My Morning Routine – zen habits zen habits

Lately I’ve been waking up early (5:30am), because I traveled to London for a couple of weeks to lead a retreat, and my sleep schedule shifted. I really enjoy it!

Someone asked me recently what my morning routine is like, and I told them: It changes regularly, depending on what I need.

That said, I haven’t shared my morning routine in awhile, so I’ll share it here. Please remember that this routine is provisional — it will change when I need it to.

Here’s what I’ve been doing lately:

• Wake and brew some coffee. I went about 6 months without coffee, and I think it was better for my sleep. But lately I’m indulging myself with some delicious coffee made with a Chemex brewer.
• Meditate. I will sometimes go for awhile without meditating, but my life is much better when I meditate. Just like my dental health is better when I floss, and my physical health is better when I exercise every day.
• Gratitude. I like to greet my day with a moment or two of gratitude. How is today a blessing?
• Prioritize. I sit and plan my day — what tasks do I need to prioritize, when will I do them? I look at my master task list, my calendar, and team project system, and then I make a list for the day. I like to have my coffee here, enjoying this moment of quietness and purpose.
• Write. Next, I’ll either write, or do my most important task. This is another beautiful moment of quiet. Continue the coffee drinking, and gratitude.
• Emails. I’ll tackle as many emails and messages as possible. Clear them out, for the most part. I give myself about 30 minutes for this, because otherwise it’ll take up the whole day. Then I move on to the next most important task on my priority list.

I used to do some movement (like exercise or yoga) here, but lately I’ve been waiting until mid-morning to move my body, and then late afternoons for harder workouts or runs.

I change my morning routine (and wakeup time) to fit my needs in different seasons. Some seasons require more quietude and reflection, others more activity and focus, others more mindfulness and movement. The morning routine should serve the needs I have at the time.

I hope this helps! Wishing you beauty and wonder in your mornings as well.