Good Morning?

Ruby reading to her babies. All of her babies.

You guys...I am not the least bit athletic, but for about a minute and a half in college, I was on the crew team. Rowing a boat. I'm totally not even kidding. I actually did this.

​I can remember my parents coming to our races (meets? games? I don't even know) and their faces looking all perplexed and even a little bit stunned...sort of like they were shell shocked. Whether it was because they couldn't believe I was about to row a boat with seven other women, or that they themselves didn't even know what to do at a sporting event for their oldest daughter, I don't know. I only know I surprised us all by giving it my all (which was honestly, not enough...crew is not a sport for the faint of heart) for an entire semester my freshman year.

Anyway, I'm telling you this because one of my favorite things about rowing crew was the massive feeling of accomplishment. Not that I was doing something spectacular, but that I was doing something at all when most people were still sleeping. Crew is notorious for its early wake up requirement, and we were often already rowing down the frozen Schuylkilll River in Philadelphia by 5:45 a.m. There is a pretty famous crew phrase that says:

"Rowers do more before 8 a.m. than most people do all day."—anonymous

I think it should be pretty obvious by now that I bought and proudly wore a t-shirt sporting that phrase long after I stopped rowing.

Those days are long gone but I still remember that feeling of massive accomplishment so early in the day, so much so that I've tried to replicate it several times since then. The best I ever did was about two years ago, when I would wake up diligently at 5 a.m. and start working on my book. And it worked really, really well, until I hit my goal. Which was great because I hit the goal (60,000 words). But not great because I couldn't seem to force myself out of bed at a reasonable time after that and I have yet to hit a goal since.

Ok, not really. But it sometimes feels like that because I've really lost the rhyme and rhythm to my days. We've had some major lifestyle changes this year—homeschooling and a long-term freelance commitment—and now that we've gotten used to those things, I'm craving—CRAVING—a new morning routine. And a way to give structure to my work work (the kind that pays) as well as my own work projects (the kind that doesn't, but might someday) without forgetting that I'm home with these kids. And I think a morning routine might be just the thing to accomplish all of that, including a little time to myself (hello??? Woman NEEDING time to herself over here).

There are all these great ideas out there:

• There is this website called my morning routine where people are interviewed about their routines and some of them are insanely impressive. Others are just not do-able for me. One woman hired a driver to be more productive. AMAZING as that sounds, my current position prevents me from even hiring a hairdresser for an afternoon. A driver is clearly out of the question.
• Brian Johnson always talks about the benefits of an early, non-negotiable routine, and here he interviews Hal Elrod, author of The Miracle Morning. 
• And Crystal Paine (Mother Saving Mom) even has a course! A COURSE! It's called Make Over Your Mornings! (and p.s. I think it seems awesome but I am not an affiliate)

And what I want to do is kind of combine some of those ideas with something pretty. Yeah, that's right. I said pretty. Because if it isn't all color coordinated and creative and fabulous, then I won't look at it. Basically, my ideal routine is something I can put together with gel pens and washi tape.

My current work folders, and the pretty pens I stole from my daughter.

And this example from Katherine Center—one of my favorite novelists!—is just screaming my name. She posted this on Facebook a few weeks ago and people...it works. She just finished her sixth novel! (this is how she tracked her page count!)

So I'm looking for ideas. What do you guys do? Do you have a morning routine? And if so, what's it look like? Are you up and doing yoga at 4:45 or are you drinking coffee at 11? Are you journaling? Working? Answering emails or reading a book? And most importantly, what works for you? Sometimes I feel like I'm a total night owl, and I function pretty well that way, but if I stay up too late then I'm wasted the next day, and absolutely lose any quiet time in the morning because the kids will be up. So how does it work for you? 

I'd love, love, love to know. Now hopefully, the comments will finally work (I've never had this problem with Weebly before but I'm really having it now!). If they don't, please consider telling me via email or on facebook! And even better, please send a picture if you have something colorful! I'd love some ideas!

Thanks for all your help...I'm already feeling the productivity coming at me...

XO...Danielle