Mornings: Do You Prepare For Battle?

[puff_not_snuff]

Do you have a morning routine that goes beyond just hitting some caffine, getting some nourishment, and perhaps defecating? I never really thought about it consciously until this morning but I do have a few activities which I try to get in before my girlfriend and dog rise. Most mornings, for some unknown or perhaps know reason which I rather not indulge in, I wake up feeling a bit anxious and find that certain pursuits help to mitigate such feelings of dread and in a way, gets my mind in a better shape for the battle of the day. These things include: trying to meditate, stretching, playing on a keyboard synth without any implicit goal (getting into FLOW), reading, and watching interviews and such on youtube. I also check the fora, but I don't think that's generally helpful although somewhat enjoyable.

I watched this interview with Rick Rubin this morning which I found both insightful and comforting.

So, hey all you navel gazing, special snowflakes, please share your own morning rituals if you have any, and if you don't maybe it's something to consider.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I have several things I do each morning write consistently. One is to take a dump, then brush teeth and shave. Breakfast, then coffee and pipe. These are things that just need to happen each morning.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

I have several things I do each morning write consistently. One is to take a dump, then brush teeth and shave. Breakfast, then coffee and pipe. These are things that just need to happen each morning.

What do you write? Are you working on a memoir?

 

[AppalachianPipe92]

I have several things I do each morning write consistently. One is to take a dump, then brush teeth and shave. Breakfast, then coffee and pipe. These are things that just need to happen each morning.

This is my routine, except I smoke before breakfast them again after. It's nice to have a routine. I work with people who've said they don't and I just can't imagine.

 

[Kobold]

I like to shit, shower and shave. After that a double shot of espresso and a book.

 

[Egg Shen]

I don’t have a firm routine since I don’t have a firm wake-up time but prior to work I select a couple of the following things: Stretch/yoga/meditate. Coffee. Possibly some tobacco or herb. Read Bible. Read a bit of some other book that is for pleasure or learning. Interact with the cat. A bike ride or skateboard around the neighborhood for 20 minutes is great too. And if I really have a wide open morning I will run, lift & do calisthenics. The anxiety you feel might be simply because you know that work is coming around the bend. It’s normal. But that’s why I try to do some of these things prior - to establish my zen and take it with me through the more challenging parts of the day.

 

[pantsBoots]

First, I rise and curse the modern "work ethic" that demands my family and I all go separate ways for 9 hours. Then, I ruminate on how much longer this modern economy - propped up on fiat currency where the poorer half are taxed to provide tax relief to wealthy corporate interests - will continue before we get to enjoy the final Great Depression and evolve back to a local barter-based economy.

After these internal philosophical shoutings at the wall, I make a small breakfast to jumpstart the metabolism (yogurt and granola, or a fruit smoothie... rarely a small breakfast biscuit from the local gas station deli). I only take caffeine when I truly need it as I've found daily caffeine use negatively impacts stress management. I've found I'm much more capable without caffeine than I thought possible. Caffeine does make the first hour easier, but if I forego drinking it, I still end up at the same point by mid-morning.

From there and if a weekday, it depends on whether I've got an office day or a field day planned. If a field day, I make and pack a lunch, grab my boots, then head out the door. If an office day, 9 times out of 10 I'm working from home, so I flip on the computer and either start answering contractor questions about projects under active construction, or else settle in to a more leisurely day of design tasks.

Weekends are markedly different. My wife and I trade off on who gets up with the kids, so I'm either sleeping in, then reading in bed until I feel like getting up, or I jump up with the kids, make a big family breakfast, and then start planning our free time.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

I don’t have a firm routine since I don’t have a firm wake-up time but prior to work I select a couple of the following things: Stretch/yoga/meditate. Coffee. Possibly some tobacco or herb. Read Bible. Read a bit of some other book that is for pleasure or learning. Interact with the cat. A bike ride or skateboard around the neighborhood for 20 minutes is great too. And if I really have a wide open morning I will run, lift & do calisthenics. The anxiety you feel might be simply because you know that work is coming around the bend. It’s normal. But that’s why I try to do some of these things prior - to establish my zen and take it with me through the more challenging parts of the day.

Yea, my anxiety waxes and wanes, but more to do with something less immediate than the days toils. Can't say I experienced much anxiety, at least consistently, before hitting 40 or so even if life wasn't easy back then.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

What do you write? Are you working on a memoir?

Not sure what erie was supposed to be. I use Swype keyboard on my mobile devices. It has intuitive spelling. Sometimes, not so intuitive.

 

[kcghost]

Don't mess with beverages much. Simply shower, shave, get dressed an go to face the forces of evil in the world.

 

[Peter Turbo]

does sleeping in count?

 

[AcesAndEights]

I used to have a routine. Then 3 tiny humans started living with us. Chaos is king in the morning now!

 

[AJL67]

Crank up the coffee pipeline and a cigar, robusto or larger, brush teeth, everything else is negotiable.

 

[El Capitán]

Up by 6, brush teeth, take my morning constitutional, eat, go out and feed and water all the livestock, take a walk down the road, come back and have my first smoke of the day. Mornings for me are busy.

 

[ashdigger]

I don’t have a routine, or a stable anything other than an unbridled belief in the healing power of a massive dose of caffeine.

Some mornings I wake up at 2:30 and get ready for a long drive. Some mornings I wake up in a hotel and get the day going.

Some days are 10 hour days. Some days are 20 hour days.

Routine isn’t a word I can define or understand.

Some mornings I try and behave like a normal person with a routine, then an email comes in or my phone rings and I’m off chasing the next demon two states away.

I have constants - work, caffeine, nicotine and bourbon.

My superpower is I have ADHD. Normally that requires a routine, but I have a gear bag that is always packed, a travel bag that is always packed and an iPad that is never more than 20 feet away.

I wouldn’t change a thing.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I wake up, grab a pipe and cup of coffee, say the Pledge of Allegiance, read the constitution while taking a constitutional, and then run/walk a mile with the dog, come back in as the sun rises, and get ready for the day.

 

[pauls456]

I have a stressful work situation. Meditation just after waking up helps. I sit and note the knot in my stomach without judging it or trying to change it. Eventually it dissipates.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Other than TMI stuff, lol, in the summer my wife arises later and the dogs prefer to sleep in and avoid eye contact, so I’m on my own from anywhere between 5 and 6 until heading off to work at 7:30 or earlier, depends. Start the kettle, grind beans, make coffee. Sit around with the TV on as very quiet noise, catch up on all things internet and email. Other 9 months, taking the dogs out, then coffee. If it is around zero or below the younger dog renews his attempts at avoiding eye contact (in vain).

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

I wake up, grab a pipe and cup of coffee, say the Pledge of Allegiance, read the constitution while taking a constitutional, and then run/walk a mile with the dog, come back in as the sun rises, and get ready for the day.

??

 

[sablebrush52]

Used to be a wake up shag. Hard to beat for getting the day off to a great start.

Now it's stretch, yoga, maybe some resistance training, fix breakfast, clean up, get dressed, have a short smoke, and it's off to the races.