Reader Q&A: Morning Routine

Okay, readers — I need your help!

I am NOT a morning person. In fact, since having the baby I’ve reverted back to my natural 1 am bedtime. I say natural because whenever I’m allowed to go to bed and get up when I want, that’s what happens. I usually get my best work done between 10pm and 12am, and then start getting sleepy by 1am.

So my new dream job is wonderful, except that we have decided not to move this year. Which means a 1.25 hour commute each way, every day (1.5 hours on a bad day). Which means that my new wake-up time will be only four short hours after my current bedtime. Yikes.

So, dear readers, how do you wake up in the mornings? What is your morning routine? Right now, I envision mine going like this:

5 am – shower (these do NOT wake me up – I want to go back to sleep because of the hot water!)

5:15 am – make hot tea, drink while feeding the baby, read Facebook or on my Kindle

5:30 am – blow dry and fix hair

5:45 am – make up and get dressed

5:55 am – make to-go mug of hot tea and traveling breakfast, grab stuff and out the door

6:00 am – 7:30 am – driving, thinking about day and mentally preparing/planning, pumping around 7 am while driving

7:30 am – arrive at job, brush teeth (no point in doing it before breakfast), make any last-minute copies

7:45 am – start work

I need any and all suggestions to make life easier! I can skip hair washing every other day, but will still need a quick shower and styling time.