5 Changes I made to my morning routine to have a more productive day

I am on a journey to find myself again. Even though I love my husband, my children, and my dogs, I can't help but feel like I lost a part of myself when becoming a stay at home mom. I am so grateful that I am able to stay home and care for my children and take care of our home. I just want to find what makes me Sarah again. Not mom Sarah, not wife Sarah, just Sarah.

So here are the 5 things I started doing this month to start my morning right, make my day more productive and help me exist outside of being a mother.

1. This one was a little hard but getting up an hour before the kids to have time to myself and get prepared for the day. This is definitely getting easier since my youngest is getting to the point of sleeping through the night. If you still have young ones waking you through the night this one might be tough but I promise it is worth it. Your body will adjust to the new waking time and it will get easier in a few days. It's nice just to have some quiet time to yourself before everyone else is up and you are running around getting everything and everybody ready for the day.

2. Now that you're up and awake, stay off your phone! There are multiple studies done to show why scrolling through your phone first thing in the morning isn't good. A quick Google search can show you. One of the big factors is reading or seeing something negative first thing in the morning can trigger a stress response and put you on edge for the rest of the day. Another reason was grabbing your phone and immediately scrolling through social media hijacks your mind. Your thoughts and focus are pulled to whatever is on the screen, other people's opinions, and advertisements. You spend your time reacting to other people's stuff. Which makes it hard to calmly wake-up and focus on your own goals. Also it's easy for 5 minutes to turn into 15 then into 30 then before you know it you've wasted too much time and didn't get anything accomplished.

3. Third thing I started doing was journaling. I sit down with a cup of coffee and my favorite journal and jot down what I'm thinking, feeling, and my goals for the day. I like starting with daily affirmations, I think it helps start the day on a positive note. Next I write how I'm feeling, it's been nice to be able to flip back through the journal and see how my mood has improved through the month. I makes me feel like I'm making progress and that these changes I've made to my morning routine are helping. Next I just write down my goals for the day. They don't have to be anything big. It could just be going for walk or cleaning out that cluttered closet. Just something that's going to make you feel better.

4. The next thing I've added to my morning is a 20 minute exercise. In the morning I like to either do pilates or yoga. I save my cardio and strength training for later in the day, I can do a post on that too if you guys would like. This is just a quick workout to help wake-up your body. I also found that starting the day with a workout helps me make better food choices through out the day. 

5. The last thing I started doing was making sure I get myself ready. When you are a stay at home mom sometimes it feels like there is no point in getting dressed and doing your make-up because most days you don't leave the house. Black leggings, a baggy t-shirt and a messy bun was my everyday attire. Which there is nothing wrong with! But dressing it up a little and adding a little make-up can make you feel better. Since most days I don't leave the house I like to wear something comfy so I ordered a couple of cute matching sets from Amazon and Shein. Putting on a cute outfit always boosts my mood, yet they are still comfy and good for being home and doing housework in. For my hair I started throwing in a couple quick loose curls, it just makes me feel a little more put together and it takes me less than 5 minutes. I grabbed a couple cute hair ties and claw clips for the messy bun days. Add a cute pair of earrings and a little necklace to dress it up. And last I put on some make-up. Somedays I put a full face on but most days some blush, mascara and lip gloss are my go to.

So those are the changes I've made this month. While they aren't life changing things, they have helped me feel better. I'm more productive throughout the day. Starting the day off with some quiet time and getting my thoughts out of my head have really helped my mental health. That little bit of time to myself being able to do what I want without interruption has helped me feel like a person again and not just a mother. I hope if you are struggling like I was you give this morning routine a chance. I'd love to hear if you've tried this and it helped. Or if you have any tips that have helped you that I could add to my morning routine let me know. Do something that makes you happy today.

-SARAH