---
layout: post
title: "Towards a Morning Routine"
summary: I'm not a morning person, but I'm trying to fake it.
image: /images/2015/morning-routine.png
tags:
- habits
- life
---

I'm not a morning person. I rarely wake up feeling capable of much more than stumbling around. For a few years now, I have been using [Coach.me](https://www.coach.me/) (formerly lift.do) to track and motivate my habits. Lately, I've been trying to focus on things that help me start my day "right" - feeling fresh, clear-headed and mentally sharp.

It's an interesting challenge trying to balance the things I would like to do with all the various life constraints. I want it to be something I can do every day, which means it can't take too long (some mornings are school mornings) or require too much equipment (some mornings are on the road).

I love reading [other people's routines](http://mymorningroutine.com/) as I continue to refine my own. My current routine consists of:

1. Doing a quick 10 minute, guided meditation using [Headspace](https://www.headspace.com/).
1. Writing an unfiltered, stream of consciousness [750 words](http://750words.com/).
1. Having breakfast with a carefully brewed cup of coffee. (yes, I am getting into coffee nerdery)

I have tried much more elaborate schemes, but this current one is simple and effective. Ultimately, I would like to do all of the above before checking email, etc on my phone. However, I can't say I'm quite there... yet.