If you’re a SAHM like me (or just a Mama really, cos these COVID days, we’re all pretty much staying home), productivity and efficiency really is K E Y to keeping a routine together. And we all know what happens when routine is out of check.
My 2-year-old doesn’t sleep with me. She’s in her own room. But what we do have is a camera in her room, and a screen right next to my bed, for us to watch her just in case.
So technically, she’s my alarm clock. I wake up when I hear her calling for me.
What are the first few things you do when you wake up? Grab your phone, I know. But what do you do after that? Here are the 6 things I do in the morning, even before I leave my room and start the day. I’ve found that making these a habit actually influences my mood for the day, and then by extension how productive I am.
#1 Pee
Yup. Take that morning pee.
It may sound weird but the first pee of the day is actually important. Not only does it help you relieve your bladder from holding everything in all night, it gives you the chance to dl a quick check and see if your body is doing alright: the darker the colour of your pee, the more you need to hydrate.
#2 Wash Your Face
I don’t know about you, but my 30-year-old eyes take longer to adjust now then they used to just a few years back. I find washing my face with cold water helps. It also helps me feel fresh, together with the thing next on the list.
Let’s be real, how many of us actually get the luxury of showering before the kids wake up? So wash your face, at least.
#3 Brush Your Teeth
If you don’t already brush your teeth first thing in the morning, don’t worry I’m sure lots of other people are like you. But you totally should. Brushing in the morning clears your teeth of the bacteria you’ve accumulated in your mouth overnight – the same guys who are just sitting on your teeth waiting to join you for breakfast.
I know, it sounds extra gross when you read it.
#4 Draw The Curtains / Open The Windows
I’m gonna be honest here: one of the things that really irk me is when I enter my bedroom after my husband gets up and the room is still dark and/or suffocating. The air is stale and it’s just yuck.
So I make it a point to draw the curtains and let some fresh air in. The natural light that comes in really brightens up the room, especially since we sleep with blackout curtains. If I wake up before my husband (i.e. he’s still asleep and won’t be getting up with me no matter how loudly I open and close the toilet door on purpose), then I draw just half the curtain length and open just one of our two windows.
#5 Please Make Your Bed
And I mean really put your work into it. Tug (the sheets tight) and tuck (them under the mattress). Fold or drape your blanket or comforter neatly.
It may sound like a lot to do, but trust me, walking past your bedroom at 1pm and seeing it messy and untidy is doing nothing to your mood and productivity levels.
#6 Drink some water
If you don’t have a bottle of water next to your bed, start having one. The reality is we can get so busy and caught up with the everyday tasks that we can forget to hydrate ourselves so start your day with a good amount and feed your thirsty skin.
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Try to do these 6 things every morning for a week or so and see if it makes a difference to your days! Shoutout to the Mamas who co-sleep or who have a newborn in your room: your time will come… I pray it does.
Photo by Laura Chouette on Unsplash