The Best Morning Routine

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lindsey🍊Functional Nutrition (@lindsconway)

Is the one that pulls you up and into your day with simplicity and joy.

I think it’s most important to meet yourself where you are and engage in practices that set your mind and body in order for the day.

I have a one year old and run a business with my husband, so my mornings look a lot different than what I used to call an Ideal Morning. But, I’ve hit my groove with these short habits that I practice every day.

Today, I want to talk about morning routines.

For most of my adult-life, I’ve been a morning person. During the dark morning hours, I love settling into a cozy spot on my couch, strong cup of coffee on a coaster nearby, where I can have plenty of quiet space to tidy up my thoughts and goals for the day.

During the time, I’ve been known to linger for as long as I like over words, listen to music, and write out my hopes and wishes.

Then, sixteen months ago, I gave birth to our daughter. Now, my mornings look a lot different than the aforementioned ideals.

But, in those sixteen months, I’ve learned something I think is important: The best morning routine is one that pulls you up and into your day with simplicity and joy.

There are plenty of suggestions out there. You’ve likely seen them: Three tips for a tip-top morning. Ten tools to transform your morning. The seven best steps...

These kinds of lists can certainly be helpful in giving you ideas to try out for yourself, but they are not definitive guides to healthy, productive mornings. I think it’s most important to meet yourself where you are and engage in practices that set your mind and body in order for the day.

The two most important takeaways here are:

1. The best routine is one that works for your mind and body.
2. The best routine is one that is simple enough that you do it most every day.

With that said, here are the foundational bones of my morning routine.

• Drink a glass of water first thing.
• Savor a cup of coffee. I add different adaptogens depending on the day, which are all geared toward decreasing inflammation and boosting immune and stress resiliency.
• Let the morning light in. In reality, I’m up way before the sun, but the minute it dawns, Callie and I walk the house to open up all the curtains. We usually head out for a walk after breakfast to soak up the sun. Getting adequate sunlight exposure helps keep your sleep/wakes cycle in check and provides you with Vitamin D.
• Read something encouraging. I keep a stack of books on the side table in my living room, so there’s always something uplifting to me within arm’s reach.

Here are a couple of tips:

I fill my cup of water before bed, and set it in the kitchen where I am first thing in the morning.

We always set our coffee machine up the night before, so all I do is push the button when I get in the room.

I would love to know what you do in the mornings to feel prepared to take on the day. Leave your comments below. I will feature my favorites on Instagram stories!