The Morning Routine to Feel Like a Queen

Well guys, I'm a morning person. Are you at all surprised?

Productive mornings make me feel good. They make me feel like I have a head start on the day and can conquer anything, especially when I get up earlier than most of the world, and especially when I get a workout in. 

Plus, mornings mean coffee. They also include sunrises and a fresh start. What's not to love?!

Here's what I do on weekday mornings..... Well, okay, here's what I do on good weekday mornings, when I'm really on my shit: 

1. My alarm goes off at 4:45am. Sweet Jesus! I know what you're thinking, and I'm thinking it too. 4:45am is hard to even type. But the barre classes I go to start at 6:00am, so I have to give myself enough time to become a human and drive over there. After my alarm goes off, I hit the snooze button, believe it or not. But just once! And then I get out of bed around 4:55am.
2. I make my special coffee and put my on workout clothes which I always lay out the night before. If I don't lay out my workout clothes, I won't get up and exercise on weekdays! It's part of the whole mindset of getting up in the cold and driving to a 6:00am class in the dark. I have to set myself up for success. (I'm actually starting to realize that if I don't go to a 6:00am workout class, it's hard for me to get up early on weekdays at all. If I know I don't need to be anywhere super early, I'll sleep in until like 7:45, which is not a good look and sets me up for an off day. So to barre class I go!)
3. Before I leave the house, I brush my teeth (we use Quip) and rub some night cream or facial oil onto my face. I don't need SPF yet since it's still dark outside, but I like to put something on my skin before heading out into the wild since sleep can be dehydrating. Plus, if my skin isn't moisturized, I'll start to panic while staring at myself in the barre mirrors during a squat session. 
4. In the car, I drink my coffee and listen to a Podcast. Lately, I've been loving Almost 30, The Skinny Confidential: Him & Her, Off the Vine with Kaitlyn Bristowe, MindBodyGreen, and The Influencer Podcast. 
5. Then I tighten my butt and sweat my woes away!
6. After that, I head home and at 7:00am, a daily reminder on my phone tells me to take my vitamins, birth control, and an allergy pill. I've been taking Ritual vitamins for the better half of this year and find them to be pretty dope. 
7. Since I worked out on an almost-empty stomach, the next thing I do is make a FabFour smoothie or possibly some 3-ingredient protein pancakes (egg, banana, and protein powder), depending on what I have on hand. 
8. While I drink my smoothie, I usually read The Skimm, catch up on e-mail, and check my Instagram. Sometimes I'll put on The Today Show or some local news. 
9. Once in a while, and especially lately since I'm getting married, I whiten my teeth for 20-30 minutes in the morning. I'm currently using some molds that my my dentist made for me for free, but in the past I've used the Cool Teeth Whitening strips because they're 10 bucks on Amazon and work as well as Crest White Strips. 
10. Then I might shower or rinse off really quick without washing my hair. I hate showering and will do almost anything to avoid it, although it's getting harder to stay fresh with these almost-daily workout classes. 
11. After that, I'll start work. I try to block out my time for each workday the day before, but don't always get to it. I have created a pretty savvy editorial calendar, though, which I use to map out freelance writing assignments, blog posts, and more recently, Instagram posts. I started working from home a few weeks ago and had some really bad ergonomic problems that sent me to the chiropractor. To correct my hunchback, I invested in a magic keyboard, wireless mouse, and this laptop stand to get my screen at eye level. Total game changer! 

To me, mornings really matter. The recipe for a great workday includes an efficient morning routine with exercise, proper nutrition, and organization. I'd say I have a Type A personality, but when it comes down to it, I'm probably more of a Type A-Minus. 

I started reading Hal Elrod's Miracle Morning a few months ago and really like the concept. I didn't finish the book, though, because it's just a little too "positive visualization" and "manifestation" for me, kind of in the style of Tony Robbins or The Secret, you know? Anyway, I do appreciate his message that productive mornings are the key to a good life. He recommends waking up super early to 1) read, 2), exercise, 3) use affirmations, 4) sit in silence or meditate, 5) visualize your affirmations, and 6) write for a few minutes. This is not bad advice. In fact, besides the positive visualizations, affirmations, and manifestations, it is basically my advice. 

In order for me to have a successful morning and complete the 11 steps above, I need to get enough sleep, which means being unconscious by 9:30pm and sticking to my nighttime routine. I also use the bedtime feature on my iPhone's alarm clock app, which tells you when to start winding down and fall asleep depending on when you want to wake up and how much sleep you need. 

Am I always successful at this process? Pshhhhh! No, of course not. But I try my best. 

Wanna know more about my day-to-day routines, musings, and habits? Go troll my Instagram!

Well guys, I gotta get back to work. I sweat my face off at Pure Barre this morning, which means I'm on top of my game and having a stellar day!