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Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: richcatpoorcat on September 26, 2014, 04:21:07 PM

Title: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: richcatpoorcat on September 26, 2014, 04:21:07 PM
A lot of the podcasts and authors I listen to discuss the habits and routines done in the morning that set the day up for success.
Everybody is different and has the routines that allow them to perform at their best but what are some of your morning rituals and activities?

 My day almost always starts around 5 am in which I wake up to my coffee freshly brewed via auto start.
I usually drink coffee and browse the web/journal and goal set from my standing desk till about 5:45 and after that its straight to the treadmill.
I walk/run while listing to a mix of business podcasts with a few high energy songs laced in to get my mind fully energized.
I end this with a freezing cold shower, breakfast,and Im off to work by 7:45.
This almost always jump starts my day and gives me the sense of momentum since I have already accomplished several goals before evening arriving at work.

What about you?
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: surfhb on September 26, 2014, 04:24:38 PM
Coffee and my iPad for about an hour or so....surf or gym....errand if needed....nap....off to work (3-1130pm)
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Beric01 on September 26, 2014, 04:37:31 PM
I have a poor morning routine. I recognize it really needs to change.

I wake up around 8:30, and lay in bed for 10 minutes asking myself why I haven't gotten out of bed yet. I finally get up and brush my teeth. I get dressed in my biking clothes (shorts and a t-shirt - I despise spandex) and put my work clothes in my panniers. I then make my lunch (a sandwich, fruit, etc.) and pack that in my bike bag, as well as put in my breakfast (usually some cereal bars or other cheap carbs). Then it's down to the parking garage, unlock my bike, and off to work. Work is about a 10-15 minute bike ride away. When I arrive, it's off to the showers, then put on my business casual and back to my desk to get to work, while eating food of some sort. I generally get into work before 10AM and leave after 6PM (I work a lot with folks in Asia, so evenings are more important than mornings).

My idea morning would be to get up an hour earlier and go for a run/push-ups, making myself a pot of oatmeal before going off to work. Now how to motivate myself to get up earlier... (I'm probably more of an evening person).
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Kriegsspiel on September 26, 2014, 07:03:36 PM
0530 wake up
-brush teeth and put on clothes-
0545 leave for work
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Zikoris on September 26, 2014, 07:18:12 PM
I used to do 15 minutes of cardio (exercise videos) first thing, and found it really woke me up. That's since fallen by the wayside.

Now my routine is:

6:45 - get out of bed and into shower
6:55 - get dressed and pack lunch (clothes laid out the night before)
7:00 - breakfast and brief online time - Mint, MMM forums, Facebook, email (boyfriend makes my breakfast while I get dressed, then goes back to bed)
7:10 - walk to work, for a 7:30 start time
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: lifejoy on September 26, 2014, 07:29:23 PM

A lot of the podcasts and authors I listen to discuss the habits and routines done in the morning that set the day up for success.
Everybody is different and has the routines that allow them to perform at their best but what are some of your morning rituals and activities?

 My day almost always starts around 5 am in which I wake up to my coffee freshly brewed via auto start.
I usually drink coffee and browse the web/journal and goal set from my standing desk till about 5:45 and after that its straight to the treadmill.
I walk/run while listing to a mix of business podcasts with a few high energy songs laced in to get my mind fully energized.
I end this with a freezing cold shower, breakfast,and Im off to work by 7:45.
This almost always jump starts my day and gives me the sense of momentum since I have already accomplished several goals before evening arriving at work.

What about you?

Uhm... That sounds super great. I might borrow some of those ideas!
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: domustachesgrowinhouston on September 26, 2014, 07:34:18 PM
During the school season:

Wife gets up at 5:30, gives me my preparatory wake up.  Comes back at 5:55, gives me my 5 minute warning.  Draaaaag my ass out of bed at 6 (or 6:05, 6:10, or 6:15).  Drink coffee, stare stupidly.  Drink more coffee, say good morning to everybody.  Drink more coffee, start getting ready for work.  7 - walk the kid to school.  7:20, finish getting ready whatever I didn't have time to do before.  Ride to work whenever I'm done with that.  Drink coffee.  Drink more coffee and start reading emails.

During the summer season:

Wake up when the sun wakes me up.  Get up and go to work.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: La Bibliotecaria Feroz on September 26, 2014, 08:06:31 PM
5:00: Husband's alarm goes off. Lie in bed half-awake.
5:30: Fall back to sleep.
5:45: Wish husband would get dressed downstairs.
6:00 Hear at least one toddler demanding the potty. Take offspring to potty and put back to bed.
6:25: Fall back to sleep.
6:35: Final wake-up call from toddler(s). Place all three of us in older son's double bed out of desperation and let them crawl on me until I am ready to face the day.

My morning routine may also need improvement...
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: sheepstache on September 26, 2014, 09:02:59 PM
My idea morning would be to get up an hour earlier and go for a run/push-ups, making myself a pot of oatmeal before going off to work. Now how to motivate myself to get up earlier... (I'm probably more of an evening person).

You can make oatmeal in a slowcooker starting the night before if that helps?
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: marblejane on September 26, 2014, 09:17:48 PM
My current routine-

5:30am NPR comes on
5:50am Get out of bed
6:00am walk dogs
6:20am feed dogs, pack lunch & breakfast
6:30am Pack bag
6:45am Bike to work
7:15am Arrive at work, shower
8:00am Grab coffee, arrive at desk, eat breakfast

Generally, I've found that getting up early, getting some kind of exercise in, and then getting to work early enough to get a jump on email sets me up for a good day.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: mudgestache on September 26, 2014, 09:48:16 PM
4:40am Hubs alarm starts its never ending cycle. Buzz slap repeat.
5:30am Hubs gets out of bed and out the door
7am      Alarm goes off for me. Buzz slap repeat
7:15am Drag out of bed, make sure kids are up and moving
7:30am Drive kids to 3 different school
8:15am Go back to bed
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Emilyngh on September 26, 2014, 10:12:29 PM
-Around 7:30-8:30 am, whenever I happen to naturally wakeup- get up.

-About 3 days a week: wash face, brush teeth, get dressed, go downstairs, drink coffee, visit with DH/DD and then around 9-9:30 leave for work (where I eat oatmeal at my desk as I take care of email, and well, do my work).

-Other 4 days a week: stay in pj's, go downstairs and drink coffee, visit with DH and DD, around 10am possibly eat (often cooking a nice breakfast) and then get dressed to leave the house to go for a walk, or run some errands, or do some yard work, or possibly stay in pj's all day.

Ahhh, the routines that enable me to perform at my best for my super successful life!
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: lifejoy on September 26, 2014, 11:14:36 PM
So... You guys wake up waaaaay earlier than I do. When are y'all going to bed?!
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Beric01 on September 26, 2014, 11:35:20 PM
So... You guys wake up waaaaay earlier than I do. When are y'all going to bed?!

I go to bed as early as 1AM or as late as 3AM. I generally try to ensure 7-8 hours of sleep, but sometimes I get addicted to researching things on the Internet - like new ways to save money as of late.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Zikoris on September 26, 2014, 11:56:31 PM
So... You guys wake up waaaaay earlier than I do. When are y'all going to bed?!

Usually around 11 for a 6:45 wake up time. I find if I go to bed earlier, I'm exhausted when I get up. Definitely look forward to retiring the alarm clock the same day I retire :)
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Spartana on September 27, 2014, 01:39:00 AM
Get up at sunrise
wash face, brush teeth, put hair in a pony tail (DO NOT put on make up)
throw on some shorts, tee shirt and running shoes
make a cup of instant coffee to take with me
walk to park close to my house
run in park
walk home and have breakfast
ride bike to beach and along bike path
play beach volleyball
ride home and eat secondsy breakfast (brunch)
go online, read MMM
don't go to work...ever :-)!
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: expatartist on September 27, 2014, 01:54:11 AM
6 or 6:15am: Alarm. Hop in shower.
6:30: Catch up on social media
7ish: Wheel electric bike out of apartment entryway to elevator. Ride to work, dodging pedestrians, tuk-tuks, DIY jerryrigged vehicles the whole way, not unlike this film of San Francisco traffic chaos from 1906: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10150117648442761&set=vb.716992760&type=2&theater It jolts you awake faster than a cup of coffee
7:30: Smile and say 'nimen hao' to guards at work gate
7:45: Make Vietnamese coffee & DIY oatmeal (winter)/muesli (summer) in staff room. Catch up on emails and get ready for the day
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Canadian Nicole on September 27, 2014, 06:53:29 AM
Yoga or meditation every morning without fail after shower and before anything else.   The single biggest life-changing habit I could have ever imagined.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Zoe on September 27, 2014, 07:04:48 AM
I am unemployed right now, but it's like this:

Husband gets up at 5 something in the morning. I haven't been hearing his alarm as of late.

I set my alarm for 8, since the toddler is awake somewhere around that time. He's almost 3 and I still have him in his crib, heh. It was mostly because when we lived in a 2 story house, all bedrooms were upstairs, plus the cat litter. I didn't want him either falling down the stairs (we had a gate, but still) or eating dirty litter.

We're in a one story now, so I will be converting his bed shortly. We need to get all of our crap somewhat organized and look out for potential toddler hazards first.

I keep hitting snooze until about 8:30 and finally drag myself out of bed. Pee! Brush teeth. Get toddler. Change his diaper. Shuffle into kitchen and get coffee going (french press). Get toddler his bowl of yogurt. We eat & drink in the living room. He usually watches a movie or something while I surf the internet and "wake up" with my coffee.

After an hour or 2, I finally start doing stuff around the house and play with toddler. Now that the weather is cooler, I want to take him on walks (we did the other day! It was nice!) and go outside and play (we now have 4 acres...about 1 or so is yard, the rest is trees).

My routine sucks.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Dan_at_Home on September 27, 2014, 07:11:11 AM
I would say that there is no universal "best" morning routine.  Instead, customizing your morning routine to meet your most important goals is what is key.   

If your main number one goal in life is to make a living running a blog, then spending your morning find ways to make your blog better is probably the best morning routine.  On the other hand, if your main number one goal in life is to reach FI, then spending your mornings finding ways to reduce your cost of living is the best use of your time.  Thus, remain flexible, don't constrain yourself to some routine doing things that don't help you personally just because people say that is what is best to do in the morning.

 


   
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Mrs. Frugalwoods on September 27, 2014, 07:19:19 AM
We've found that our day has a much better tenor when we spend our mornings together. And so, every single day (usually on the weekends too--sometimes we'll sleep an hour later on Saturdays) we do the following:

6:00am: alarm, husband and I get up and make the bed together
6:01am: we give our frugal hound ear rubs and scratches before she gets out of her bed because she's ridiculously cute in the AM
6:10am: I take frugal hound out for her walk while husband makes our coffee and oatmeal (NPR is turned on)
6:20am: we eat breakfast together and talk
6:30-8:00am: we work collaboratively on our blog and other side projects we do together outside of work
8:00-8:30am: Shower, get dressed, husband takes dog out again, depart for work (he on bike; me in 18-yr-old car)

Having the same routine every morning is relaxing and productive for us.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Rural on September 27, 2014, 08:55:45 AM
4:40 alarm goes off, we start hitting snooze.
4:50 or 5:00 I get up to make coffee and feed cats
5:00 or 5:10 start trying to rouse him
5:20 him to shower, I get our clothes together, start toast for breakfast, start making lunch
5:35 my shower and get dressed
5:45ish  we eat and drink coffee while reading the news together
6:30 or 7:00 Feed dogs, finish making lunches, he leaves for work
I run errands, set up crockpot or laundry, whatever needs doing, and leave for work between half an hour to three hours after him, unless I'm working from home that day, in which case I get started because early mornings are my most productive time.


Next semester my whole routine will change again when the schedule does, but up through 6:30 will be about the same.


I go to bed by 9:00 pm, but he needs much less sleep (or says he does; note who has to try to roust whom from bed). I think he's usually up until 11:00 or so.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: DarinC on September 27, 2014, 10:38:12 AM
I generally like to go for a ~10 minute run after I stumble out of bed, take a cold shower, get dressed, make breakfast/pack lunch, and roll out the door. Fortunately my job is fairly flexible in terms of time so I usually come in between ~9:30-10:30 unless I have a meeting or something.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: marblejane on September 27, 2014, 03:59:58 PM
So... You guys wake up waaaaay earlier than I do. When are y'all going to bed?!

I find that I need to be in bed with the lights out sometime between 9-10pm in order to feel good waking up around 6am. Sometimes I want to get in bed at 8:30pm!
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Prepube on September 27, 2014, 05:32:26 PM
I go to bed between 11pm and 1:00 am. 
5:30 am Dog 1 wakes me up, I let him out, go back to bed.
5:45 Dog 2 wakes me up.  I let her out, let the other one in, and go back to bed.
6:05 Dog 3 wakes me up,  I let her out, let the other one in, and go back to bed.
6:07 Dog 3 starts barking, I get up, let her in, go back to bed.
6:15 Alarm goes off, cat 1 jumps on my chest, I throw him off and go back to bed.
6:20 Snooze alarm goes off, cat 2 jumps on my chest, I throw her off and go back to bed.
6:25 Snooze alarm goes off, Dog 1 starts to bark, I throw the alarm at the dog and go back to bed.
6:30 Cat 2 jumps on dog 3, I give up and make Peet's Major Dickason coffee.
6:34 Read the day's news delivered by Google.
6:50 Shower, shave, shit, not necessarily in that order.
7:00 hop in the prius and drive to the office.
7:40 Make Peet's Major Dickason coffee
7:45 e-mail
8:00 first meeting of the day...
5:00 pm Hop in the prius and drive home.

On days I work at home, add a run or walk between the bed and the Keurig.


Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: ZMonet on September 27, 2014, 05:40:40 PM
3:45 am -- wake up
3:45 - 3:50 am -- clean up dog's pea pads
3:50 - 4:15 am -- check/respond to emails; surf
4:15 am to 5:35 am -- elliptical (1000 calories -- yeah, not really a 1000 calorie burn but it gives me a challenge to shoot against)
5:35 am to 5:45 am -- abs, pushups, pull-ups
5:45 am to 6:00 am -- shower, get dressed
6:05 am - grab breakfast bar and out the door to catch commuter bus

two days a week I telework and add in T25 workout as well.

I find the exercise during the morning primes my productivity and gets me motivated/de-stressed for the day.



Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: CabinetGuy on September 27, 2014, 05:59:54 PM
5:30, dog wakes us up.  I let him out, feed him.  Get coffee going for me, boil water for SO's tea.

Watch news (I hate this, SO won't budge.)

6:15 on the button, dog starts harassing me to take him on his walk around the neighborhood.

6:25, make three eggs and toast with an avocado.

6:45 make lunch, stuff it in cooler and give dog an ice cube (he runs over every time I take the ice bin out and empty into cooler.)

6;55 out the door to beat traffic and get the best spot to set up my saws on the jobsite (sorry, riding a bike with all of my tools is a no-go.

Home by 5.

Groundhog Day everyday...
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: tracylayton on September 27, 2014, 06:09:29 PM
Two cups of coffee from the coffeemaker that was set up the night before, check bank statements, emails, cnbc, and wave goodbye to 13 year old as he catches the school bus. Then, it is time to walk 3 to 4 miles, shower, and eat breakfast.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Mrs. PoP on September 27, 2014, 06:32:44 PM
5:00 alarm - get up, power AC off, have cold drink, read the interwebs for 15 while Kitty PoP kills me with kindness in the hopes of food. 
5:15 - feed Kitty PoP and pet some more, change for run / workout (wake Mr PoP if he is coming with), prepare water bottle with caffeinated crystal light (my only caffeine is during morning runs, it's become a very pavlovian thing)
5:35 - depart for run listening to audiobooks or podcasts, say hello to the guy walking his golden retrievers and the kids waiting at the school bus stop outside our neighborhood, then wave to the old guys that meet at the 7-11 to go for 2 hour walks every morning...
6:30 - return from run, prepare smoothie and decompress with smoothie on patio while Mr PoP showers
6:45 - shower, dress in biking clothes, pack work clothes in biking bag
7:00 - make sure we've both got our lunches and are synced on schedules for the day
7:20 - depart on bike for work
8:00 - arrive at work, organize my day for 10-20 minutes
8:20 - change into work clothes and start on "to dos"
9:00 - everyone else starts showing up at the office...

Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: alsoknownasDean on September 27, 2014, 07:08:43 PM
Mine's probably not ideal :)

7:00 - alarm (radio) goes off, listen to it whilst waking up
7:35 - get out of bed, go to shower, brush teeth/hair, shave, get dressed, etc
8:10 - grab everything I need and leave for work
9:00-9:10am - arrive at work

I definitely think I can optimise it somewhat. I tend to get out of bed after the 7:30am news on the radio (not awake enough when the 7am one comes on). I reckon if I changed my alarm to 6:45, I could probably be awake enough to be out of bed once the 7am news is done.

I find the radio works a lot better at waking me up than the buzzer (or my phone) does.

I'm looking at moving pretty soon. Looking to change a 55min commute via the train to a 30min commute by the bike. Unfortunately the rent's going up a fair whack too. Oh well, it's worth it.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Exhale on September 27, 2014, 07:38:15 PM
Shower the night before
Pack lunch night before

6:55AM (I usually wake before alarm goes off)
- Wash face, brush teeth
- Make coffee in thermos and a slice of toast w/PB
- Make bed
- Get dressed
- Check that backpack has essentials
- Place thermos and toast and lunch in backpack
7:18AM Catch bus
7:30AM At work
- Eat breakfast at work while reading work e-mails
- Love to get there before co-workers, best work of the day gets done 7:30-9AM


Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: HappierAtHome on September 27, 2014, 07:44:02 PM
So... You guys wake up waaaaay earlier than I do. When are y'all going to bed?!

Go to bed 9.30ish, get up 5.30 on a good way, little later if I'm struggling.

Get up, drink coffee and eat breakfast, shower, dress, minimum makeup/hair I can get away with. Then 45 minute commute by PT and foot, to arrive at workplace usually between 7.30 and 8.

For me, the bits that create 'success' are eating a good breakfast, ensuring my personal appearance is appropriate for the workplace, and being one of the first people to arrive at work. Earlier I get in, earlier I can leave, and that time means a lot to me in the late afternoon.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: NinaNina on September 27, 2014, 08:31:03 PM
Often, my favorite moment of the day is my husband bringing me a cup of coffee in bed.

About 20 minutes later, I walk my son to school, 25 minutes up the side of a mountain.

Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: MsRichLife on September 27, 2014, 11:18:40 PM
- Wake up to sweet toddler kisses and snuggle in bed for 20 minutes or a screaming toddler demanding I get up immediately (sometime between 5:30am-7:00am)
- Feed toddler breakfast
- Draw with toddler while I eat breakfast
- Help toddler get dressed
- Toddler 'helps' me get dressed
- More drawing or block building or cuddles
- Clean teeth whilst trying to convince toddler to clean teeth
- Pack my bag for work
- Out the door with kisses and cuddles from toddler

It usually takes me 2-3 hours to get out the door from the time I get up, but I'm very thankful for my leisurely mornings with the boy.
Mornings are no longer 'productive' time, but they are quality time.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: richcatpoorcat on September 28, 2014, 06:44:11 AM
Loving all of the great responses.
From what I can deduce, coffee is a constant variable in just about all of these : )
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: lifejoy on September 28, 2014, 08:08:31 AM
Wake up at 8 or 9 if my husband is away, 6-7:30 if he is here (he works earlier than I do).
Read in bed. Eat breakfast.
Try to convince self to walk or bike to work. Sometimes walk or bike, sometimes drive.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: frompa on September 29, 2014, 05:43:39 AM
"0530 wake up
-brush teeth and put on clothes-
0545 leave for work"


HA HA - Kreigssp -- the simplicity of this is a thing of beauty.  And I'm so glad you put on clothes. 
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: fallstoclimb on September 29, 2014, 06:24:12 AM
We've found that our day has a much better tenor when we spend our mornings together. And so, every single day (usually on the weekends too--sometimes we'll sleep an hour later on Saturdays) we do the following:

6:00am: alarm, husband and I get up and make the bed together
6:01am: we give our frugal hound ear rubs and scratches before she gets out of her bed because she's ridiculously cute in the AM
6:10am: I take frugal hound out for her walk while husband makes our coffee and oatmeal (NPR is turned on)
6:20am: we eat breakfast together and talk
6:30-8:00am: we work collaboratively on our blog and other side projects we do together outside of work
8:00-8:30am: Shower, get dressed, husband takes dog out again, depart for work (he on bike; me in 18-yr-old car)

Having the same routine every morning is relaxing and productive for us.

Wow, good for you.  If my husband and I had that much interaction in the morning I think our marriage would be on the rocks!  This is mostly my fault.

Our routine on days I go into the office:

5:27: My alarm goes off. I turn it off and lay in bed.
5:30: DH alarm goes off.  I turn on the light, my dog comes over and lays his head on the mattress for his morning petting.
5:35-6:00: Get dressed, take dog for morning walk while listening to a podcast (DH showers)
6:00-6:40: Make & eat breakfast, read blogs on my feedly app (DH leaves for work around 6:30)
6:40-7:00: Pack clothes, lunch, purse in panniers
7:00: Bike to work

Honestly there's a lot of "lost time" in my morning routine.  I think it's just because I'm so tired.  I'll get out of bed at 5:35 to get dressed in the bike clothes laid out the night before but suddenly it's 5:43 - how did that take 8 minutes??  Same with packing the pannier, that should take approximately a second but always takes longer. 
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: kimmarg on September 29, 2014, 07:08:21 AM
Ok you guys have some long morning routines.

Summer:
4:45am alarm
Turn on coffee pot
Shower
5am drink coffee
Pack lunch
Get dressed
Eat breakfast
Spend 10min frantically searching for jacket/car keys/socks
Leave 5:30am

Winter:
4:15 alarm (- 15min if you hear plows overnight, -45min if the plows have chains)
Turn on coffee
Asses driveway, depending on snow either
     A) put snowpants on over pjs to start shoveling while coffee drips
     B) take a shower
Eat breakfast
Get dressed
Turn on car defroster
Pack lunch
Spend 10min looking for boots/gloves/keys(which, yes are in the ignition per previous step)
Leave at 5am (4:45, 4:15 for bad snow)
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Mrs. Frugalwoods on September 29, 2014, 07:58:09 AM
We've found that our day has a much better tenor when we spend our mornings together. And so, every single day (usually on the weekends too--sometimes we'll sleep an hour later on Saturdays) we do the following:

6:00am: alarm, husband and I get up and make the bed together
6:01am: we give our frugal hound ear rubs and scratches before she gets out of her bed because she's ridiculously cute in the AM
6:10am: I take frugal hound out for her walk while husband makes our coffee and oatmeal (NPR is turned on)
6:20am: we eat breakfast together and talk
6:30-8:00am: we work collaboratively on our blog and other side projects we do together outside of work
8:00-8:30am: Shower, get dressed, husband takes dog out again, depart for work (he on bike; me in 18-yr-old car)

Having the same routine every morning is relaxing and productive for us.

Wow, good for you.  If my husband and I had that much interaction in the morning I think our marriage would be on the rocks!  This is mostly my fault.

Our routine on days I go into the office:

5:27: My alarm goes off. I turn it off and lay in bed.
5:30: DH alarm goes off.  I turn on the light, my dog comes over and lays his head on the mattress for his morning petting.
5:35-6:00: Get dressed, take dog for morning walk while listening to a podcast (DH showers)
6:00-6:40: Make & eat breakfast, read blogs on my feedly app (DH leaves for work around 6:30)
6:40-7:00: Pack clothes, lunch, purse in panniers
7:00: Bike to work

Honestly there's a lot of "lost time" in my morning routine.  I think it's just because I'm so tired.  I'll get out of bed at 5:35 to get dressed in the bike clothes laid out the night before but suddenly it's 5:43 - how did that take 8 minutes??  Same with packing the pannier, that should take approximately a second but always takes longer.
Hahah, thanks! There is coffee involved, which makes us civil. Without coffee, things would not go so well. Interesting that you mention the 8mins to get dressed, I was actually just thinking this morning that it takes me too long to shower. I got out and looked at the clock and thought: What did I just DO in there? I need strategies for faster showering (I only wash my hair twice a week; I prefer to wash all other parts daily).
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Malaysia41 on September 29, 2014, 08:48:09 AM
lemon water.  allergy pills. yoga. coffee.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: ender on September 29, 2014, 08:51:51 AM
Generally my routine is about 1.25 hours:


This generally happens starting around 6:00, sometimes it's compressed some as I have 6:00am morning obligations twice a week.

Sometimes "mess around on computer" replaces things in there...
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: AllChoptUp on September 29, 2014, 09:21:40 AM
Night before:  Pack my lunch, in bed about 9pm <--I need 8 hrs :(

Morning:
0430  Hubby gets up, unloads dishwasher, preps coffee & watches sportscenter
0530  Hubs wakes me up.  We drink coffee while discussing day/week & read news on ipad.
0630  or so... 3 year old comes downstairs, snuggles with Hubs. I make kid's breakfast, pack kid's lunch, make & drink keffir for my breakfast.
0720  Get dressed, get kid dressed, load bike with lunches & work bag
0745  Depart, drop off kid at daycare, change clothes at work
0830  or so...begin work day

This sked changes every few years as the military moves us...different jobs have diff working hours, commutes, kid care issues, etc. 


Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: minimustache1985 on September 29, 2014, 10:15:04 AM
0530 wake up
-brush teeth and put on clothes-
0545 leave for work

Glad I'm not the only one with a short routine!
5:15 alarm goes off
5:25 get up, brush teeth/hair, wash face, get dressed
5:45 put together lunch, make tea and fill to-go cup
5:55 leave for work

I like the idea of exercising in the morning, but I dislike the idea of getting up before 5 more.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: coffeehound on September 29, 2014, 12:34:18 PM
Here's my strategy for successful mornings (I like a lot of structure).

Let me preface this by stating that I'm NOT a morning person at all, and would happily spend a ton on lunch to sleep for a few more minutes.

Sunday afternoon/evening - prepare big pot of lentils.
wrap naan individually in (reusable) aluminum foil; pop into freezer

Sunday evening -
pack five lunches' worth of lentils into containers
pack five breakfasts (cereal + dried fruit) into containers
Deposit containers in fridge

Each morning:
pull one lunch container, a breakfast container (add milk), and a frozen naan from freezer.  Cut up a couple of apples. Grab fully-packed lunch, coffee, and race out the door.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Spartana on September 29, 2014, 01:00:02 PM

From what I can deduce, coffee is a constant variable in just about all of these : )
So true. Back when I first FIRE'd I found I was spending too much time lounging about in the morning with a cup of coffee when I really wanted to be out doing stuff. So I decided to not have coffee in the house at all (badass or crazy?). This forced me up and outta there asap (and to walk to the local 7-11 to get my morning caffeine fix and then to the park to run). Eventually it became a good habit to get up and wait to drink coffee until I was out of the house on my way to workout. I now have the discipline to not need it right away so went back to making my own and taking it with me instead of drinking at home.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: stlbrah on September 29, 2014, 11:09:56 PM
mines pretty sad,

Get up at 9:45, shower, pack lunch, work @ 10:30
Coffee and breakfast at work

If I am telecomuting, then I get up at 10:20, and log in at 10:30


I get everything done late at night when its quiet. I love it.
Dinner
Gym at 8:30pm
eat
study whatever I am studying at the time for 2-3 hours. Recently single, when I wasn't single the studying wasn't every day, but more like 2-3 days a week.
eat
bed.


I know studies  ive read say that its better to get up early, make your bed etc. IMO this is all in your head.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: wtjbatman on September 30, 2014, 06:04:53 AM
(http://borgdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/groundhog-day.jpg)

http://youtu.be/vUi1PdYn5nk
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Pooperman on September 30, 2014, 07:04:22 AM
I'm one of the quick routine people:

6:00 Alarm goes off, turn it off, grab iPad to check finances/MMM forums
6:05 Turn light on and walk downstairs with iPad if hungry (yes in summer, no in winter)
6:25 Take shower
6:35 Take shower if not very awake (2nd train)
6:40 Leave for 1st train
6:50 Leave for 2nd train if showered late
7:50 Arrive at work (1st train)
8:00 Arrive at work (2nd train)
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: alsoknownasDean on September 30, 2014, 07:17:56 AM
(http://borgdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/groundhog-day.jpg)

http://youtu.be/vUi1PdYn5nk

I see that, and raise you this:

http://youtu.be/IacjiYGj9l4

:)
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: swallowtail on September 30, 2014, 07:58:04 AM
My mornings have been depressing me, so inspired by this thread, I am trying a new routine.

Wake up sometime b/w 5:00-5:30
Get dressed in biking clothes
Breakfast, coffee, read the parts of the sunday paper I didn't get to
Pack bag if I didn't do it the night before
No later than 6:20 bike to the gym next to my office
Arrive at approximately 7-730 am - Lift weights / yoga / pilates / swim
around 8, take a quick shower and get dressed
820 - walk to work
830 at desk

It was a GREAT morning. Thanks for the inspiration.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: swallowtail on September 30, 2014, 07:59:30 AM
My mornings have been depressing me, so inspired by this thread, I am trying a new routine.

Wake up sometime b/w 5:00-5:30
Get dressed in biking clothes
Breakfast, coffee, read the parts of the sunday paper I didn't get to
Pack bag if I didn't do it the night before
No later than 6:20 bike to the gym next to my office
Arrive at approximately 7-730 am - Lift weights / yoga / pilates / swim
around 8, take a quick shower and get dressed
820 - walk to work
830 at desk

It was a GREAT morning. Thanks for the inspiration.

Oh yeah, the depressing mornings were, snooze alarm until 715; haphazardly get dressed. Maybe bike, more likely slop over to the subway, arrive at work 5 to 10 minutes late where I spend the first 20 minutes of day making breakfast.  Not good!
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Little House on September 30, 2014, 08:09:01 AM
Monday through Friday:

3:30 am - feed nagging cats and go back to bed (I'm their slave)
5:50 am - wake up for the second time and make coffee
6-6:20 - shower and get dressed and ready for the day
6:25 - 6:55 - eat breakfast and browse PF sites
7 am - ride bike to work most days

The bike ride wakes me up more than the coffee I think.


Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: rubybeth on September 30, 2014, 08:20:18 AM
M-F

6:00am - alarm goes off, hit snooze once
6:09am - get up, make coffee, brush teeth, wash face, start cooking breakfast of egg and bagel sandwich
6:20am - check weather, pick out clothes, pack lunch, eat breakfast while reading a book
6:40am - get dressed, style hair, minimal makeup routine
6:50am - leave for work - drive or walk, it takes a similar amount of time to get there since I live a mile away
7:00am - arrive at work

S-S
9am-10am - wake up, make coffee, lounge around, eventually make breakfast and get dressed
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: gt7152b on September 30, 2014, 10:00:10 AM
Wake up between 6 and 6:15. Bathroom necessities and get dressed by 6:30 to 6:45. Breakfast with kids then get the kids out to bus stop by 7:10. Leave for work about 7:20 to 7:30. I have my change of clothes and lunch all ready to go the night before so I just need to pack them in my panniers and hit the road after the bus leaves. Usually get to work about 8:30. Respond to some emails before getting a shower and changing. Ready to work at 9. Wish I could leave a little earlier to avoid more traffic but my wife is currently needing to leave for work before the school bus comes. That should change next month.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: NoraLenderbee on September 30, 2014, 01:28:49 PM
Mine's probably not ideal :)

7:00 - alarm (radio) goes off, listen to it whilst waking up
7:35 - get out of bed, go to shower, brush teeth/hair, shave, get dressed, etc
8:10 - grab everything I need and leave for work
9:00-9:10am - arrive at work


Hey, another person who wakes up slowly. I thought I was gonna be the only one on the thread who doesn't leap out of bed,  run a marathon, and cure cancer before the sun comes up. ;)

7:00--radio alarm goes off
7:10--husband brings me coffee in bed
7:15 to 7:35--open eyes, close eyes, snooze, roll over, pet cat, slurp coffee
7:35--get up, shower, dress, etc.
8-8:15--leave for work

Lately, the doze-off-and-roll-over stage has been lasting somewhat longer. Fortunately, my commute is pretty short, and I can always get in by 9. I used to get up at 7:30, but I'd rather drag my butt out of bed a little earlier and not stay late at the office.

Exercise is something I do after work, as part of my decompressing. I have tried to exercise in the mornings. But I am too groggy, plus afterward I want to relax instead of going to work. I can't consistently get up much earlier than I do now without really feeling it in terms of daily sleepiness and long-term fatigue.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: galliver on September 30, 2014, 02:13:27 PM
These people scare me. I consider getting up long before dawn to be inhuman and inhumane. Fact of life in more northern areas in winter, I know, but 4 or 5 AM,  year-round?

I [try] to go to sleep by 11 or midnight. My goal is to wake up at 7 on a regular basis. Currently more like 7:30-8. Leave the house between 8:30 and 9:30 to get to work between 9 and 10. Maybe a little earlier if I have a 9am meeting with my advisor.

Actual routine tends to be shower, brush teeth, dress, water kitchen herbs, pack lunch/backpack, then either eat or pack breakfast depending on time, bike or bus to campus, and either grab a beverage or have my breakfast while checking emails/planning my day. Or preparing for that 9AM meeting (getting notes together, etc).

I work out before dinner. My body cannot handle morning exertion greater than biking. Works fine, I think.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: ketchup on September 30, 2014, 02:21:10 PM
6:31 Jump out of bed, turn off alarm
6:32 Shower
6:48 Brush teeth/grab wallet/keys/etc
6:55 Let the dogs out
6:57 Grab lunch container, if no container exists, fill a container with something lunchy, toss in grocery bag
7:05 Dick around online, check email, download podcasts to my phone/move around music to my phone/other generic prep for commute/work
7:15 Let dogs back in except Large Stubborn Black Mutt
7:18 Let in Large Stubborn Black Mutt
7:20 Depart

I could definitely more efficientize this routine now that I'm looking at it.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Pooperman on September 30, 2014, 02:22:42 PM
These people scare me. I consider getting up long before dawn to be inhuman and inhumane. Fact of life in more northern areas in winter, I know, but 4 or 5 AM,  year-round?

I [try] to go to sleep by 11 or midnight. My goal is to wake up at 7 on a regular basis. Currently more like 7:30-8. Leave the house between 8:30 and 9:30 to get to work between 9 and 10. Maybe a little earlier if I have a 9am meeting with my advisor.

Actual routine tends to be shower, brush teeth, dress, water kitchen herbs, pack lunch/backpack, then either eat or pack breakfast depending on time, bike or bus to campus, and either grab a beverage or have my breakfast while checking emails/planning my day. Or preparing for that 9AM meeting (getting notes together, etc).

I work out before dinner. My body cannot handle morning exertion greater than biking. Works fine, I think.

I can't get up much earlier than about 6am, so I don't. I also can't get up much later than 7am either. Work is flex hours, so I like to be able to be home for dinner at a reasonable time (6:30 pm) and that means getting up at 6am so I can get to work at 8am. I go to sleep at 9 to give myself 9 hours of sleep time.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Spartana on September 30, 2014, 03:47:52 PM
These people scare me. I consider getting up long before dawn to be inhuman and inhumane. Fact of life in more northern areas in winter, I know, but 4 or 5 AM,  year-round?
Back when I was working I'd regularly get up at around 4 - even on days off. I worked 10 hour days (plus lunch and an hour long commute in both directions) starting at 6 am so wanted to walk my dogs and get a run in before work. Once I quit working sleeping in until 6 am is pretty darn luxurious :-)!

 
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: wtjbatman on September 30, 2014, 04:29:32 PM
At long last, we finally know who let the dogs out.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: galliver on September 30, 2014, 04:31:11 PM
These people scare me. I consider getting up long before dawn to be inhuman and inhumane. Fact of life in more northern areas in winter, I know, but 4 or 5 AM,  year-round?
Back when I was working I'd regularly get up at around 4 - even on days off. I worked 10 hour days (plus lunch and an hour long commute in both directions) starting at 6 am so wanted to walk my dogs and get a run in before work. Once I quit working sleeping in until 6 am is pretty darn luxurious :-)!

I can see how that would work. But that's not the life I'd choose for myself. ;)
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Malaysia41 on September 30, 2014, 07:55:02 PM
This thread reminded me to get back into the habit of writing immediately after waking up, well, in reality, after making coffee and doing my 5 minute yoga flow.  I originally was inspired to write first thing in the morning after reading Mason Currey's Daily Rituals (http://masoncurrey.com/Daily-Rituals ).  A common theme among successful artists is that they develop daily work habits.  Recently I'd gone astray from mine by putting off my writing to later in the morning.  That led to some angsty days.  Today, I reverted to my 'daily ritual', have finished my daily word count and am free to enjoy the rest of the day.

Thanks for starting this thread. :).

Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Spartana on September 30, 2014, 09:32:48 PM
At long last, we finally know who let the dogs out.
Releasing "The Barkinator" at 4 am to wake the sleeping, but addled,  public has always been part of my plan for world domination. 
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Daisy on September 30, 2014, 09:39:27 PM
These people scare me. I consider getting up long before dawn to be inhuman and inhumane. Fact of life in more northern areas in winter, I know, but 4 or 5 AM,  year-round?

I [try] to go to sleep by 11 or midnight. My goal is to wake up at 7 on a regular basis. Currently more like 7:30-8. Leave the house between 8:30 and 9:30 to get to work between 9 and 10. Maybe a little earlier if I have a 9am meeting with my advisor.

Actual routine tends to be shower, brush teeth, dress, water kitchen herbs, pack lunch/backpack, then either eat or pack breakfast depending on time, bike or bus to campus, and either grab a beverage or have my breakfast while checking emails/planning my day. Or preparing for that 9AM meeting (getting notes together, etc).

I work out before dinner. My body cannot handle morning exertion greater than biking. Works fine, I think.

Yes, who are these strange people? It looks like us night owls have encroached on the early-bird-catches-the-worm crowd. Let's start a new thread called "evening rituals and routines for success".

My morning routine is chaotic and stressful. And that's just the time between when my alarm clock sounds and I get out of bed. I have minimized the routine after getting up and getting out the door down to about 30 minutes, which includes eating breakfast and preparing lunch. I am quick once out of bed. But the getting out of bed part is such a struggle. After getting up, it's pretty streamlined in order to maximize my time in bed. I am grateful I work somewhere with flexible hours. I'm almost embarassed to post here my wake up time and work arrival time.

I even need to shower the night before because just the thought of having to get up and do one more thing is too much to bear.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: wtjbatman on October 01, 2014, 06:57:38 AM
At long last, we finally know who let the dogs out.
Releasing "The Barkinator" at 4 am to wake the sleeping, but addled,  public has always been part of my plan for world domination.

The Barkinator, hah. I love it.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: minimustache1985 on October 01, 2014, 09:15:32 AM
These people scare me. I consider getting up long before dawn to be inhuman and inhumane. Fact of life in more northern areas in winter, I know, but 4 or 5 AM,  year-round?

Oh, I 100% agree.  My alarm going off each morning is painful, but sadly the industry I work in starts early- one more reason to focus on FIRE, or at least enough FU $ to change to a lower paying career.  In the meantime maxing that 401(k) etc makes the pain easier to bear.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: richcatpoorcat on October 01, 2014, 01:36:14 PM
I have made strong effort to cut down on my "coffee/ computer time" before my morning treadmill session as it has been cutting into my time to workout.
I am now spending half of this hour using the ipad on the treadmill via slow walk on incline which has been a win win.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Elisabeth on October 02, 2014, 06:22:02 AM
I usually prep a lot the night before, since I don't like to fumble around in the morning, and I don't like to "take my time" either. I need to get to work and start the day!

-pack lunch (usually leftovers)
-wash bottles, pack diaper bag for baby
-pick out clothes for work
-set up coffee maker to brew at 0500
-even straighten my hair if I'm feeling really ambitious

In the morning, I wake up at 0500, when the coffee begins brewing.

-nurse baby
-brush teeth, wash face, a little makeup, and 5 min on my hair
-dress
-pour coffee
-grab lunch

Out the door at 0530, at work by 0550. I work until 1330/1430, so I have the afternoon for baby, workouts, groceries, reading news, and making dinner. Husband does the morning routine with baby between 0630-0730.

Pretty simple. Once I start hitting snooze I am in big trouble, so if I'm tempted, I set the alarm a little earlier the next day. Working out in the morning is muuuuch easier and a great way to be motivated for the day, but not an option right now. We stagger our work schedules to keep baby from having 10 hour days in daycare (usually 5-7 hours).
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: ChiStache on October 02, 2014, 09:18:36 AM
5:30am: My husband grabs the baby and the three of us play in bed for a bit
5:45: I roll out of bed, eat and pump breast milk
6:00: Shower and get dressed
6:20: Nurse baby and cuddle for a while
7:00: Walk a block to daycare, drop baby off, return home
7:15: Grab my stuff and my bike and ride to work
8:00: Arrive at work

 
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Success
Post by: MandalayVA on October 02, 2014, 09:38:06 AM
Woke up, fell out of bed,
Dragged a comb across my head
Found my way downstairs and drank a cup,
And looking up I noticed I was late.

Found my coat and grabbed my hat
Made the bus in seconds flat
Found my way upstairs and had a smoke,
Somebody spoke and I went into a dream.


Okay, for real:

5:00 Wake up
5:02--5:15  Wander out, chat with husband who gets up stupidly earlier, pet various cats, hit the bathroom
5:15--6:15  Go online, read email, news and blogs
6:15--6:20  Place today's work top and shoes in backpack
6:20--6:30  Make lunch, place containers in bag, place in backpack
6:30--6:45  Dress in work pants, t-shirt and sneakers for walk, fix hair, wash face
6:45--7:45  Walk to work (2.7 miles)
7:45--7:55  At work, clean up as necessary, change into full work outfit
8:00  At my desk!
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: GuitarStv on October 02, 2014, 09:48:27 AM
0530 wake up
-brush teeth and put on clothes-
0545 leave for work

Glad I'm not the only one with a short routine!
5:15 alarm goes off
5:25 get up, brush teeth/hair, wash face, get dressed
5:45 put together lunch, make tea and fill to-go cup
5:55 leave for work

I like the idea of exercising in the morning, but I dislike the idea of getting up before 5 more.

+1

I have two routines:

6:00 - Wake
6:10 - Poop
6:20 - Dress/Add air to bike tires and turn on lights, snap on panniers
7:00 - arrive at work
7:05 - shower
7:10 - eat oatmeal

6:00 - Wake
6:10 - Poop
6:15 - shower
6:20 - Dress/Grab backpack and hop in car
6:50 - arrive at work
7:00 - eat oatmeal

A big morning ritual sounds like a real pain in the ass.  I prefer to exercise at night, because after a really hard workout I am semi-comatose.  I don't understand people who enjoy being woken up by their alarm clock multiple times in the morning.  If you're that tired, wouldn't getting the extra sleep uninterrupted be better than constantly hitting snooze???
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Schaefer Light on October 02, 2014, 10:38:33 AM
Here lately, I've been trying Dr. Doom's approach of sleeping as late as possible while still giving myself enough time to get ready for work.  It minimizes the amount of time I have to think about my workday.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: OSUBearCub on October 02, 2014, 03:39:51 PM
8:00 Tumble outta bed
8:05 I stumble to the kitchen (pour myself a cup of ambition)
8:10 Yawn and stretch and try to come to life
8:20 Jump in the shower (and the blood starts pumpin')
8:45 Out on the street, the traffic starts jumpin' with folks like me on the job from 9 to 5

But seriously, I'm single, no kids/pets, and on a very generous flex-time schedule.  I need the help of this thread. :-)
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: tofuchampion on October 02, 2014, 04:28:39 PM
I work night shift, 7p-7a, so this is afternoon/evening instead of morning.

4:30 - reset alarm for 5
5:00 - wake up, check fb, etc., on phone
5:15 - get up, pee, put biking clothes on
5:20 - take dog out, feed all the pets
5:30 - breakfast
5:50 - i have time for a little more internet, right?
6:00 - oh shit, no, i didn't have time; pack lunch & clothes
6:10 - bike to work
6:35 - change clothes
6:45 - clock in, be productive

I shower in the mornings after biking home and am generally in bed by 8:30 or so. 

This wasn't an intentionally created routine; it just sort of happens.  It could definitely be more efficient/productive, but working 12-hr shifts doesn't leave much room for anything but sleep.  Luckily I only work 3 days/week, so I have the other 4 days to take care of the rest of my life.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Malaysia41 on October 02, 2014, 05:29:43 PM
amending my previous description:

lemon water.  allergy pills. yoga. coffee. write (at least 500 words).
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Kriegsspiel on October 02, 2014, 06:06:41 PM
I'm surprised at how many super early risers there are here. I thought most Mustachians were office-dwelling engineers who didn't straggle into the office until after 8.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Malaysia41 on October 02, 2014, 07:49:43 PM
I'm surprised at how many super early risers there are here. I thought most Mustachians were office-dwelling engineers who didn't straggle into the office until after 8.

I was up at 4:30 this morning ... I was simply wide awake thinking about writing so I got up and got busy writing.  I would love to sleep in all cozy til ten,  like I did as a teenager, but my body and brain deny me that joy.  Oh well, good coffee is a great consolation.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: dodojojo on October 02, 2014, 08:05:22 PM
I'm surprised at how many super early risers there are here. I thought most Mustachians were office-dwelling engineers who didn't straggle into the office until after 8.

I usually wake up after 8.  I'm fascinated by the number of early risers here.  I wonder if laggards like me are self-selecting out and not contributing to the thread?

I want to be an early riser--a part of me thinks that will help me become a super duper efficient person.  Then I go to bed after 1am and wake up after 8am...
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Emilyngh on October 02, 2014, 08:29:21 PM
I'm surprised at how many super early risers there are here. I thought most Mustachians were office-dwelling engineers who didn't straggle into the office until after 8.

I usually wake up after 8.  I'm fascinated by the number of early risers here.  I wonder if laggards like me are self-selecting out and not contributing to the thread?

I want to be an early riser--a part of me thinks that will help me become a super duper efficient person.  Then I go to bed after 1am and wake up after 8am...

I posted, and I usually wake up naturally around 7:30-8:30 am.   I *hate* getting up before 7:30, and almost never have to (once a year?), and a couple times a month I wind up sleeping in past 9 even.

I'm already a super-duper efficient person (possibly too efficient, if there is such a thing) and do not believe that getting up earlier would positively affect my life at all, if it makes you feel better.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Malaysia41 on October 02, 2014, 08:32:05 PM
I'm surprised at how many super early risers there are here. I thought most Mustachians were office-dwelling engineers who didn't straggle into the office until after 8.

I usually wake up after 8.  I'm fascinated by the number of early risers here.  I wonder if laggards like me are self-selecting out and not contributing to the thread?

I want to be an early riser--a part of me thinks that will help me become a super duper efficient person.  Then I go to bed after 1am and wake up after 8am...

I figure sleeping should be like eating:

eat when you're hungry, stop when you're not.
sleep when you're tired, stop when you're not.

It's probably best to sleep the hours that leave you feeling most rested.  If sleeping in rejuvenates you for the day, hell, I say revel in it!
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Daisy on October 02, 2014, 09:28:09 PM
I'm surprised at how many super early risers there are here. I thought most Mustachians were office-dwelling engineers who didn't straggle into the office until after 8.

I usually wake up after 8.  I'm fascinated by the number of early risers here.  I wonder if laggards like me are self-selecting out and not contributing to the thread?

I want to be an early riser--a part of me thinks that will help me become a super duper efficient person.  Then I go to bed after 1am and wake up after 8am...

I posted, and I usually wake up naturally around 7:30-8:30 am.   I *hate* getting up before 7:30, and almost never have to (once a year?), and a couple times a month I wind up sleeping in past 9 even.

I'm already a super-duper efficient person (possibly too efficient, if there is such a thing) and do not believe that getting up earlier would positively affect my life at all, if it makes you feel better.

Another night owl 8-hour sleeper here! I think we night owls need to hijack this thread and show everyone how productive the 12-2am hours can be.

I think I read once a critique on the old Ben Franklin quote of "early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise". It mentioned that back in Franklin's day, people had to do their work during daylight hours due to the lack of electricity and having to work by candlelight at night. And half the country was working on farms at the time.

Night owls can succeed in modern times due to electricity advances. Thank you Thomas Jefferson for the wonderful light bulb.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Malaysia41 on October 02, 2014, 09:42:41 PM
I'm surprised at how many super early risers there are here. I thought most Mustachians were office-dwelling engineers who didn't straggle into the office until after 8.

I usually wake up after 8.  I'm fascinated by the number of early risers here.  I wonder if laggards like me are self-selecting out and not contributing to the thread?

I want to be an early riser--a part of me thinks that will help me become a super duper efficient person.  Then I go to bed after 1am and wake up after 8am...

I posted, and I usually wake up naturally around 7:30-8:30 am.   I *hate* getting up before 7:30, and almost never have to (once a year?), and a couple times a month I wind up sleeping in past 9 even.

I'm already a super-duper efficient person (possibly too efficient, if there is such a thing) and do not believe that getting up earlier would positively affect my life at all, if it makes you feel better.

Another night owl 8-hour sleeper here! I think we night owls need to hijack this thread and show everyone how productive the 12-2am hours can be.

I think I read once a critique on the old Ben Franklin quote of "early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise". It mentioned that back in Franklin's day, people had to do their work during daylight hours due to the lack of electricity and having to work by candlelight at night. And half the country was working on farms at the time.

Night owls can succeed in modern times due to electricity advances. Thank you Thomas Jefferson for the wonderful light bulb.

???
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Daisy on October 02, 2014, 09:50:19 PM
I'm surprised at how many super early risers there are here. I thought most Mustachians were office-dwelling engineers who didn't straggle into the office until after 8.

I usually wake up after 8.  I'm fascinated by the number of early risers here.  I wonder if laggards like me are self-selecting out and not contributing to the thread?

I want to be an early riser--a part of me thinks that will help me become a super duper efficient person.  Then I go to bed after 1am and wake up after 8am...

I posted, and I usually wake up naturally around 7:30-8:30 am.   I *hate* getting up before 7:30, and almost never have to (once a year?), and a couple times a month I wind up sleeping in past 9 even.

I'm already a super-duper efficient person (possibly too efficient, if there is such a thing) and do not believe that getting up earlier would positively affect my life at all, if it makes you feel better.

Another night owl 8-hour sleeper here! I think we night owls need to hijack this thread and show everyone how productive the 12-2am hours can be.

I think I read once a critique on the old Ben Franklin quote of "early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise". It mentioned that back in Franklin's day, people had to do their work during daylight hours due to the lack of electricity and having to work by candlelight at night. And half the country was working on farms at the time.

Night owls can succeed in modern times due to electricity advances. Thank you Thomas Jefferson for the wonderful light bulb.

???

Oops. Typing fast after a couple of glasses of wine is not a good idea. Edison. Happy now?
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Malaysia41 on October 02, 2014, 10:10:21 PM
I'm surprised at how many super early risers there are here. I thought most Mustachians were office-dwelling engineers who didn't straggle into the office until after 8.

I usually wake up after 8.  I'm fascinated by the number of early risers here.  I wonder if laggards like me are self-selecting out and not contributing to the thread?

I want to be an early riser--a part of me thinks that will help me become a super duper efficient person.  Then I go to bed after 1am and wake up after 8am...

I posted, and I usually wake up naturally around 7:30-8:30 am.   I *hate* getting up before 7:30, and almost never have to (once a year?), and a couple times a month I wind up sleeping in past 9 even.

I'm already a super-duper efficient person (possibly too efficient, if there is such a thing) and do not believe that getting up earlier would positively affect my life at all, if it makes you feel better.

Another night owl 8-hour sleeper here! I think we night owls need to hijack this thread and show everyone how productive the 12-2am hours can be.

I think I read once a critique on the old Ben Franklin quote of "early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise". It mentioned that back in Franklin's day, people had to do their work during daylight hours due to the lack of electricity and having to work by candlelight at night. And half the country was working on farms at the time.

Night owls can succeed in modern times due to electricity advances. Thank you Thomas Jefferson for the wonderful light bulb.

???

Oops. Typing fast after a couple of glasses of wine is not a good idea. Edison. Happy now?

Sorry didn't mean to come off as a fuss-budget - it just made me laugh.  Thomas Jefferson was after all, the ultimate renaissance man.  He likely toyed with electricity and lighting.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Daisy on October 02, 2014, 10:16:28 PM
I'm surprised at how many super early risers there are here. I thought most Mustachians were office-dwelling engineers who didn't straggle into the office until after 8.

I usually wake up after 8.  I'm fascinated by the number of early risers here.  I wonder if laggards like me are self-selecting out and not contributing to the thread?

I want to be an early riser--a part of me thinks that will help me become a super duper efficient person.  Then I go to bed after 1am and wake up after 8am...

I posted, and I usually wake up naturally around 7:30-8:30 am.   I *hate* getting up before 7:30, and almost never have to (once a year?), and a couple times a month I wind up sleeping in past 9 even.

I'm already a super-duper efficient person (possibly too efficient, if there is such a thing) and do not believe that getting up earlier would positively affect my life at all, if it makes you feel better.

Another night owl 8-hour sleeper here! I think we night owls need to hijack this thread and show everyone how productive the 12-2am hours can be.

I think I read once a critique on the old Ben Franklin quote of "early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise". It mentioned that back in Franklin's day, people had to do their work during daylight hours due to the lack of electricity and having to work by candlelight at night. And half the country was working on farms at the time.

Night owls can succeed in modern times due to electricity advances. Thank you Thomas Jefferson for the wonderful light bulb.

???

Oops. Typing fast after a couple of glasses of wine is not a good idea. Edison. Happy now?

Sorry didn't mean to come off as a fuss-budget - it just made me laugh.  Thomas Jefferson was after all, the ultimate renaissance man.  He likely toyed with electricity and lighting.

Really? That's the part of my post that made you laugh? I thought the rest of my post was pretty laugh-worthy. That last part was just added in for historical reference and wasn't meant to be the funny part. I obviously need another glass of wine... ;-)
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: bacchi on October 02, 2014, 10:32:48 PM
Early morning success rituals? Bah. I'd rather sleep in.

10AM wake up. if i was up late reading, it's by phone alarm.
10-10:30AM check email. water the garden.
10:30-11AM get some rice going in the rice cooker. while that's going, take shower
11-11:30AM eat early lunch
11:30AM off to work

Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Kaivalagi on October 03, 2014, 07:04:41 AM
7am Wake up after snoozing the alarm since 6.30 (should just set one for 7 right?), get showered and dressed
7.30 Eat breakfast, watch BBC news, get lunch together.
8      Leave house, walk to station
8.20 or 8.30 Get train to work
9      At my desk

My work mates tend to get in between 7.30 and 8 but I can never face getting up that early! I might do it once a month if I need to finish early for some reason... I do find that my morning routine is a bit boring, there isn't really anything to look forward to. Thinking I might need to get the radio going with some happy music and get some tunes on my old ipod for the commute. Winter is coming and it can be pretty depressing getting ready in the dark!
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: dodojojo on October 03, 2014, 07:44:46 AM
Set light to come on at 7:15.

Set radio to turn on at 7:28.

Phone alarm to ring at 7:30.

Roll out of bed at 9....
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Luke Warm on October 03, 2014, 08:25:31 AM
my ideal morning routine:
wake up to some killer jazz tunes around 5:00
get up at 5:30 and do some stretching and crunches
6:00 grind some fresh beans and boil water for the french press
6:15 drag dogs and girlfriend out of bed and go for a nice long walk
6:45 'Quality Bathroom Time' and a shower. it's important to have good magazines during QBT.
7:15 scoot out the door for a leisurely bike ride to work.
7:30 make oatmeal
preferably not talk to anyone until after QBT.

in reality i do most of this except for the killer jazz and the 'no talking' rule.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Nickyd£g on October 03, 2014, 09:38:48 AM
M-F
6AM wake up and get up - if showering, if not get up at 6.30am
6.30am brush teeth, dress [I lay out my clothes the night before], sit down a lot and watch the news or "everybody loves raymond" repeats.  Drink warm water with lemon slice. Do not talk.
7am cook and eat breakfast
7.30am do hair and makeup, pack lunch and snack [made the night before]
8-9am walk to work

I love to sleep, and usually get to bed early, around 10pm

Weekends

Get up whenever I want - usually between 8-9am, exercise - Yoga/30 day shred DVD/sprint intervals in the park, shower, then have breakfast.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: MgoSam on October 03, 2014, 09:48:06 AM
I don't always do this, but I do notice a huge difference when I do.

A few years ago I started to roll around in my bed when I wake up, and do it with a smile. Then I say a silent prayer of gratitude. If I have some spare time, I try to just lay down and do a progressive meditation.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Beric01 on October 03, 2014, 12:21:59 PM
I don't understand people who enjoy being woken up by their alarm clock multiple times in the morning.  If you're that tired, wouldn't getting the extra sleep uninterrupted be better than constantly hitting snooze???

I agree! Decide when you really want to get up, and get up at that time! Why give yourself any less than high-quality sleep?

I was tired last night, so I set my alarm for 9AM. Pulled on some clothes, brushed my teeth, made my lunch, biked to work, and was at my desk by 9:45. Night owls unite!
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: galliver on October 04, 2014, 12:10:49 AM
For my fellow night owls...this has happened to me a few times.

(http://funnyand.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Early-bird-didnt-catch-worm.jpg)
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: richcatpoorcat on October 04, 2014, 06:52:20 AM
I don't always do this, but I do notice a huge difference when I do.

A few years ago I started to roll around in my bed when I wake up, and do it with a smile.

Love this idea, the thought alone brought a smile. Will try tomorrow morning.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: MilStachian on October 05, 2014, 09:47:38 AM
My ritual.  Still working for The (military) Man.

0520: Alarm goes off.  Sneak out of bed so I don't wake the wife.
0550: Put on physical training clothes, shave, hop in the car to work.
0610: Quick 10 minute jog to clear the head.
0630: Begin physical training with my soldiers.
0730: PT over, drive to office, shower at the office.
0800: Review personal philosophy, MMM, favorite blogs.
0830: Prioritize tasks for the day.
0840: Open the doors, chaos begins.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Juslookin on October 06, 2014, 08:32:48 AM
This thread inspired me to join. So here I am. 

DH and I have been working on simplifying life, so my routine is easier than a week ago.

Wake up 5:45, log into computer, send daily email to boss. (Yes, everday, my team works from our homes but he wants to hear from us daily).

Than everything runs amuck. Could be doing anything until 7:00 am.  Load of laundry, paying bills, dishes, shower. Never the same twice.

7:00 drive kids to school.
7:30 barn chores
8:00 more running amuck....eventually settling at desk to work.

What a time waster I am. I get a lot done but I think of what I could get done with a plan.  I'd also like to work some exercise into my day.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Caella on October 06, 2014, 01:57:40 PM
I go to bed around midnight~1am.

7:30 Alarm goes off, pre-wake husband, get up, shower
7:50 Wake up husband, get the gym bag ready, look for something to eat
8:10 Go to work
9:30 Wake up
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: davisgang90 on October 06, 2014, 02:04:22 PM
I have 2 weekday schedules
Driving to work:
04:40 Up, brush teeth, wash face, get on treadmill with laptop desk (homemade!)
05:30 Make Coffee, Pack Breakfast, Lunch, Snacks, wash dishes
06:00 Shower
06:30 Take son to bus stop- drive to work (14 miles)
07:20 Arrive work
Bike to work
04:40 Up, brush teeth, wash face, shave, check internet
05:30 Make Coffee, Pack Breakfast, Lunch, Snacks
06:00 Drive to local bike trail, park and ride to work (10 miles)
06:50 Arrive gym, shower, walk to work
07:10 Arrive Work
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: richcatpoorcat on October 11, 2014, 09:33:35 AM
How do your morning rituals/routines change on the weekends?

For me, I get up later and usually postpone exercise until about 11 or 12.
From about 8-am -11 ish I drink coffee and browse the web, journal, and do some organization and cooking for the week.
I find that I am just as productive, its just usually a more enjoyable/ leisurely form of productivity.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: eyePod on October 13, 2014, 12:15:56 PM
play beach volleyball
don't go to work...ever :-)!

This is my dream life. Spend time with family and play volleyball. Can't want more than that!

My routine:

6AM - Wife and I wake up. I pee and weigh myself, she then jumps in the shower.
I head downstairs and push the on button for the coffee (set up the night before). I cook 4 eggs and 2 waffles (lightly buttered). I have large glass of water and 1 cup of coffee. By about 630-635 I go upstairs and shower. IDEAL state is the baby doesn't wake up until ~7. Then I get her ready and get her to daycare by 730 and me to work by 745. Sometimes she wakes up earlier and my wife and I switch back and forth on who gets her ready. Also will pack up any eBay items in the morning and just let my daughter play around a bit. She eats breakfast at daycare so that helps a ton! I also try to pack my lunch the night before to relieve any stress in the morning.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: eyePod on October 13, 2014, 12:18:20 PM
So... You guys wake up waaaaay earlier than I do. When are y'all going to bed?!

This has consistently gotten earlier and earlier as I've gotten slightly older. In college, it didn't matter at all. Now I feel terrible if I don't go to bed by about 930/10. I like to read a little before bed (15 minutes if I'm lucky, I just can't keep my eyes open) and I refuse to use my phone when I'm trying to sleep.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: dantownehall on October 14, 2014, 08:54:31 AM
5:40 Alarm
Snooze til 6:05
Poop 6:05-6:10
Dress 6:10-6:12
Leave for work 6:14
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: arebelspy on October 14, 2014, 08:52:11 PM
This thread being featured on the Mustachian Monthly newsletter inspired me to start a new morning routine.

Old routine:
6:30 - Wake
6:30-7:30 - Fuck around on the Internet for about an hour
7:30-7:45 - Get ready for work
7:45 - Leave for work

I created this yesterday, on Monday afternoon (so then I did all of the activities in the afternoon/evening on Monday to kick start), then today (Tuesday) was the first day implementing it all in the morning.

We'll see how long it lasts.

New routine:
6:00 - Wake, check email
6:05 - 6:10 - Use bathroom, brush teeth, set of pushups
6:10 - 6:20 - 10 minutes meditation
6:20 - 7:20 - 1 hour reading (books, not internet; ideal: 30 minutes nonfiction, 30 minutes fiction, but flexible)
7:20 - 7:30 - Do second set of pushups, put on contacts and deodorant, get dressed, prepare lunch if necessary, pack up bicycle
7:30 - 7:40 - Second 10 minutes of meditation
7:40 - Leave for work

Notes:
- On shower days (I don't shower every day), end reading at 7:15 for shower.
- Weekends do same routine, but with no set start time, just spend 1h 40m after waking on these activities, ideally (flexible if we have something scheduled)

Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Cookie on October 14, 2014, 09:48:27 PM
I like to have enough time in the morning to not be rushed getting ready, and have some time to browse the web and play with my cats before work. I also made a spotify playlist of really upbeat music that I listen to. I have the free version on my phone so I can play a radio station based off that playlist and it stays with the happy upbeat theme. Sometimes I'll listen to 24/7 comedy instead.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: tmac on October 15, 2014, 08:47:17 AM
I don't know that my routine sets me up for success, but here it is. I work PT from our home office, and am SAHM the rest of the time.

Monday - Thursday:
7:30am: Wake up, read some Facebook and BBC news on my phone until my eyes unglue.
7:45am: Wake up the kids, make the coffee while putting away clean dishes. Make lunches. Take dinner food out of freezer if needed.
8:30am: Sit on the stoop in PJs and drink said coffee while waiting for the school bus.
8:40am: Get dressed. Eat breakfast. Start load of laundry. PC to assess calendar and to-do list. Process some email.
9:40am: Reboot laundry, and get started on whatever's up for the day (office work, housework, errands, food production, etc.)
[Shower happens after exercise at lunchtime.]

Friday:
Lie abed and drink provided coffee while DH wrangles the kids.
About 8:40am: Get up and start the day as above.

Weekends:
Little discernible pattern. The only definites are coffee and no alarm clock.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: eyePod on October 15, 2014, 08:59:52 AM
The biggest issue with me isn't the morning routine, it's the "I just got to work routine." So easy to go into a downward spiral of avoiding things that I should be working on. My morning is pretty solid...
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: mozar on October 15, 2014, 08:47:04 PM
7am- alarm goes on, i hit dismiss
7:05- I drag myself out of bed
7:06- Put sausage in pan
7:07: Jump in the shower
7:17: Get out of shower, run downstairs, turn over hot sausage so other side cooks
7:18-7:29: Get dressed
7:30: Take sausage out and scramble an egg in the pan
7:32: Scramble egg more then put snacks in my back pack
7:33: Take out egg and put in tortilla
7:34-7:35: Cut up tomato and avocado for breakfast burrito
7:36: Put on shoes then turn over tortilla and turn off the heat
7:37: Finish making my burrito while going "oh shit, oh shit"
7:38: Out the door
7:38-7:40: Run to the bus
7:41- Board bus
I don't usually have such a long commute but right now it's an hour and a half
9:15: arrive at work
10:15: Eat first snack
11: wake up

Side note: I've had insomnia my whole life and I'm working to address it.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Spartana on October 15, 2014, 09:09:50 PM
play beach volleyball
don't go to work...ever :-)!

This is my dream life. Spend time with family and play volleyball. Can't want more than that!

 
Yeah probably not very productive (unless productive means "fun") but I am successful at getting up to do it :-)!

Of course this thread kind of fails in the face of mustachianism which doesn't seem to be about being productive and successful in the traditional "rat racy" kind of way - i.e. maxing out every minute of your time so you can do more, more, more, faster, faster, faster... thus accomplishing a lot and being therefore "successful!".  I really consider myself successful when I take the time to gaze at my navel more often and contemplate the vastness of the universe....or play volleyball on the beach :-)!
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: eyePod on October 16, 2014, 06:09:37 AM
play beach volleyball
don't go to work...ever :-)!

This is my dream life. Spend time with family and play volleyball. Can't want more than that!

 
Yeah probably not very productive (unless productive means "fun") but I am successful at getting up to do it :-)!

Of course this thread kind of fails in the face of mustachianism which doesn't seem to be about being productive and successful in the traditional "rat racy" kind of way - i.e. maxing out every minute of your time so you can do more, more, more, faster, faster, faster... thus accomplishing a lot and being therefore "successful!".  I really consider myself successful when I take the time to gaze at my navel more often and contemplate the vastness of the universe....or play volleyball on the beach :-)!

I like to think that it's limiting wasted time (even if it's technically "productive"). Better to have spent a morning trying something new out of your comfort zone than just maximizing your efficiency.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: frugalnacho on October 16, 2014, 07:52:41 AM
7:30 snooze alarm
7:40 snooze alarm
7:50 snooze alarm
8:00 snooze alarm
8:10 snooze alarm and fantasize about FIRE
8:20 snooze alarm and curse everything
8:25 poop
8:30 let the dog out
8:35 frantically grab my lunch and get my bike out of shed
9:10 arrive at work late
9:15 eat yogurt and glass of OJ for breakfast at work
9:20 dick around on internet
10:00 actually start working
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: ruthiegirl on October 16, 2014, 10:16:26 AM
All of you early morning exercisers motivated me to give it a try this morning.

5:30 alarm
5:45 in running clothes and out the door
6:30 get home
6:31-7:00 catch my breath
7:01-8:00 make lunches, get kids ready, bike them to school

It is now 9:16 and I am completely wiped out. 
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: galliver on October 16, 2014, 12:11:47 PM
7:30 snooze alarm
7:40 snooze alarm
7:50 snooze alarm
8:00 snooze alarm
8:10 snooze alarm and fantasize about FIRE
8:20 snooze alarm and curse everything
8:25 poop
8:30 let the dog out
8:35 frantically grab my lunch and get my bike out of shed
9:10 arrive at work late
9:15 eat yogurt and glass of OJ for breakfast at work
9:20 dick around on internet
10:00 actually start working

I like your style.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Meggslynn on October 16, 2014, 12:19:35 PM
All of you early morning exercisers motivated me to give it a try this morning.

5:30 alarm
5:45 in running clothes and out the door
6:30 get home
6:31-7:00 catch my breath
7:01-8:00 make lunches, get kids ready, bike them to school

It is now 9:16 and I am completely wiped out.

I tried working out in the morning but I found I was completely pooped by 11am. I stuck with it for a couple weeks to see if my body would adjust and it never did. I am back to working out after put my son to bed, so 7:45 to 8:30pm.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: galliver on October 16, 2014, 12:53:37 PM
All of you early morning exercisers motivated me to give it a try this morning.

5:30 alarm
5:45 in running clothes and out the door
6:30 get home
6:31-7:00 catch my breath
7:01-8:00 make lunches, get kids ready, bike them to school

It is now 9:16 and I am completely wiped out.

I tried working out in the morning but I found I was completely pooped by 11am. I stuck with it for a couple weeks to see if my body would adjust and it never did. I am back to working out after put my son to bed, so 7:45 to 8:30pm.

At my previous university the health center offered students a consultation with a fitness expert. Great lady, also taught several classes through the health center (vs gym) to help people change their habits, plan weekly workouts, etc. When I told her I tried working out in the AM but it didn't work for me, she emphatically told me that was totally fine, there was no real benefit in working out early, and to do it when my body liked it best. For me that's before dinner. :)
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: chicagomeg on October 16, 2014, 01:22:21 PM
Quit my job a week ago to go to school full time. Old routine was:

6:35-Alarm goes off first time.
6:44-Alarm again...
6:53-Alarm again. Relent & wake up, lie in bed checking Book Face, email, etc on phone.
7:05ish Get up to take shower.
7:20 Out of shower, Get dressed, pack lunch, do makeup, etc. while husband walks dogs & makes me a breakfast sandwich
7:50 Catch bus

I'm trying to create a NEW routine now that I'm just going to school, because I know I am VERY good at wasting time! Here's my goal (roughly)
7:00-Alarm goes off
7:09-Alarm goes off again, wake up for real
7:20-Out of bed, chat/cuddle with husband briefly, take dogs for walk (longer than the couple of blocks they're used to, ideally)
8:00-Brush teeth, make coffee in French Press (RESIST siren call of the Nespresso, must save fancy coffee for weekends!), eat healthy(ish) breakfast--trying to eat plain yogurt & a little granola or oats w/minimal sweetner
8:30-Go for bike ride if weather is nice, come home, take shower, start homework, yada yada

I only have class twice a week in the evenings, so I have a ton of unstructured time. So far, I love it...it's definitely making me realize how SWEET it will be when I hit that FI goal!!
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: ruthiegirl on October 16, 2014, 01:43:54 PM
I tried working out in the morning but I found I was completely pooped by 11am. I stuck with it for a couple weeks to see if my body would adjust and it never did. I am back to working out after put my son to bed, so 7:45 to 8:30pm.

I prefer it later in the day too.  My problem is that with the kids, I just don't do it.  Something always comes up and my workout gets lost in the shuffle.  It just makes sense to workout early.  I am an early riser anyway, might as well use that time well.

But damn!  That just hurt.  I'll keep at it for a bit, see if it gets better. 

And I love all these ideas -- chalk up another win for the MMM community. 
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: bugbaby on October 16, 2014, 01:59:31 PM
Unbelievable, 95% early birds vs night owl! I thought it was like 60:40

For me I work 2pm half the time, 7:30 the rest. I go to bed 1-3am...So either:
7:10 - get up really groggy, 7:25 drive to work, start @7:30....or:

10 to 12: get up, snooze, run 30 min 2-3 times a week, listen to fave online podcasts or do errands, eat, 1:55 drive to work
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: chicagomeg on October 16, 2014, 06:51:30 PM
Unbelievable, 95% early birds vs night owl! I thought it was like 60:40

For me I work 2pm half the time, 7:30 the rest. I go to bed 1-3am...So either:
7:10 - get up really groggy, 7:25 drive to work, start @7:30....or:

10 to 12: get up, snooze, run 30 min 2-3 times a week, listen to fave online podcasts or do errands, eat, 1:55 drive to work

Or its selection bias due to the "rituals for success" in the title...
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: GuitarStv on October 17, 2014, 06:18:50 AM
7:30 snooze alarm
7:40 snooze alarm
7:50 snooze alarm
8:00 snooze alarm
8:10 snooze alarm and fantasize about FIRE
8:20 snooze alarm and curse everything

Why not get an extra forty minutes of sleep by setting the alarm for 8:20?
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: frugalnacho on October 17, 2014, 07:47:36 AM
7:30 snooze alarm
7:40 snooze alarm
7:50 snooze alarm
8:00 snooze alarm
8:10 snooze alarm and fantasize about FIRE
8:20 snooze alarm and curse everything

Why not get an extra forty minutes of sleep by setting the alarm for 8:20?

It takes awhile before I am able to get out of bed.  Lack of sleep is usually not the problem, it's the transition from sleep to awake.  If I set it for 8:20 I am even later to work.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: OSUBearCub on October 17, 2014, 08:34:55 AM
7:30 snooze alarm
7:40 snooze alarm
7:50 snooze alarm
8:00 snooze alarm
8:10 snooze alarm and fantasize about FIRE
8:20 snooze alarm and curse everything

Why not get an extra forty minutes of sleep by setting the alarm for 8:20?

It takes awhile before I am able to get out of bed.  Lack of sleep is usually not the problem, it's the transition from sleep to awake.  If I set it for 8:20 I am even later to work.

The phenomenon is called "phase delay".  I have the same issue.  Science!
http://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2008-07/why-it-so-hard-wake-morning
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: aspiringnomad on October 17, 2014, 08:57:12 AM
Curious if there are any other Mysore students here. FIRE is still a ways off for me, but I have a hard time imagining that I'll continue to get up at 6am once I don't have to rush to work after practice.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: arebelspy on October 17, 2014, 10:28:03 AM
7:30 snooze alarm
7:40 snooze alarm
7:50 snooze alarm
8:00 snooze alarm
8:10 snooze alarm and fantasize about FIRE
8:20 snooze alarm and curse everything

Why not get an extra forty minutes of sleep by setting the alarm for 8:20?

It takes awhile before I am able to get out of bed.  Lack of sleep is usually not the problem, it's the transition from sleep to awake.  If I set it for 8:20 I am even later to work.

That's because you've trained yourself to be that way.  You can train it the other way as well.

(Besides research I've done on it, I speak from experience.  For years when waking up I would use the snooze button, multiple times.  Now I haven't in years.)
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: carozy on October 17, 2014, 11:08:38 AM
I have 3 routines:

bike days (when I'm more sleepy)
6 am - snooze
6:10 am - get up, shower, dress, etc.
6:40 am - bike to bart
bart & read
bike to work
get to work about 10 minutes to 8am

walk days (usually)
5 am - snooze
5:10 am - get up, shower, dress, etc.
5:40 am - walk to bart, reading my kindle
bart & read
walk to work, reading my kindle
arrive at work around 10 minutes to 8am

weekends
sleep in

The only constant is green tea first thing at work.  Since I've discovered that I can read and walk (carefully) I've been doing that.  I go slower and don't read when I cross streets, but I've been able to get a lot more reading in.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: frugalnacho on October 17, 2014, 11:45:00 AM
7:30 snooze alarm
7:40 snooze alarm
7:50 snooze alarm
8:00 snooze alarm
8:10 snooze alarm and fantasize about FIRE
8:20 snooze alarm and curse everything

Why not get an extra forty minutes of sleep by setting the alarm for 8:20?

It takes awhile before I am able to get out of bed.  Lack of sleep is usually not the problem, it's the transition from sleep to awake.  If I set it for 8:20 I am even later to work.

That's because you've trained yourself to be that way.  You can train it the other way as well.

(Besides research I've done on it, I speak from experience.  For years when waking up I would use the snooze button, multiple times.  Now I haven't in years.)

I don't think that's the issue, my body is just not ready to wake up at that time.  I've had various jobs and various schedules (ranging from night shift, to waking up at 4am for work, to waking up at 7-8 for school/work) and my sleep schedule has never adjusted.  My body wants to sleep from 3am to about 10 or 11am (I have noticed that the time period has gradually shifted to be about 1-2 hours earlier now [age 31] than it was in my late teens). 

I could force myself to jump out of bed at the first alarm (and have had to do that at various times in my life, or for a variety of other reasons it happens on occasion) but it's not like I instantly wake up.  I am groggy and miserable for about a half hour, and I would rather just spend that time gradually waking up in bed.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: arebelspy on October 17, 2014, 11:59:06 AM
We'll agree to disagree then.  :)
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Daisy on October 30, 2014, 08:42:53 PM
For my fellow night owls...this has happened to me a few times.

(http://funnyand.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Early-bird-didnt-catch-worm.jpg)

Love it!!!

The few times I do manage to get up before the sun rises, I realize how beautiful that time of day is as well...although dusk is my favorite time of day. But since I need a good 8-9 hours of sleep, it's just really hard for me to get to enjoy those early morning hours if I have a sleep deficit.

Who knows what my FIRE sleep schedule will be like. If I can get a lot of my chores and fun "me" time during the day, maybe I can get to sleep at a reasonable hour to be able to get up to see the sun rise. As it is now in my non-FIRE world (and generous flexible work hours which enables late arrivals at work), I find the night hours are the time to catch up at home and for my "me" time and then I end up going to bed quite late.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: dodojojo on October 30, 2014, 10:46:31 PM
You rise!  You shine!

Wish I could find video of this scene.  It pretty much is the perfect night owl's response to larks.

Oh look, another late night.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Michael792 on December 11, 2014, 03:44:16 AM
(I get to bed usually between 9 and 10 at night)

Wake up at 0400-0430, spend the next hour or half hour getting dressed and shaved. Also interspersed with activities such as: brushing teeth if I forgot at night, utilizing latrine, and checking exactly how cold it's decided to be.
Leave for work at 0500
0515-0530 I drive across post to do the morning work, then eat breakfast between 0630 and 1000, with a break after morning work until 1230
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Nudelkopf on December 11, 2014, 05:25:26 AM


Also interspersed with activities such as: brushing teeth if I forgot at night...
1. How do you forget to brush your teeth??
2. Do you really only brush them at night?
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: DollarBill on December 11, 2014, 05:56:19 AM
7:30 snooze alarm
7:40 snooze alarm
7:50 snooze alarm
8:00 snooze alarm
8:10 snooze alarm and fantasize about FIRE
8:20 snooze alarm and curse everything
Why not get an extra forty minutes of sleep by setting the alarm for 8:20?
It takes awhile before I am able to get out of bed.  Lack of sleep is usually not the problem, it's the transition from sleep to awake.  If I set it for 8:20 I am even later to work.

Move the alarm clock out of reach so you have to get up to turn it off.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: benjenn on December 11, 2014, 07:31:18 AM
5:15 - alarm goes off
5:20 - make coffee for self and hubby
5:25 - drink coffee in bed with hubby, browse through iPad (Facebook and email)
5:45 - take shower, get dressed
6:15 - make green smoothies for self and hubby
6:30 - make bed
6:40 - gather lunches for self and hubby (leftovers)
6:45 - head to work (7-4:30 with every other Friday off)

Before getting married 6 years ago, I would get up at 5:00 and spend 30 minutes exercising before the shower but coffee in bed with hubby is a much nicer way to start the day.  :)
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: neo von retorch on December 11, 2014, 08:36:25 AM
1. How do you forget to brush your teeth??
2. Do you really only brush them at night?

I can't speak for everyone, but I was the youngest of four children and my parents were miserable together. They split when I was around 12 or 13. Neither of them ingrained the idea of ALWAYS brushing your teeth every night/morning into my habits. When I was younger, they might yell "did you brush your teeth?!" as I headed upstairs to bed but it wasn't an absolute must in our household. I've spent the majority of my entire adult life trying to build those habits :)
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: boy_bye on December 11, 2014, 09:23:00 AM
1. How do you forget to brush your teeth??
2. Do you really only brush them at night?

I can't speak for everyone, but I was the youngest of four children and my parents were miserable together. They split when I was around 12 or 13. Neither of them ingrained the idea of ALWAYS brushing your teeth every night/morning into my habits. When I was younger, they might yell "did you brush your teeth?!" as I headed upstairs to bed but it wasn't an absolute must in our household. I've spent the majority of my entire adult life trying to build those habits :)

i had a similarly chaotic/neglectful upbringing and i'm in the same boat. only thing is, my mouth tastes nasty when i wake up, so i never forget to brush in the morning. sometimes i forget at night.

in terms of a schedule, i almost never use an alarm clock. i tend to get tired enough to sleep between 10 and 11, and i tend to wake up naturally around 7 or 8 am (almost never later than 8).

i'm lucky in that, unless i have a meeting or something, i can show up to work whenever. so i normally read, drink tea, journal, do some yoga, meditate, and dick around my house until around 9 am. then i face the decision of whether i'm going to work that day, or working from home.

sometimes i think it would be good if i did have a firmer routine, but i've tried to establish one several times and something within me resists it. it seems like, if my life gets too routine, it deeply bums me out. but i do think i could benefit from having some fixed goal posts in my day rather than winging literally it every single morning ...
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: galliver on December 11, 2014, 06:31:09 PM
sometimes i think it would be good if i did have a firmer routine, but i've tried to establish one several times and something within me resists it. it seems like, if my life gets too routine, it deeply bums me out. but i do think i could benefit from having some fixed goal posts in my day rather than winging literally it every single morning ...

I thought I was the only one that felt that way. I don't mind having actual, practical things anchoring my day (e.g. a meeting) but I can't work around arbitrary self-imposed goals effectively. Like you said, it deeply bums me out if I write myself a schedule and try to stick to it.
Title: Re: Morning Rituals and Routines for Sucess
Post by: Michael792 on December 12, 2014, 06:59:05 PM
I try to do it every night, but sometimes we work late and I end up passing out asleep at one or two, and forget to brush em. I've traveled most of my life, and teeth brushing wasn't something we'd always have the time to do. In the morning I never forget, because it does feel nasty.