Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Affecting an Early Morning Routine

I've always wanted to put into effect an early morning routine. I'm of the firm belief that most, if not all, my problems (aggression) stem from my failure to do so. Particularly my inability to find the time for breakkie. After all it's how we kickoff a new day.
I first got the idea when I remembered I use to have a printout, some 10 years ago, of an online article from men's health magazine that detailed, minute-by-minute what one should do in the mornings. It's now lost forever (despite writing to men's health) but hopefully I can recreate one here.
I'd like to hear what you do in the mornings to start the day off right.

To begin with I think an frank analysis of my current routine free from propaganda and spin would be benificial. Ok, let's get started.

My Current Routine
8:15ishWakeup. I have my alarm set for 7:21 based on a men's health magazine article that proffered that this was the best time to wake but it's no use, I constantly sleep in (probably due to the time I usually go to bed). To remedy this I now have an amazing iPhone app called sleep cycle but more on that later
8:20I go to the toilet. Will try to find a Dr Karl Twitter post that explains the phenomenon of why this is the first thing some males must do in the morning.
8:25if I'm smoking (in a perpetual state of quitting), I'm usually grumpy and have a cigarrette
8:30running late already. Have a shower. (if i'm not running too late, blowdry hair)
8:40put on deodorant, cologne & underwear, sit infront of the computer & check the sartorialist blog (and my databank of fashion photos I like (& can replicate with my current wardrobe)) for an outfit to wear.
8:45once I've settled on an outfit I usually have to iron something. If i've settled on a look but a article of clothing required to complete the look hasn't been laundered or I can't find it, I chuck a hissy fit
8:53get dressed and put on my shoes, this is usually around the time my feckwit cat approaches for his time-consuming morning pat.
8:59panic that I can't find one of the six essentials (wallet, coin pouch, keys, phone/headphones, cigarettes, sunglasses) and turn the house upside down trying to find one of them. Once I've found it I am out the door with 1 minute to complete my 20 minute walk to work.

Things I'd like to work into my morning routing
  1. Breakfast (without the cigarette)
  2. get 7.5 hours sleep a night on average
  3. Doing a load of laundry
  4. Going for a morning swim
  5. Brushing of teeth
  6. Make a packed lunch (something from Jamie Oliver's Lunchbox chapter in jamie's dinners)
Ok, before we get started reshuffling my list it's worth mentioning things that I've learnt should be done before going to bed which all have something to do with the principle of "a place for everything and everything in it's place". The things i've learnt include:
  • Decide what you're gonna wear the night before, get everything ironed and ready. I'm suppose to buy a valet stand to help out with this
  • Pack the gym bag
  • have a bedtime ritual that gets your brain ready for sleepy time. Mine's shutting the blinds
  • Put the alarm clock far away from the bed. Got this tip (and many others) from here
  • Put your towel in the dryer
  • wooo here's a good one, set two alarms, one for waking up and the other going to bed, my stark watch has two alarms
  • I remember reading a tip about putting the cereal in a bowl and toothpaste on the toothbrush the night before but that seems excessive to me.

And finally, the new routine to be affected in small doses over time. I don't foresee me successfully getting all of this done but life's a constant battle and the fun is in the fight.

7:21 Wake up

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