Many years ago, I heard someone say that how we spend the first two hours of our day can determine how the rest of our day will play out, and anything in our day that is a top priority should be done in those first two hours. At the time of hearing this, I already had an okay morning routine, but this piece of advice gave my routine a much better focus. I started to think about the things on my daily list that I will not have the discipline to finish if I don’t do them first thing in the morning, and came up with what I call my “7 Things by 7 Thirty”. I wake at 5:00 each morning and need to be mom of the house at 7:30, so that gives me 2 1/2 hours to get these 7 things done. Here they are!
One: Make up my bed. I do this as soon as I get up with the alarm and before anything else. My bedroom instantly looks better and I can’t crawl back under the covers.
Two: Drink 16 ounces of water. The water is on my nightstand the night before so it’s ready to start sipping as soon as I wake up. So by 7:30, I’ve already had a good start to reaching my water quota for the day.
Three: Bible study and prayer/prayer journaling. This is the most grounding thing I can do that carries me through the entire day! (Bonus when the kitty crawls up in my lap.) My husband and I share an additional prayer together before he leaves for work. ❤️
Four: Exercise! Most days I walk around my neighborhood with the sunrise. When the weather doesn’t permit, or when my back is in bad shape, I do some toning and back therapy exercises in my bedroom with a basket of simple equipment.
Five: Get ready. This includes showering, dressing, fixing my hair, and applying makeup.
Six: Listen to podcasts. I can easily get in a couple of podcasts while exercising and getting ready. I choose podcasts that are spiritually uplifting and that point me in the right direction for my day. A few of my favorites are Revive Our Hearts, Sally Clarkson, Focus on the Family, and Refresh Her.
Seven: Wipe down the bathroom. When I give the sinks, counters, shower, and toilet a quick wipe down each morning, the Friday cleaning is much easier because there isn’t as much buildup. But if I run short on time, this one gets cut.
And my reward for finishing all 7 things by 7 thirty? COFFEE!!…and a few minutes to snuggle the cat. And it’s about this time that the kids are tapping on my bedroom door asking, “Can I have the cat?” So I have to get her while the gettin’s good! Isn’t she sweet?!
This is a great principle to live by. Kudos for getting up at 5:00 every morning!
It’s so worth the quiet and time to myself to get up at 5! 😄 There’s something about grounding myself quietly before facing the day and people. It just works for me, but might not be what others need. And I’ve done it so long now, that I know the benefits, and even on the mornings that I just don’t want to get up, I know I will be glad I did. Thanks for commenting, Sis!
I loved reading about your good routines in the morning. Our posts shared some commonality today. One is having a time in the Word first thing in the morning. 💓Secondly, we both mentioned my podcast. How kind of you to listen in the first place, but also to link it on your blog. Thank you so much. I am honored that you would listen! Thank you for encouraging my heart today. Oh, and your kitty is adorable! 🐈
How neat that we both mentioned your podcast without knowing ahead of time that the other one would do it on the very same day! God always knows ahead of time but it’s a fun surprise to us, isn’t it, when that happens! Your blog and your podcast are always encouraging. And, oh my yes, time in the Word is crucial for me every morning!
I think my kitty is pretty cute too. 🥰 Thanks!!
I have never been a morning person. I’m still not. But once we began homeschooling, I found myself waking up earlier and earlier looking for a little quiet time for me. When quarantine began back last March and everyone was home all the time, my wake up time crept back later and later. We all
got a little lazy! I’ve been trying to do better and get up earlier for my morning time (which is not nearly as industrious as yours)! But I do get my Bible study and coffee in. I love the idea of 7 by 7:30, though! I may have to work on this!
Well you have the most important thing in your morning routine: Bible study! (With coffee being second, right?! 😄) If I could get nothing else done in the mornings, I would need my Bible and prayer time most. And I know exactly what you mean about having to get up earlier for time alone. The only way I can get those 7 things done is when the “house” is still asleep!!