Morning Routine: Aggressively Chasing Dreams
I’m the kind of person who needs something to look forward to in the morning, or I end up having a really hard time getting out of bed.
I took my day job with the intention of using the schedule to aggressively chase my dreams. Moving back to Charlotte meant a lot of changes, chief among them, our rent tripled. Working full-time writing wasn’t going to be an option anymore.
When people hear that I don’t go into work until 11:30, their first question is why the heck to you get up so early? So today, I thought I’d share a glimpse into what my mornings look like.
5:00AM. The husband starts stirring for work and my alarm goes off. Sometimes I manage to jump right up and get my day started. Lately, if I’m being honest, getting up has been a struggle. Snooze.
5:25AM. I start to strongly consider getting out of bed. I’d love to get out of this habit, but I lay in bed for a while cuddling with the dog while scrolling through my phone. I also start my daily chat with Myra.
5:35AM. Coffee time. I don’t pass go. I don’t collect $200. I go straight to the coffee pot, pour in about two tablespoons of french vanilla creamer, grab a blanket + my computer and head to the couch. I allow myself to watch youtube while enjoying my coffee. I feed the pup and walk her.
6:00-9:00AM. I start working around 6. Sometimes this means scheduling social media. Sometimes it’s pounding out blog posts and articles. Sometimes it’s designing a website or business planning. Something it hasn’t been enough of lately is replying to emails. I suck at emails right now. I promise I’m working on it.
9:00AM. Get ready. I’ve been trying to develop some kind of habit or routine around this, but nothing’s stuck yet. My day job schedule is a little wonky sometimes, so I haven’t been as committed to the gym and showering at night like I’d like to. I watch Netflix on the iPad while getting ready. I need to break this habit, too. It tends to slow down the process. Sometimes I eat breakfast at this time. Sometimes I opt to eat at Starbucks.
10:00AM. I pack up shop and head to Starbucks most mornings. I’ve been trying to prioritize writing, and I hate that I do my best writing in a coffee shop. Luckily, I got a ton of Starbucks gift cards for xmas, so this habit hasn’t been costing me a dime. I will say, though, that I do have a coffee shop budget built in each month for this exact reason. I love that I tend to see the same people every day, and it makes me feel like part of the outside creative world.
11:20AM. My Starbucks is right around the corner from my job, so I love that I can write up until the very last minute. I pack up around 11:20 and head off to work.
I used to be such a morning person. And I guess by standard definitions, I still am. But I’ve just been tired lately. High school Joey is laughing in my face right now. That girl used to get up voluntarily at 4:45 every morning. Ridiculous.
