According to the experts what you do first thing in the morning has a significant impact on the success of the rest of your day. In this series we ask our soloist community what rituals they use to kickstart their systems before getting down to work each day.
Do you action/plan/do anything specific to prepare for the morning, the night before?
Chalk this one up to a lesson learnt the hard way… I used to pride myself (before school aged children) on being able to remember “all the things”. One morning I thought I had nothing on and decided to treat myself to a lazy day in bed reading. It wasn’t until I received a text from someone’s PA advising me that the person I was due to be meeting was running 15 minutes late that I checked my diary. Oh, how I moved then. In and out of the shower, and into town which is a good 20 minutes away and managed to arrive just before she did, with a massively beating heart!
Long story short, I now check my diary before bed the night before! What’s on – when do I need to be where? I write my list of things that absolutely need to be done during the day. I find if I don’t have my list pre-written, I can waste the first bit of the morning faffing, where as if it is written and ready, I just get straight into it. If I am leaving early, I will get my bags and lunch ready the night before (although, lunch is almost always forgotten and left in the fridge!). And if I am exercising first thing – gym clothes out so I have to trip over them when I get out of bed!
What time do you wake up? And how do you do it?
I usually wake up between 5 and 530am. This is a sadness as I love my sleep, but I have children that just wake up naturally early – and somehow my body clock has just reset itself. Boo. I wake up naturally (sometimes helped along by a child wishing to converse!)
What is the VERY first thing you do after you wake up? If you eat, what do you eat?
During my “good” periods – the first thing I will do is a 60 second meditation; the rest of the time (usually) I check my phone..
What is your first drink of the day? Where are you when you’re drinking it?
I will always have a coffee first thing. Sometimes aforementioned children are sent out to get it for me, sometimes I will get it on my way back after exercise, or sometimes I will grab it on the way to my first meeting. So, can be at home or in the car or in a café when I drink it.
What part of your morning routine makes you feel the best?
My big girl and I have taken to having breakfast in our local patisserie once a week. They’re not officially open but they will serve anyone who wants to wander in and smell the magnificent smells and have a coffee. We don’t get a lot of time by ourselves anymore, so it is a real gift to be able to just hang out and talk about everything and nothing before we start the week ahead. One upside to us all getting up ridiculously early!
What part of the routine could you really live without?
Sometimes the monotony of getting children ready and out the door can be painful. Particularly on the days when everyone is a bit cranky. Or when we have already been subjected to flute and recorder practise. But usually, it’s a pretty well-oiled start to the day. We try and get as much done the night before, and everyone knows their bit that they have to do. I have observed that if I am cranky that sets the tone of the morning unfortunately ☹
Describe your ideal morning
Getting up before anyone else to do my exercise, coming home to drink my coffee, sit in the quiet and listen to the birds and watch the sun come up. Then out for brekkie with the whole family.
