#productive morning

My Productive Morning Routine : Quarantine 2020

Hi all! All of my exams were cancelled, meaning I don’t have any academic work set by school. It’s quite exciting to be able to choose what I do - here’s how I’ve redefined ‘productivity’ and am trying to make the most of my time at home.

1. Wake up and read in bed - 8:00 am

I start off by reading blogs using RSS feeds on my phone, then checking BBC news, then reading an eBook on my iPad. The world’s most successful people often report similar habits with reading for all it’s benefits, but additionally aside from that, having this habit in place stops me from going on social media first thing in the morning.

2.  Workout -8:40am

I use the Chloe Ting workouts on YouTube and do at least one a day. Sometimes I do more, sometimes less, but the endorphins really make me feel happier in the morning, and it’s nice to know you’ve done something good for yourself straight away after getting out of bed. Sometimes, I follow this up with yoga practice or meditation, depending on how I feel. 

3. Shower and choose an outfit - 9:00am

I’ve got to admit, I am one of those people who gets properly dressed in quarantine - wearing joggers all day just makes me feel sleepy and unproductive. I’ve been opting instead for soft, wide legged trousers or a pair of looser fitting jeans (mom jeans/wide leg) and a jumper.

4. Skincare! - 9:20am

I’ve recently been watching a lot of YouTube videos by dermatologists and other licensed professionals recommending certain products. I have quite sensitive combination skin, and I’ve been using the brands Cerave, Cetaphil and The Ordinary. I might make a post on my full skincare routine if people are interested!

5. Journal - 9:30am

I’ve been using the 'self-discovery’ prompts from the blog the bliss bean and they have been really good so far! The process of journaling I find to be really therapeutic, and these prompts help me get the most out of it. It’s really helped me with making certain decisions and changed the way I’ve thought about previous friendships/relationships. This is also where I do my manifestation for law of attraction practice.

6. Duolingo - 9:50am

Since quarantine started I resolved to try and pick up French again, which I achieved a grade 9 in at GCSE, but didn’t take it forward for A Levels. It helps that I have a 40+ day streak on the app now, and my competitive self really doesn’t want to lose it!

7. Bullet Journaling - 10:10am

I love my bullet journal. This doesn’t take me very long, but each day I’ve been logging a few things I’m grateful for, writing down my to-do list, and making myself write down a good deed I’ve done for someone else the previous day. I’ll be posting some images of my bullet journal soon, no doubt.

8. Breakfast - 10:20am

I have the same breakfast most days - oats with almond milk, topped with a banana, any berries we have in the house (today was blueberries and strawberries!), flax seeds and almond butter. It fills me up and tastes really, really good… I don’t think I’ll ever get bored of it!

9. Online Learning - 10:50am

Without school, I can do this for as long or as little time as I want, but I’ve been trying to use Khan Academy at least a bit every day. I’ve been working through the Health and Medicine section, looking at all the different body systems. At the moment, for example, I’m making notes from the videos on the Endocrine System.

10. Other projects - 11:30am

The rest of my morning following this massively varies. I’ve started sewing during isolation, and it’s a skill I’m working to improve, as well as re-starting and re-branding this blog, improving my writing skills and so on. Of course, all of those are things I’ve done, but some days I end up lay on my bed watching TikToks. It’s all about balance!

I hope I’ve given you some ideas of your own with this post! I’m really thankful to have what I have right now, and to be safe at home, and I know not everyone is so lucky. All my love and applause goes out to key workers who are being incredible in this time. For everyone else - I hope you are staying well!