

- more structured learning
Developing habits:

tinyhabits.com

chenda · Post by **chenda** » Sun Dec 09, 2012 3:26 pm

I should really have a routine on the weekend as otherwise I tend to get up late, drift and get nothing done, and before I know it the day has gone. But I tend to be more of a night person than a day, I have much more energy at night. If I exercise first thing in the morning, it tends to give me more energy during the day.

dot_com_vet · Post by **dot_com_vet** » Sun Dec 09, 2012 3:51 pm

Before the daily grind set in, it was a morning dog walk for me.

Dragline · Post by **Dragline** » Sun Dec 09, 2012 4:16 pm

Best time to make your list for the next day is the night before. Planning to do something after you wake up usually does not work very well.
I do my best thinking in the morning, so if I have something that needs serious thought or writing, I will read background material the night before and then work on it in the morning.
But I like variety, so I might plan some exercise or something with one of the kids then, too.

CelticTiger · Post by **CelticTiger** » Sun Dec 09, 2012 5:28 pm

My mornings are totally hectic. I need to make improvements here. I'm happy if I get washed, my breakfast in, make DD porridge and a cup of filter coffee for the wife and my teeth brushed.
When I was 17 i managed 100 push-up and sit-ups in the morning followed by a pint of water, shower, shave and breakfast. At univeristy, I could get a gym session in before classes as well. Standards are slipping.
I bought p90x for 20% of RRP about 3 years ago (I twisted my ankle 3rd week and damaged some ligaments) and I say to myself every Sunday tomorrow I'll start the X. But it never happens.
Luckily the most important things for me in the morning are eating and getting to work and I do them every day. It's the weekends...... I'm trying to relax and not worry really. My savings rate is on target (for me - above 50%). Aslong as whatever I achieve in the whole day, week and month consistently allows high savings then I have won. I find it difficult to SMART target my life. But.... I'm here to learn from you guys. I just always seem to fail to eke out the extra few % in my day
@riparian - thanks for the link. I'll check it out

jennypenny · Post by **jennypenny** » Sun Dec 09, 2012 5:42 pm

I go to Mass most mornings and that helps me focus. I prefer to exercise in the morning, but I'm like dragline in that I do my best critical thinking in the morning, so I'm trying to retrain myself to do my exercise later in the day.
@Chenda--One of the best pieces of advice I ever got from my therapist is to treat every day the same and maintain the same basic routines whether it's the week or the weekend. That has really helped me. I still break the routine occasionally, but only for a specific reason (usually other plans) and not just for a lack of plans.

chenda · Post by **chenda** » Sun Dec 09, 2012 6:35 pm

Thanks @jennypenny, I think this is something I need to work on.

FrugalZen · Post by **FrugalZen** » Sun Dec 09, 2012 7:03 pm

"Morning" for me usually means going to bed as I work(ed) third shift...thats changed in the last week so I will see how it is.
Usually the only thing I do on a regular basis is read for an hour or three.

before45 · Post by **before45** » Sun Dec 09, 2012 11:19 pm

I wonder if other are like me: I have totally different routines in the warm months than in the cold. When it's warm and the sun comes up early, I naturally wake at dawn and get up and get all kinds of things done--I get up so early I often have a mid-morning nap if I can fit one in. When it's cold and the days are short, though, I put off getting up as long as possible (I keep my house pretty cool for environmental and money reasons) and drag around in the morning.
I should really consider moving to Hawaii. . . .

George the original one · Mon Dec 10, 2012 3:50 am

Toilet, bath, eat. Sometimes sex, but that's usually an afternoon/evening thing. Notice and enjoy (or despise) the weather/sunrise.
Ideas might come to me at any time, but the analysis is always much later in the day.

JasonR · Post by **JasonR** » Mon Dec 10, 2012 5:45 pm

My_Brain_Gets_Itchy · Post by **My_Brain_Gets_Itchy** » Mon Dec 10, 2012 6:15 pm

I also have my best brain power/clarity/focus in the morning, but didn't really understand this until recently (with-in the last two years or so).
I used to think I was a night person. In hindsight, what was actually happening was that my mind was getting so cluttered and numbed by the end of the day, it actually put me in this manic state of distraction/ADD, which I had 'mistaken' for energy. It was only when I started meditating and living a quieter 'meditative' life did I realize this.
My weekend routine now pretty much always starts with having a quick fruit shake after waking up, and then heading to Starbucks for a coffee and a book. I read for 2 hours. That simple routine for me totally changes my day as its like a 2 hour brain workout that puts me in the right place - content, calm and focused.
My weekday work routine is nothing too special.

LonerMatt · Post by **LonerMatt** » Tue Dec 11, 2012 12:30 pm

Morning:

Drag arse out of bed

Cook breakfast

Shower

Work time!
Evening:

Cooking

Strolling

Reading on the net and in bed

Calling friends and family and socialising with housemate, etc.

J_ · Post by J_ » Wed Dec 12, 2012 3:45 pm

Morning routines change in winter. First from december to april I change house from a maritime climate to a mountain climate in the Alps. Second in winter I start with a cooked breakfast and the muesli goes to the evening. Sports change from bicycle, swimming and walking to cross-country skiing and walking. Third sleeping habits change, longer in winter.

FPMLLC · Post by **FPMLLC** » Mon Dec 17, 2012 3:35 am

I work Very inconsistent hours, 12 hr swings either way weekly isn't odd. And it kills me. I am always tired, and always a zombie. But it's what I am doing right now. So I base my "mornings" on waking up. No matter where I am, when I wake up. I do 5 sets of 20 push ups. And about 10 minutes of stretching. Check e*trade. Not that I expect things to move, but it keeps it in my brain. Check my goal spread sheet, again it hasn't changed since night prior, but it puts it in my head.
If I am at work, then it's shower, pack, get ready to roll out. If I am home, cook breakfast, and hang with the family.
I am an AVID list maker, I can't function the next day with out a list. I have tried to get on board with technology. and syncing my ipad list, with iphone, and laptop. But a regular piece of paper still seems to work best for me. I just prefer the tech version since i have a record of what I had done that day.

dragoncar · Post by **dragoncar** » Mon Dec 17, 2012 2:18 pm

Morning routine: Sleep. Hit snooze as many times as humanly possible.

Maus · Post by **Maus** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 8:11 am

Arise 7ish

Shit/Shower/Shave

15 minutes of meditation

Dress

Breakfast/Pack lunch

Work (my most productive periods are 10-12a and 2-4p)

Shop/Do errands

Cook dinner/eat dinner

Read (at least two hours)

15 minutes meditation

Retire 11ish
I recognize that I need to build some dedicated exercise time into the daily routine. Otherwise it's fairly clockwork.