Tips for Creating a Slow Morning Routine for Creatives
We've all been there. You wake up to an alarm, your phone buzzing on the nightstand. You roll over and check it, see that you're late for a meeting, and jump out of bed. You rush through your morning routine, realizing that you've forgotten to brush your teeth or put on pants. You spend the next half hour trying to catch up with yourself: making coffee, and eating breakfast while checking emails and texts from last night.
Then you leave your home feeling like you barely had time to breathe.
There's a better way! In response to a hectic morning - there is a counter-movement: the slow morning.
WHAT IS A SLOW MORNING?
Slow morning is the morning that is full of mindfulness. Slow mornings help us focus on our inner selves, which helps us be more present for others during the rest of the day.
Slow living is basically the opposite of fast-paced, overscheduled life. It's the countermovement to 24/7 technology. It's waking up early and having time to do nothing. It's being happy with just a little bit of quiet seclusion, without breaks and deadlines.
It is important to begin the day in a peaceful way, with no distractions or pressure for productivity. It's about taking time for yourself before you start your day.
HOW MY PERFECT SLOW MORNING LOOKS LIKE?
Wake up at 8:00
The main joy for me in the morning is to see the faces of my cats, which are waiting for me to wake up. They are very lazy in the mornings and don't want to wake up. I usually get up on weekends without an alarm, but sometimes I put the alarm to 8:00.
Skincare routine
I also love cleansing my face and moisturizing it afterward—it helps me wake up and feel refreshed.
Ignore the phone
I try not to reach for my phone first thing in the morning (but I often inevitably do). I want to completely get rid of this habit and replace it with reading. It would be much calmer to use this time to read a book than to scroll through news feeds that I can easily catch up with later in the day.
Aromatheraphy
I like to start my day with aromatherapy. I pour some essential oils into a diffuser and let the invigorating scent fill my apartment. Just taking a few minutes to focus on yourself before getting started on your day can do wonders for your energy levels!
Quick cleaning
I like to do a quick cleaning like vacuuming in the morning. This helps me get into a routine, and it's a good way to start my day without feeling overwhelmed with what else I need to do.
Exercise
I start with some exercises or with spinning the hoop because it's important to stretch and loosen up your body before food.
Plan
Then I take my time and look at what I need to do and what I want to achieve that day. This helps me feel like there's space in my schedule for everything I want—and also makes it easier for me to get started on those things once they come up!
I write a daily to-do list with only one major task and two or three smaller ones. I will add to this list as soon as I achieve these goals. Simplicity means I don't feel overwhelmed by my workload (which, like everyone else, is constantly growing).
A WAYS HOW TO CREATE A PERFECT SLOW MORNING:
Don't rush
It's a morning when you wake up, but instead of jumping into your day, you take a few minutes to feel and appreciate the moment you are in. You can do this by sitting up in bed and focusing on your breathing, or by taking five slow breaths before getting out of bed.
Prepare the day before
If you want a quiet morning, prepare the night before. If you have too much to do every morning, find ways to eliminate tasks from your morning routine. There are a lot of things you can do before bed, like getting ready, washing the dishes, or folding the laundry, as well as quick cleaning each room so you don't have to deal with it that morning.
Eliminating these tasks before bed means you have more time in the morning to take your time and you won't be in such a hurry to get everything done because you don't have much to do.
Wake up earlier
Resist the temptation to hit the snooze button; Waking up late will only have a negative effect and make your morning seem rushed and unprepared. Pressing the snooze button repeatedly becomes a habit, not a one-off, so choose a time to get up, set an alarm, and not press the snooze button.
If you find yourself waking up tired, create a nightly routine that will help you go to bed earlier and sleep better. If you go to bed on time, you are more likely to get enough sleep, and when the alarm goes off, you will not be so reluctant to get up.
Create time for yourself
If you stay in bed a little longer to sleep, you will feel less sleepy, but in the morning you will have less time to do something just for yourself.
If you find that your mornings are rushed and you only have time for the essentials, consider going to bed earlier so you can wake up earlier. This will create some extra time in the morning so you can do what you like.
Creating space in your routine means you have time to slow down and enjoy your mornings; You can spend this extra time with your family or pets, read, listen to a podcast, or just sit and enjoy your breakfast longer.
Aromatherapy & Candles
The best part of the day is to fill my diffuser with essential oils that help me feel calm and stay focused or a candle that fills the room with botanical scents.
Make your bed
This is the first task of the day, which you can complete in seconds, but what a pleasure it is to stretch out in a well-made bed as night falls.
Drink a glass of water
Your body needs water, especially after sleep. Be sure to include the fact of drinking water with your morning routine. This will not only activate your cardiovascular system but also help you wake up.
Don't react to notifications
No letters, calls, etc.: the morning belongs to you. Decide for yourself what you want to do in the morning and take care of yourself. Dedicate yourself to what you lack outside of your functions. This should become your morning routine.
Books about slow living
These books are a great start if you're looking for an introduction to slow living. They provide great examples of how to achieve a more relaxed and slow approach to your life. These books also explore the different ways that you can incorporate slow living principles into your home, from choosing eco-friendly furniture and lighting options to using natural materials in your decorating choices.
"The Slow Fix: Solve Problems, Work Smarter, and Live Better in a World Addicted to Speed" by Carl Honoré
"Slow: Simple Living for a Frantic World" by Brooke McAlary
"In Praise of Slowness: Challenging the Cult of Speed" by Carl Honoré
"Chasing Slow: Courage to Journey Off the Beaten Path" by Erin Loechner
"The Joy of Missing Out: Live More by Doing Less" by Tonya Dalton
"Simplify: 7 Guiding Principles to Help Anyone Declutter Their Home and Life" by Joshua Becker
"Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less" by Greg McKeown
"The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing" by Marie Kondo
"The Art of Slow Writing: Reflections on Time, Craft, and Creativity" by Louise DeSalvo
Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this post and found some good ideas in it. If you liked this post, you can find more inspiration it in my self-care category.
Don't forget to follow me on Instagram @arina.voy
See you next time,
Arina
