Morning Routine (2/31)

I’m about 30 minutes behind schedule this AM.

On Wednesdays, I meet my girls at the coffee shop at 6 AM for ‘Breakfast and Bible.’ After Influence last year, I asked some friends from my church small group if they wanted to start getting together once a week to talk about the devotions from SheReadsTruth that week and have fellowship. We started meeting at 5:30 AM on Friday mornings before the teachers had to head off to school and the rest of us had to put on real pants. Thus, ‘breakfast and bible’ was born. We kept it up for about a year, then during the summer it became difficult and we discontinued it.

Just a couple months ago, everyone decided they missed it so we started back up! This summer we wrote our own devotions and then recently we started Jesus Calling and some guided devotions from our church. I really look forward to our meeting every Wednesday. It’s a chance to get caught up with everyone is up to and to really dive into the word together.

Normally, I’d get up and head out on a run by 5. I’d finish my route at the coffee shop to meet them. It was good motivation to get out of the house early and then we are done I’d just head home to shower.

This morning I got up about 30 minutes too late to get a run in before meet-up so it’ll have to come after. I like to plan out my mornings so I get a few things accomplished before I head into work. I have the type of job that isn’t really complete every day. Most days, I’m working on tasks for a bigger project that doesn’t really see an end ever. Being able to cross a few things off the to-do list is good for my conscious in the AM.

Here’s a preview of what a Wednesday morning should look like for me:

4:45 AM              Get up. Take care of dog. Get ready for run

5-5:30 AM           Head out for run. 3-5 miles depending on time

6 AM                  Breakfast and Bible with the girls (which usually just means a lot of coffee for me)

7-730 AM            Head home for breakfast, devotion, dog walk and shower

830-9 AM            Leave for work

With my new habit of writing every morning, this changes a little. I have to find time to squeeze in 30 minutes of writing and time to get a post published. Since I snoozed away this AM, here is how this AM will look:

5ish AM                Get up. Take care of dog. Coffee!

5:20 AM               30 minutes of writing time

6 AM                    Breakfast and Bible with the girls

7 AM                    Edit and publish posts

7:30 AM                Run. 5-6 miles

8:30 AM                Breakfast and shower

9 AM                    Leave for work

I’ll walk Roxy dog after work and tend to other things then. 

Each morning, I also set multiple alarms to keep me on task. I have alarms to wake up to, alarms to tell me when to leave or move on to other tasks and a really annoying alarm alerting me it’s time to get out the door or I’ll be late for work.

Here is what an ideal morning plan looks like when I don’t have Breakfast and Bible scheduled:

4:45-5 AM           Get up. Take care of dog.

5:15-5:30 AM       Write for 30 minutes

6 AM                   Exercise (run or weights/yoga/walk)

7 AM                   Breakfast and devotion followed up by shower.

7:45 AM               Out the door

For me, having a plan in the morning just starts my day off right. 

Some things I can’t live without in the morning? 

Exercise, Jesus and a hot drink (coffee or tea). 

I prep a few things the night before to help the day go smoothly as well. I usually pick out my outfit for the day and lay out my workout clothes. I pack my lunch and get my work bag ready to go and set by the door.

I’m not saying this happens every morning. Sometimes I just hit snooze to all the alarms, sleep in and then get up for just the essentials- a hot drink, Jesus and a shower.

But on Wednesdays? My motivation is high. Spending time with these girls has been so amazing and life-giving. I am truly blessed to have such an awesome community of women. The fellowship and connection I have with my breakfast and bible girls is enough inspiration to drag anyone out of bed while the rest of the world still sleeps.