Weekdays:

Alarm goes off at 5:40am. I sometimes hit snooze once, sometimes get right out of bed

Then it’s off to the bathroom, pee, turn on the shower, undress, weigh myself, then get in the shower.

In the shower I wash hair, put in conditioner, wash body, shave, wash face, then rinse out conditioner and I’m done.

Then I towel off and wrap my hair in the towel, apply under eye cream and face lotion, Q-tips my ears and put on deodorant.

Then I brush out my hair and head back to the bedroom to get dressed.

After dressing I feed the cats and eat breakfast – the same thing every day – some kind of fruit w/plain, non-fat, greek yogurt & Kashi go lean crunch.

I bring my breakfast to my desk and eat while I check the weather and news online.

Then I brush my teeth (and put my invisalign back in. sigh.) and put on foundation and grab my make up bag and head back to the desk to do make up while I continue to read.

When that’s done I add product and blow dry my hair. Only takes a few minutes.

Then I check the bus times (my bus system has an app that tells you exactly when it’s coming to certain stops so you know if it’s late or on time) and prepare to head out the door.

One the bus I check facebook on the ride to work and occasionally read more news articles.

Once I get to work I make my tea (with milk and sugar) and settle in for the day.

Weekends:

Roll out of bed whenever (usually between 6:45-8am) and pull on my PJ hoodie.

Head to the bathroom to pee, pull my hair back and wash my face.

Then I make tea.

I usually have about 3 cups while sitting at my desk and reading the news and whatnot online.

By then I’m hungry so breakfast usually comes next.

And that’s about all the routine there is on weekends.

[Edited 12/7/12 5:52am]

mobliss said:

here's a more detailed breakdown of my morning routine

6.am: wake up

6.02: begin foreplay with my lovely wife

6.03: begin making sweet sweet love

6.07: get up and have a shower

6.12: grab a magazine and head to the toilet for my morning man poop

8.47: exit toilet

8.48: order wife to get me my damn breakfast

8.48.15: duck

8.49: get my own breakfast

9.10: go into the front yard and grab the morning paper

9.11: listen to the old lady across the street yell at me for no reason

9:12: come inside and put some pants on

9.15: start watching a sopranos re-run

9.37: tell wife i think it's about time i got a gumar

9.38: exit house quickly

heartbeatocean said:

TD3 said:

4: 30 am wake up

Shower / dress

have a cup tea & toast

Organize my briefcase

play my guitar for 30 mintues

exit the house by 7:00am

Whoa, that's an early schedule! So you build in 30 minutes to play guitar every morning before 7am? That's awesome.

I have a long commute from Michigan to Chicago (an hour/48 minute drive) if I drive and usually do. If I don't practice playing the guitar in the morining it doesn't get done; I use to play/practice on my lunch hour but I work through my lunch hour now. I'm a morning person, I'm mental more sharp by the late evening my brain shuts off.

I've sort've gotten used to my new morning routine (since October)...

5:30am - alarm wakes me

5:45am -- 2nd alarm wakes me

6:00am ---the sun peeking through the blinds wakes me

6:30am ----finally roll out of bed because I'm "late"

6:35am - hit the bathroom - #1 #2 brush teeth shower - finally truly wake up

6:45am - dress

6:47am - wake up first 2 kids

6:49am - wake up first 2 kids for real

6:50am - threaten them with bodily harm if they don't get out of bed

7:15am - after kids done in bathroom, shave & run gel thru what's left of my hair

7:20am - wake up 3rd kid, give out lunch money to other 2

7:25am - end heated argument concerning the need to go to school with 3rd kid still in bed

7:30am - make 3rd kid lunch as the other 2 leave for school

7:40am - threaten 3rd kid with bodily harm if he doesn't get dressed in 5 minutes

7:45am - drive him to school even though he says he hates school and doesn't learn anything anyway

8:15am - arrive to work and apologize for being late

8:30am - walk across the street to 7-Eleven for coffee and a pancake roller

9:00am - finally wake up for real

...in case it wasn't evident...we're not exactly morning people...none of us.

damosuzuki said:

chocolate1 said:

6:00 First alarm

6:09 Post-snooze alarm

6:10 Turn on TV to get a weather forecast

6:11 Grab my phone to check email while I await the call of nature

6:20 Answer the call of nature (I hope)

6:25 Wash my hands and then brush my teeth

6:30 Shower

6:45 Moisturize my face and put on my base make-up

6:50 Dry and straighten my hair

7:10 Put on my eye make-up

7:15 Apply body lotion

7:20 Spend five minutes in my closet trying to figure out what to wear

7:25 Get dressed, grab my phone and iPod

7:30 Downstairs, pack my pre-made breakfast and lunch. Pour coffee into thermos and car mug

7:35 Put on my shoes, scarf and coat

7:40 Leave for work

I don't have a morning routine.

CarrieMpls said:

iaminparties said:

mobliss said:

here's a more detailed breakdown of my morning routine

6.am: wake up

6.02: begin foreplay with my lovely wife

6.03: begin making sweet sweet love

6.07: get up and have a shower

6.12: grab a magazine and head to the toilet for my morning man poop

8.47: exit toilet

8.48: order wife to get me my damn breakfast

8.48.15: duck

8.49: get my own breakfast

9.10: go into the front yard and grab the morning paper

9.11: listen to the old lady across the street yell at me for no reason

9:12: come inside and put some pants on

9.15: start watching a sopranos re-run

9.37: tell wife i think it's about time i got a gumar

9.38: exit house quickly

heartbeatocean said:

I like the idea of writing, reading literature, or practicing an instrument for a set time each morning. I haven't found a way to do those things yet. Maybe when I get this first routine established and if I learn to go to bed earlier, I can work in some other things.

Or...you could make reading part of your bedtime routine, which is what I do. It's calming.

I can't read in the morning because I have a job to get to. The last thing I need is to get engrossed in a book (which I am apt to do) and not make it to the office on time.

[Edited 12/7/12 13:57pm]

TD3 said:

Genesia said:

6:00am- alarm goes off, hit snooze

6:10- second alarm goes off, hit snooze

6:20- third alarm goes off, shut off alarm but stay in bed

6:25- get out of bed, grab robe and hair towel

6:30- in the shower

6:45- brush teeth

6:50- back in bedroom, turn on TV, lotion on the body, moisturize face, get dressed, brush hair

7:00- grab breakfast and lunch from fridge place in bag to take to work, grab purse and head out to the car

7:08- start car and head to work

7:30-7:35- arrive at work

7:45- grab some coffee and cookies, begin work

9:30- eat packed breakfast

10:00- put some makeup on

10:30- work til 12:30pm

Don't really have a strict routine; sometimes I have to get up at 6am and sometimes I will sleep in til 10 (depending on how much sleep I got).

However, before I leave the house I usually:

- press "snooze" and try continuing my dream

- drink a mouthful of water from the bottle next to my bed (without which I cannot sleep)

- turn on the laptop and check the news (and the org, of course...)

- take a piss

- wash my hands

- (when I'm really tired) have some coffee

- (when I'm hungry) have some cereal or a toast; don't really each much in the morning

- decide on something to wear

- turn on the music in my bathroom

- brush my teeth

- take a shower (at least 30 mins)

- get dressed

- do my hair (sometimes make-up, depending on where I'm going)

- put on a fitting pair of shoes

- put on a scarf and a coat

- take phone, wallet and car keys

- grab bag (with laptop and other stuff I might need during the day)

- leave the house

heartbeatocean said:

TD3 said:

I have a long commute from Michigan to Chicago (an hour/48 minute drive) if I drive and usually do. If I don't practice playing the guitar in the morning it doesn't get done; I use to play/practice on my lunch hour but I work through my lunch hour now. I'm a morning person, I'm mental more sharp by the late evening my brain shuts off.

So you used to bring the guitar in the car, then go practice in the parking lot at lunch? I think if you play an instrument the question of routine is even more important. I like to see how people make that happen for themselves.

I keep a guitar at the office, still. I use to shut the door and play; everyone knew not to interrupt me unless it was an emergency. I'm the type of person if I don't play the guitar several times a week, my skills ( they aren't all that hot after 12 years of playing/studying) deteriorate. Its like I never picked up an acoustic before. Really with all the cool apps on iTunes, they options to practice, study, and learn even are more accessible.

[Edited 12/7/12 19:39pm]

heartbeatocean said:

CarrieMpls said:

Weekdays:

Alarm goes off at 5:40am. I sometimes hit snooze once, sometimes get right out of bed

Then it’s off to the bathroom, pee, turn on the shower, undress, weigh myself, then get in the shower.

In the shower I wash hair, put in conditioner, wash body, shave, wash face, then rinse out conditioner and I’m done.

Then I towel off and wrap my hair in the towel, apply under eye cream and face lotion, Q-tips my ears and put on deodorant.

Then I brush out my hair and head back to the bedroom to get dressed.

After dressing I feed the cats and eat breakfast – the same thing every day – some kind of fruit w/plain, non-fat, greek yogurt & Kashi go lean crunch.

I bring my breakfast to my desk and eat while I check the weather and news online.

Then I brush my teeth (and put my invisalign back in. sigh.) and put on foundation and grab my make up bag and head back to the desk to do make up while I continue to read.

When that’s done I add product and blow dry my hair. Only takes a few minutes.

Then I check the bus times (my bus system has an app that tells you exactly when it’s coming to certain stops so you know if it’s late or on time) and prepare to head out the door.

One the bus I check facebook on the ride to work and occasionally read more news articles.

Once I get to work I make my tea (with milk and sugar) and settle in for the day.

Weekends:

Roll out of bed whenever (usually between 6:45-8am) and pull on my PJ hoodie.

Head to the bathroom to pee, pull my hair back and wash my face.

Then I make tea.

I usually have about 3 cups while sitting at my desk and reading the news and whatnot online.

By then I’m hungry so breakfast usually comes next.

And that’s about all the routine there is on weekends.

[Edited 12/7/12 5:52am]

Even on weekends, that's an early schedule. Do you have trouble going out to things at night? I go to a lot of plays and events at night, which makes it hard to wake up so early.

Yes, yes I do. I rarely leave the house on weeknights and even tonight (a Friday), a friend wanted to go see a band at First Ave and when I found out they don't come on till 11:15 I decided to stay home instead. If it were a band I'm in love with I'd make it work, but for a band I only kinda like I would be crabby and wanting to leave before they even got on stage.

As a child I was a morning person - always the first one up in the house. In high school and my first (and only) year of college I could never stay up late to do homework, I'd go to sleep and set my alarm for 4am and finish whatever I needed and if I had time to go back to sleep for a bit then I would.

In my early 20's I had jobs and a social life that turned me into a night owl. Eventually I moved to a 9-5 job and over the years I slowly morphed back into a morning person. Now I like to get to work by 7:30 by choice.

heartbeatocean said:

I think only morning people are responding to this thread.

100% Night Owl ~ I go to bed ( make myself ! ) between 1:30 - 3 am

usually sleep for 4-6 hrs max

turn off my first alarm

turn on the heat, jump back in bed

turn on the cnn news-snooze in and out, unless there is a big news story

1/2hr later turn off my 2nd alarm (across the room)

take shower

brush teeth

get dressed

drink cup of tea

do my morning errands

return home to tele-commute work

CarrieMpls said:

heartbeatocean said:

CarrieMpls said: Even on weekends, that's an early schedule. Do you have trouble going out to things at night? I go to a lot of plays and events at night, which makes it hard to wake up so early.

Yes, yes I do. I rarely leave the house on weeknights and even tonight (a Friday), a friend wanted to go see a band at First Ave and when I found out they don't come on till 11:15 I decided to stay home instead. If it were a band I'm in love with I'd make it work, but for a band I only kinda like I would be crabby and wanting to leave before they even got on stage.

As a child I was a morning person - always the first one up in the house. In high school and my first (and only) year of college I could never stay up late to do homework, I'd go to sleep and set my alarm for 4am and finish whatever I needed and if I had time to go back to sleep for a bit then I would.

In my early 20's I had jobs and a social life that turned me into a night owl. Eventually I moved to a 9-5 job and over the years I slowly morphed back into a morning person. Now I like to get to work by 7:30 by choice.

Oh c'mon!

Go see the band at First Ave.

You're lucky you have a venue like that with so much live music in your town!

Lucky, lucky lucky.

Weekdays:

7:45/7:50am: Hopefully wake up enough to hit snooze on my alarm clock and cell phone alarm.

8am: Drag myself out of bed, curse the pigeons cooing underneath the balcony outside my bedroom window, use bathroom, wash hands, take out mouth guard

8:05-8:30am: Fix breakfast (an orange, usually), check email, FB, NY Times, etc.

8:30-8:45am: Shower

8:45-9am: Apply make-up

9:00-9:15am: Dry and straighten hair

9:15-9:30am: Get dressed

9:30-9:35am: Grab a diet Coke for work, keys, bag, coat, etc. Out the door.

9:40-10am: Any combo of bus/subway/walk to work.

10:05am: Turn on computer, crack open diet Coke.

Weekends are pretty much in the same order except I don't usually set my alarm; I just get up when I wake up. On days I have to give tours, it's the same schedule, just an hour later because I don't have to be at the museum until 10:45am and it takes me less time to get there.

heartbeatocean said:

I have been working on creating a steady morning routine. Exercise half hour, meditate half hour, fix breakfast and shower. It turns out that I now look forward to my routine when I wake up and it really changes the nature of my day. No more rush rush, frazzle frazzle, panic out the door. Nor the opposite: laze about and do nothing until noon.

Do you have a morning routine? What is it?

I rarely jump into a thread that already has so many replies, but I'll make an exception:

First off, good on ya! Meditation is supposed to be great for you (Howard Stern is a big advocate of TM). Re: "No more rush rush", a famous Zen monk once said, "Smile, breathe and go slowly" and I am a big believer in that! As for my morning routine:

I have an alarm set for half-an-hour before I have to get up (the gentle strains of the iPhone's "Harp" alert); I look at it as the equivalent of hitting a 30-minute "snooze" button. The next alarm's the intro of Madonna's Borderline (gentle, morning-esque glockenspiel).

Before I leave, I grab my Sirius Stiletto 2 (which has been recording that morning's Howard Stern Show since 6am). When I get in the car, I switch on the show, live (it generally goes until about 10:00 (not including The Wrap Up Show).

When I get to the office, I try to have a 12-grain bagel with Becel Pro-Activ and O.J. and I take a cardio vitamin. Then it's off to the races.

I leave for lunch at 11:45 (to beat the rush) and listen to the beginning of Howard while I'm eating.

heartbeatocean said:

damosuzuki said:

Wake up at 3:10am, and out of the house at 3:30.

½ hour walk to work.

Have breakfast in the office.

Do a brisk walk in the warehouse out back for an hour while listening to podcasts/audiobooks.

5:15 sit down at my desk and spend an hour reading the paper (digital edition), browsing around online and reading whatever book I have on the go.

Start working at 6:15 or so.

See? This is exactly I'm looking for. You get exercise, outdoors, then more exercise indoors. You get an hour of cultural intake per day (which is a lot), then you keep up on current events. You eat a meal. It's sounds very relaxing and healthy for body and mind. You might miss the late night parties, but overall, I imagine you're a content person.

I'm absolutely very content with my routine and general lifestyle. I've received my share of funny looks after telling people what time I wake up and what I do with my mornings, but I've always been an early riser and I really like taking that time to go through that routine, getting some exercise and some time with the paper and taking a 1/2 hr with a book. I could do all that at the end of the day, but the morning is when I think I'm at my best and I like to keep some of that peak mental time for myself rather than give it all to work.

Actually the one thing that really pops out at me in this thread is how many people have stated they hit the snooze button a few times, or need an alarm clock to wake up. I almost always wake up 5-10 minutes before my alarm sounds - often I'm out of the shower before it goes off. I'm kind of curious (perhaps this is a separate topic) how many people actually rely on their alarm to get up.

TD3 said:

CarrieMpls said:

free2bfreeda said: