My Morning Routine
I’ve always been fascinated with glimpses into other people’s schedules and how they run their day, so today I am sharing a snapshot of my own. I realized as I was writing down my current routine that this moment in time for me is so different from other seasons or phases of life I have lived before.
Years ago my day would have looked like 4-6 hours of violin practice, masterclasses and symphony rehearsals and course work, all while dropping off one child to school and another to a babysitter and keeping home life organized and functioning.
Another time would reflect hours of nursing a baby, walking to and from the kid’s school every morning - in the rain (thank you England) - teaching private piano and violin lessons, and running kids to and from sports practices and games.
Right now, my schedule looks like this —
5am: Hit snooze. I don’t know why I plan this, when my original intention was to pop out of bed the moment my alarm goest off at 5am, but I am actually loving the extra 9 minutes to come to myself before my feet hit the ground. I use this time to focus on gratitude and think of things I want to pray about.
5:15am: By now I’ve brushed my teeth and put on workout clothes. I’m currently staying consistent with my project to read the entire standard works of scriptures this year and have been focused on finishing the Book of Mormon in French before April 2, in time for the general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I keep my journal and notebook close to jot down any ideas or impressions that come to my mind during this time.
6:10am: Run or Peloton classes. I started running again the last week in December right after I turned down an invitation from a friend to be on her Ragnar race team this spring. I am not a runner, or I don’t view myself as one, so I wanted to jump at the chance to do the Ragnar with her because I was so honored a local friend would ask me, not because I can run! I ultimately said no because the dates do not work with our upcoming military move this summer.
While I was considering it though, I looked up a training schedule for the Ragnar and felt a nudge that I should do it…the training anyway. It felt doable and was something I knew would help with the stress of the move and give me something to be proud of accomplishing. I’m currently running 3 miles, three times a week and feel pretty proud of that! I started with just the goal of running for 15 minutes straight and it was haaarrrrddd. On my off days, I do a 30-minute Peloton cycling class, a 5-minute cool down ride, a 10-20 minute weights class and then a 5-minute stretching class. Honestly, I feel amazing after I run (not during, remember how I said I wasn’t a runner). I do not feel that same ‘high’ on my Peloton and weights days.
6:50am: Wake up the kids and hop in the shower. Take allergy prescription, prebiotics drink, and probiotics.
7:10: Family scripture time. As a family we are following the schedule in Come Follow Me for studying the Old Testament. Sometimes we watch a 2-minute video or listen to a few minutes of the Follow Him podcast. A scripture that is really sticking with me this week is from Abraham 1:2. Abraham is reflecting on the life he wants to have after living amongst so much wickedness and idolatry, “And, finding there was greater happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same; having myself been a follower of righteousness, desiring also to be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge….” I imagine this is something like what the prodigal son felt when he “came to himself” before returning to his father’s house. And I think all of us have to come to this point of desiring to know God better to be willing to trust Him and change our lives because His way is the way to the “greater happiness” and “greater knowledge” that Abraham was seeking.
We also read a few verses from the Book of Mormon together. This time is also spend gathering masks, water bottles, backpacks, and getting shoes on.
7:25am: Elementary and high school drop offs.
8:00am: Start laundry, clean up kitchen, finish my hair and light makeup.
8:20am: Middle school drop off.
9am: Practice violin, work on French lessons, dinner prep, laundry. Picking up groceries or running errands happens during this time once or twice a week.
12pm: Lunch. Work! This is my designated time for emails, connecting with my skincare clients, and helping my team members. I have a virtual assistant that keeps me on track with checking in and posting to my social media.
2:20pm: School pick ups and after school activities. I make sure piano practicing gets done for three of my kids (one I am waiting to start until she is 8 years old), while I prep dinner, fold laundry, oversee homework and basically just be in their space in case they want to talk or share about their day.
6pm: Dinner! Matt is usually home by this time so we can each together. I have no desire to cook for my family these days…It’s been this way for a while, so making sure a healthy meal hits the table and we all sit down to eat together is a big accomplishment for me. Oftentimes I am eating a totally different meal because of my food allergies. I like to think that one day, I’ll find more joy in cooking and creating in the kitchen again. For now, it’s just a necessary step. Us all being together for a few minutes is the payoff.
7pm: After dinner is a mixed bag depending on who has activities or meetings. The kids usually just want to watch a show, or play a video game. Sometimes I am reading to my youngest or playing a game. We move towards bath times and bedtime stories and I am usually asking everyone to please pick up all their things strewn across the house so we can wake up ready to go.
9pm: In bed. Face is washed (this is my core nighttime skincare routine), and teeth are brushed. Matt and I decompress and talk without the kids listening in. I set all the alarms on my phone, take my multivitamin, and turn on the ceiling fan no matter the season and it’s lights out.
My schedule right now is, by design, pretty calm and feels almost sacred to me. It’s a calm before the storm that I know is coming with our move this summer.
If you pause to think about your own schedule today, I want you to know this:
YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CREATE. You can slow down and embrace what is present. You can be online less and present with the people right in front of you more. You can change what isn’t working for you to somewhat works better. YOU CAN.
What is something you love about the season of life that you are in?
xo Dayna
