My Morning Quarantine Routine for Productivity & Wellness
Hello, Lovelies!
I hope you are all staying healthy & happy!
Today I would love to share the routine that I am currently trying to follow on a daily basis while stuck at home in quarantine! As much as I love having my lazy, stay-in-pajamas-all-day-and-watch-movies kind of days, maintaining a productive routine is CRUCIAL for my mental well-being. I don’t know about you, but I get stuck in ruts pretty easily. If I get tooooo carried away with sleeping in, not getting dressed, and sitting on a couch all day I lose momentum and motivation to get ANYTHING done. I am not saying relaxing is a bad thing, but I personally need to maintain a fine balance between relaxing and being productive in order to help keep my anxiety at bay (especially since being stuck at home all-day-every-day!
For the first 2-weeks of physical distancing, I stayed up late, slept in, ate meals at random times, skipped exercising, and barely changed from one pair of sweats to the next. This can be fun and empowering for a few days, but I noticed really quickly that my mental state was declining. I was finding I would slip in and out of depression more easily than usual, and feel lethargic all the time. My anxiety was also getting worse when it had been improving for so long prior to this whole pandemic. I was even feeling bloated and just all around gross all of the time from eating at strange times.
I knew I had to make a few changes to how I approached the quarantine life. Enter: my new and improved morning quarantine routine to help make my days more productive, while improving my overall wellness. Keep in mind that everyone is different, and we all thrive in different routines/environments. However, for those of you who, like me, need that balance between relaxation and productivity, I hope this will help you find a new normal until the end of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Quarantine Morning Routine
1: Wake up early(ish)
I find this first step the hardest but most important to follow! I know it can be difficult to wake up early, knowing that you have nowhere to go. BUT set an alarm for the same time everyday. You don’t have to wake up at the crack of dawn or anything, but maintaining a regular sleep schedule can work wonders for your overall health and wellness.
2: Workout / stretch
I am someone who definitely struggles with motivation when it comes to exercise and working out. BUT I cannot deny the incredible impact it has on the rest of my day when the I start it with a workout. I try to commit to 30 minutes a day, although I am human and there are days where I just can’t motivate myself to do it. Luckily, I have an incredible support system/motivator: by BAD ASS mom who is currently living her BEST fitness life! I highly recommend working out with a friend (not physically at the moment obviously). My mom and I are doing the same at-home workout program on our own time, and while she is further in the program than I am, it is extremely motivating having someone else to turn to for inspiration to keep working hard!
3: Have breakfast
This one sounds like it should be obvious, but when I was stuck in my lazy rut, I skipped breakfast most days. While this works for some people, it definitely does not work for me. I have always been a committed breakfast enthusiast, and I always have a better day when I start it with a healthy, tasty breakfast. My go-to is eggs on gluten-free toast/bagels with some avocado BUT I also love a warm bowl of gluten-free oatmeal to mix things up every now and then. Making sure to eat at a similar time everyday will help keep your stomach happy and your energy up!
4: Shower
Yeah, yeah, another obvious sounding one BUT also a very important one! Besides it being highly necessary following a workout, it is a great time to refresh, relax and energize before bucking down and working for the day!
5: get dressed
Yup… no more PJs all day. But honestly, when I throw on a cute outfit, I always feel 10-times more productive then when I lounge in my cozies all day. I find that starting my day with a fresh outfit helps me to brighten my mood and start my day feeling extra refreshed, ready to get work done!
6: Makeup + HAir
This one is just plain fun and helps me to feel a little bit more like me! It is amazing how something so simple as tossing on a bit of makeup and doing my hair just makes me feel a little more confident, and a little more bad-ass! This is particularly helpful on days when I have a lot of work I want to get done around the house or on the blog. It is a great way to feel like you are doing more than just being trapped in the house, even though you aren’t going out!
7: Tea / Coffee Time
Ya’ll know I am a tea addict so by this time of the morning I am craving a cup of cozy goodness! With a cup (or bowl more realistically) of tea by my side I am ready to get hustling and really start my day of productivity!
8: Clean your Work Space
Before I can be truly productive for the day I need to make sure my work space is neat, clean and organized! If the area around me is cluttered then my mind feels cluttered too. I can never think as clearly and get distracted much more frequently when I am trying to work in a messy space. Organizing is a great way to clear your mind and boost your productivity for the rest of the day!
9: Curate Your Music Playlist
I am not one of those people who can watch TV and get quality work done at the same time (I get way too invested in the shows I watch). Instead, I LOVE to listen to my fave playlist that I have curated specifically for when I need to be productive and get work done. I personally work better when I listen to instrumental song (movie scores, orchestras, acoustic, piano, etc.) but make your playlist according to your personal favorites!
10 : Work on your projects
At this point, I am energized, feeling fierce, and ready to take on the day! For me, this involves writing, working on the blog, researching steps to achieving my dream career, etc. For you, it could be anything from checking in with all of your friends and family members, learning a new skill, fine-tuning a hobby, or anything else that brings you joy!
I know how hard it is to find a new normal, but you can do it! Not sure where to start? Try my morning routine and see if it works for you! Remind yourself that this is all temporary, but you do not need to stop being a bad-ass boss-babe just because you are stuck at home! Keep rocking it and take advantage of this free-time to hustle and accomplish something you have always wished you had the time to do!
Stay safe and happy everyone!
Yours, happily,
Kristyn xo