If you're anything like me, 2020 probably threw you completely off course. Whether it was for the best or the worst, things definitely got a bit hectic, and one of the byproducts of that for me was that any semblance of a routine or consistency went out the door.
Well, since 2020 is behind us, and we are now into 2021 (which I pray is better than its predecessor), and since I've meant to pick my life back up off the ground from where it's been in terms of last year's hopes and dreams, I thought I'd start with my routines.
My mornings during quarantine have been pretty regular. By that, I mean regularly skewed with lack of sleep, waking late, skipping breakfast, and sitting around until 5 pm when my "morning" actually begins. The problem is that it's become a bit of a habit now, and it's about time I broke it.
For that reason, I've decided to create what I would consider my new, ideal morning, which looks a little something like this:
6:00-6:30: Wake up. But hey, I'm reasonable, I give myself 30 minutes to actually make that happen;
6:30-7:30: Exercise. Though it feels like a thing of the past, it's something I'd like to bring back to the present;
7:30-8:00: Get ready. Yep, no more pajamas all day. And it's time to reunite with an old friend: the shower.
8:00-8:30: Breakfast. Time to get that first meal in, and I mean an actual meal, not just tortilla chips and addicting avocado salsa.
8:30-9:00: A moment of peace before the day starts, a chance to get ahead if I wake up late, or just a moment to relax until I get to work.
Okay, that's technically the morning taken care of. Albeit simplistic, I believe it to be a solid start.
Interestingly, even things as small as getting dressed or having breakfast decided to abandon me in 2020, so I think the best course is to start small. Take baby steps.
For example, before I run, I should start by walking first. But before we leave this subject, there's another point here that I wish to make since it is very pertinent as well, at least for me, and that is that a morning routine doesn't really start in the morning; it actually starts at night. By that, I mean that if you mess up your evening routine, then your morning could all go to hell. So, it's time to fix that as well: kick the midnight Netflix habit and work towards actually sleeping because it turns out that's something we need too. Lame.
So…
7:00: Dinner. And for dinner, I'd like to actually cook, which means less Postmates deliveries and microwave meals.
8:00: Wind down, which sounds easy, but getting my brain to stop moving takes way more effort than it should. Besides, preparing for bed in advance and gifting yourself time to chill is always a good thing;
9:00: A bit of pampering. Some skincare and self-care, the best combo!
10:30: In bed. Easy, yeah? The catch? No screens beyond this point. Yikes! But this is important since the little devil box will only aid my insomnia in keeping me awake.
11:00: Sleep. Hopefully, with all the above, I've achieved that state by this point.
I know this may be a simple routine on the surface, but simple can also be powerful and practical.
After all, it's a starting point that serves its purpose, and as time goes on and this hill is conquered, another one can be created and overcome.
Everyone is different and will have variations in their routines that make them unique to them, but I firmly believe that something as simple as the above can be a good "point A" for anyone.
2020 has tested us all in so very many ways, it started strong and then quickly halted us and everything we had considered "the norm", and it's continued to drain us ever since.
Getting back into the flow of anything can be challenging, but it can also be worthwhile. As this wretched year's end draws to a near, it feels like it's time to jump back into some more beneficial and productive routine, even if it's just a small hop somewhere along the line.
