EVB’s A.M. Ritual

If you are a Tie Tuesday’s regular, you know that I have set some very encouraging goals for myself. Waking up early wasn’t on the list of goals, but will play a huge part in achieving them. It’s been a long time since I considered myself a morning person. This article lays out my new “A.M. Ritual” in hopes you can help hold me accountable!

The first thing to note is that it is equally important to structure your bedtime as it is waking up early. I decided that to get adequate sleep a 10:30pm bedtime would allow me to wake up rejuvenated.

Here is the morning schedule I will be implementing in February:

Wake Up – 6am

I am choosing the “dive-in” method, but feel free to gradually work into waking up early. I plan on setting an alarm for 5:45am and 6:00am. With 7 and a half hours of no water, you may feel a little dried out. Drink some water to help you wake up and start the day on a good note.

Journal/Object Writing – 6:10am (10 min)

Creative writing has always been an interest of mine, but honing that skill is by no means an easy task. I recently stumbled upon a common practice called Object Writing. This simple concept requires two things; A random object and a 10 minute countdown timer. No more, no less. Write about anything and everything that comes to mind regarding that object and restrict yourself to 10 minutes. Any shorter and you won’t get to dive deep, and any longer you may tire yourself out for future mornings. Get your creative juices flowing early and begin your productive day!

Core Workout – 6:20am (30 min)

After waking my mind up, I plan on getting my body in the right place as well. With variations of push-ups, sit-ups, squats, burpees, etc., I will feel better and be closer to my fitness goals for 2017.

Hygiene – 7am (15 min)

Shower, floss, brush your teeth, shave…You know the drill. This should already be a priority if not for health, but also for your appearance. Look good, feel good 🙂

Get Dressed & Eat Breakfast – 7:15am (20 min)

Breakfast has been a struggle for me without a morning ritual. I generally wake up with time for a quick shower and some sort of fruit on the way out the door. I’m planning on a gradual transition to an actual breakfast since my body isn’t used to it. Starting with eggs, yogurt, or even some granola I will work my way up to an actual meal.

Commute to Work – 7:35am

My commute is around 35 minutes depending on traffic. Whether you spend this learning a new language, catching up on news, or listening to your favorite podcast I believe you should take advantage of this extra time. I am in the lookout for some interesting podcast referrals if you have any.

I am very interested in hearing your morning rituals and opinions on my new A.M. ritual. This is a new endeavor for me and I am excited to jumpstart my mornings! Feel free to tweet me @evbtuesdays or comment below.

Stay casual until next Tuesday!

EVB