Being a small business owner may look like the ideal and glamorous work environment but the truth is that being a small business owner can be very lonely. It can be very difficult to stay on task or meet your own deadlines. I used to be ashamed of this but over time I’ve realized that we are all imperfect and part of the journey is learning how to become the best version of ourselves.
It’s A LOT of hard work behind the scenes. I think it’s important to share our struggles because we are all human. Working at our home offices in yoga pants, cute shirt and messy bun, drinking our favorite coffee may look like the greatest work day but the reality is that there are many challenges that we face being our own boss.
One of the biggest struggles for me has been becoming a morning person. I have always been a night owl and was always completely embarrassed by it. I knew they were right but I could never stick to my commitments. When I married Michael and we moved in together for the first time, I was COMPLETELY envious of how he could effortlessly roll out of bed very early in the morning and how he fell asleep on the couch early every night because he couldn’t stay awake. I would always wake up and race to get to the office for work and felt fatigued and stressed. No matter how much I disliked it, I barely ever changed my bad habit.
Fast forward to 2018- I made a promise to myself: If I was going to be a business owner, I needed to accomplish the goal of being energetic in the morning and going to bed early. Some days aren’t perfect. There are days after an exhausting week of traveling, editing and shooting weddings and sessions that I need to mentally take a break or sleep in but I still follow this same routine after I wake up. This new routine of mine has been life changing. I accomplish so much more in a day and have extremely reduced my anxiety and stress.
Mornings are now my favorite part of the day!
I’ve listed 7 tips for becoming a morning person:
Night time routine:
- Goals and Writing my Routine
I make my goals list for the week on Sunday evenings. Every night after making dinner, I’ll sit down and write my time- blocked schedule for the day so that I’m not anxious in the morning or before going to bed. I’ve also started day-blocking in my calendar which has helped me become much for productive. For example, editing day, blogging day, consultation day, etc. Grouping tasks together allows your mind to focus on one specific goal and accomplish more through out the day!
- Getting Ready for Bed
After cleaning the kitchen, I’ll go upstairs to take a shower or wash my face, brush my teeth and get into my comfy clothes. I always wake up and go to bed at THE SAME time everyday which makes waking up much easier!
- Evening Drink
I love drinking Chamomile, nighty night tea, and taking magnesium in the evening to calm down and let’s face it- I’ll have red wine sometimes. I try to only drink wine on the weekends before bed because it negatively affects your quality of sleep.
- Keep My Phone Upstairs
It’s very tempting for me to answer unread texts or scroll through social media so I stop looking at my phone before bed. If you text me after 10pm, I probably won’t respond until the next day or after 5 pm.
Morning Routine:
- Walk Outside and Workout
If time allows, I’ll step outside to get the mail or just check out the neighborhood. Fresh air and sunlight awaken your brain. There are some days that I’ll have to workout in the evening but I don’t prefer it. My best days are when working out is the first thing on my to-do list! I’ll either do a home workout (Circut training/ HIIT) or I’ll go to a workout class. Lately, it’s been 9 rounds kicking boxing, only 30 minutes!
- Get Ready, Coffee, and Make my Bed
I drink a full cup of water because your cells need replenished to help your body properly function. I brush my teeth, wash my face and put on some makeup. This helps me mentally feel like I’m “going to work.” After I get ready, I’ll put on my coffee simply because I can’t start my day without it.
- Podcasts, Devotionals, Emails
This routine prevents me from being anxious but sometimes I wake up discouraged. I like to start my morning by listening to encouraging sermons or reading a daily email devotional so that I’m reminded of the peace I have in Christ. If I’m driving to meetings or sessions, I’ll listen to a short devotional and podcasts about topics I’m interested in such as nutrition, exercise and business. I always check my emails immediately after all of this because I’m in the mindset and energized to start the day!
I hope this post helps you become a morning person and keeps you joyful!
xoxo,
Brittany
