“This is how we do it” is a series that shares what works for our family in various areas during this current season of life.
I am a person that likes order and routine. I love my paper planner. I love having a game plan. I look at the menus of restaurants online before I go and often know what I’m going to order (which drives David crazy). All that being said, one thing I’ve learned about routines is that they change with the season of life I’m in, and once I get a system down, something happens that shakes up either my priorities or abilities and I have to make a change. This is just a long-winded way of saying that this is my current weekday morning routine at a point of life when I am homeschooling our two girls, ages 7 and 4 1/2.
It doesn’t always look like what I’ll outline below– kids sometimes wake up during the night and I choose sleep over exercise. Or I really need to attend to something on my computer, so I spend some morning hours there. But generally speaking, this is what our weekday mornings look like.
4:40 AM: My alarm goes off. I take a few breaths with my eyes clothes before rolling out of bed. I grab my phone and my water bottle (which I always fill up before I go to bed). I walk out of our bedroom, quietly close the bedroom door, and grab my workout gear off the sofa table in the living room (that I lay out the night before). I head to the powder room to change, then I chug my water bottle. In the kitchen I refill in from the Berkey, add a scoop of pre-workout powder, and shake it. David and I currently use Gnarly Pre-Workout, which we both really like. However, if you are new to pre-workout supplements, prepare yourself for the tingles! The first time I took it I thought I was having an allergic reaction- ha!
4:55 AM: I leave home and drive to the gym. I pick a podcast and drink my pre-workout.
5:05 AM: In the gym! Each week I try to do a leg day, an arm day, a long run day, a full body workout day, and a walk/run whatever feels good day. I’m not always consistent. I look online beforehand to find workouts. Some of my go-to resources are Jen, Jess, and Kayla Itsines (I usually find these under google images).
I’m in the gym anywhere from 40-60 minutes depending on when David has to leave for the day, but I’m typically home around 6:00 AM.
6:05 AM: Shower time. I am playing around with different skincare products. I want to go more green/clean beauty but also want something that works. I have some BeautyCounter samples and some EVER samples currently. I am really liking my EltaMD facial sunscreen. I bought it in both regular and tinted. I like that it has a physical block (zinc), but absorbs into the skin well.
I also get dressed for the day.
6:15 AM: Chat with David in the kitchen briefly while he heats up a burrito and makes a latte (we love our new Nespresso!) Sometimes I’ll make him breakfast but since he is usually rushing off and eating in the car, it’s not all that often. I give him a kiss as he takes off.
6:30 AM: I make myself a cup of tea, currently Equal Exchange Organic Earl Grey is my favorite. I sit on the couch or at the kitchen table and journal. I am currently using the prompts that Rachel Hollis outlines in her new journals.
It takes about 15 minutes or so. I hesitate to write this next part because it’s such a new part of my mornings that I haven’t yet proven it will stick, but I meditate. I am using the CALM app and so far, so good.
6:55 AM: I go into the office, turn on my lamp, light my candle, and turn on my computer. I will either work on blog posts, respond to emails, schedule social media posts, or edit images.
7:20 AM: Kaitlyn is always the first one up and when she walks into the office, my computer time is over. She always shouts “boo!” as she bursts in the door. I always pretend to be surprised, then she comes and curls up in my lap. I shut things down, she blows out the candle and we head to the kitchen.
7:30 AM: Right now she is really into helping me in the kitchen, so I usually put her up on the kitchen island while we figure out what we want for breakfast. She tells me about her dreams (which I believe are actually a quarter real dreams and three quarters rambling, made up stories). I refill my hot water and start pulling out food. Their breakfasts range from pancakes and berries to avocado toast and scrambled eggs to yogurt parfaits and oatmeal.
7:50 AM: Usually Hailey wanders down around now, but if not, I will wake her up at 8:00. They sit at the table and we all chat while I get their breakfasts finished up. I give them their food and then start on my breakfast. My breakfast is typically a veggie and egg scramble with avocado.
8:20 AM: Wow, when I write it out it is really clear what a leisurely breakfast experience we have each day- haha! I usually eat my breakfast around now. While I clean up breakfast, they tag team emptying the dishwasher. Sometimes we’ll read a chapter or two of our read aloud during breakfast, too, or picture books we picked up from the library.
8:40 AM: I finish wiping down the counters, they head up to get dressed and brush their teeth.
9:00 AM: “Start school.” I use quotation marks because our homeschool style has evolved from the beginning of our school year. While we used to head up to the homeschool room for 2 1/2 hours to work through our studies, I’ve now become more comfortable with the concept that “homeschool is not merely recreating school at home.” It’s something I’ve always heard but never really understood.
At now almost two years into homeschooling, and with the girls still being so young, we are embracing the natural rhythm of the day. We still get the same amount of “work/studies” done, sometimes more honestly, but now we might do 30 minutes of math concepts/games, then go for a walk, then curl up on the couch to read, then go to the library to research Cleopatra, then complete an extra practice math worksheet before dinner, etc etc. It’s really wonderful.
And that’s it- our weekday morning routine!
Share with me:
Are you a morning person?
What is your favorite part of your morning routine?
What would you like to adjust?
John J. Stathas says
Not a morning person. Favorite part = coffee. Reading your early morning routine exhausted me! I respect your routine and see the wonderful fruits of your efforts. Hope you keep it up, including the meditation part. ๐
Erika says
What time do you go to bed to make this happen? Do you feel like you miss out on time with your husband or accomplishing non-kid things around home to go to bed so early? We have our kids down by 7:30/45 and then cooking dinner, doing laundry, maybe watching a 30min TV show and reading a bit and it’s already past 9/9:30. I go to bed around 10pm so getting up before 5:30 doesn’t give me enough sleep to function for the entire day.
Brittany Dixon says
I am usually in bed around 9:15 and asleep by 9:30/9:45. We do family dinner around 5:30/6:00, so once the kids are down, we clock out. I’m going to do a post on our evening routine as well. ๐
Shannan says
I am with you there, Erika! My son goes to bed at 7:30 ish as well. The time between that and trying to get in a few things before bed goes so quick. I wouldn’t be able to wake up earlier either! My alarm goes off at 6:46 am and I am lucky if I’m not waken up before then! On those days, I’m way too tired to accomplish much in the mornings.
Callie says
Iโm with all the non-morning people!! Iโd also be curious to know what your evening routine is like to allow you to get up that early. Iโd need to go to bed by 8 pm if I was to get up at 4:40 am and be functional all day! I guess Iโm just not willing to sacrifice those evening hours…
Brittany Dixon says
I’ll be doing an evening routine post, too. ๐ If you have any specific questions, let me know!
Callie says
So 7 hours of sleep is enough for you? You are luckyyyy…thatโs definitely not enough for me!
Brittany Dixon says
It’s on the lower side (I prefer 8), but I’ve experimented and found that for the most part I have more energy if I use that hour to exercise rather than for sleep. Of course there are days I choose sleep if I feel like I need it ๐
Alyssa says
Wait.. not everyone prelooks at restaurant menus?! I can’t remember the last time I didn’t know what I was going to order before I got to the restaurant!!
Love this series!
Brittany Dixon says
I’m so glad I’m not the only one that looks ahead of time! I like to have plenty of time to decide ๐
Laura says
Haha- I completely echo your dad’s comments above about mornings. I wake up as late as possible (6:35) in order to get to school/ work on time. I immediately make and drink (chug) coffee and get ready to leave the house with both boys at 7:10 (and usually feel fully awake by then). I bring my breakfast, hard boiled egg and banana, to school and eat during my planning period at 9, and workouts happen 2- 3 times a week either right before or right after dinner. I typically go to bed at 11:30 and get close to 7 hours of solid sleep, which mostly seems to be enough as I maintain good energy throughout the day and evening. I don’t think I’ll likely change my schedule much, as I love my evening time!
Brittany Dixon says
I applaud you for your evening workouts! As much as some people wonder how I get up early to workout, I have the same sense of awe of people that can get their bodies moving like that in the evenings. Well done!
PS- My dad does well to tolerate my mom and I in the mornings- haha! We are so bouncy and awake and he just tends to give us a half smile and a wave as he silently gets his coffee and goes to another room ๐
ErikaMC says
I am a morning person. I like to be but I also kinda have to be. I get up 4-4:30 to get an at-home workout in and then it’s a mad dash to get two kids up and ready and to school/daycare so I can be to work at 7:00. I’d like to be in bed by 9:00 but it’s usually closer to 10:00. I think I’ve been doing it long enough that my body has adjusted to it and now if I get much more than 7 hours of sleep I feel awful. I do like my mornings but I wish they didn’t have to be so rushed – I would love to enjoy a drawn-out breakfast and time to read books in the morning.
Brittany Dixon says
That’s so interesting that you actually feel off with more sleep! I feel a little similarly in that some days I’ll choose to sleep in and get an extra hour or two, but I feel almost more tired throughout the day. It always confuses me!
Maggie C says
Hi! I love reading about other peopleโs morning routines! What nespresso machine did you get?? We are looking into getting one, as well!
Brittany Dixon says
We got this one: https://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-3179827/Nespresso+VertuoPlus+Deluxe+by+DeLonghi+with+Aeroccino3+Frother;jsessionid=F2E8C2B9364E444380EC6FA67628A945.slt-prd-dal-app-02-p-app2?cat=cat450560_Nespresso
It was on sale and we had an extra 10% off coupon after our cooking class. We love it- especially the milk warmer/frother!
montessoriishmom says
I’m totally with you – I have so much more energy for the day if I get up before my kids. I have a three month old and she often wakes up between 4-5 to nurse and then goes back to sleep. I almost always just get up for the day then, and always regret it when I go back to sleep!
Betty says
I had been a morning person all my life until babies! Our one year-old still wakes up frequently at night so I haven’t been able to get back on the early-morning train, but it definitely is when I feel the most energized and productive.
Brittany Dixon says
When my girls were really little, sleep trumped all! I totally get it!
Lauren says
What a lovely start to the day! Iโm a single working mum of two (5 and almost 2) writing from the UK. During the week my mornings are absolute organised chaos between 6-7:30 with breakfast and making everyone presentable! But our weekends look a lot like yours (minus the early workout!) kids always up by 6:30 (no matter what the bedtime!!!๐ต) and a slow breakfast with lots of tea for me and a good book while the kids play. I squeeze in workouts once or twice a week at the work gym before collecting the kids on my early finish days and keep the weekends solely for family time.