Life can be so fast paced, right? You are rushing to work every morning, forgetting to eat your breakfast, you spend all day tackling your to-do list. And then you come back home after a long and tiring day and there is still so much to be done. Your house is a mess, dishes need to be done, you have to think about dinner too. And then all of that again, the same dance, the next day, then the next. PHEW!
I can’t even begin to talk about moms, especially those who have new borns. As a new mom myself, I know the juggle is real. And I have experienced it first hand. There are days when you feel like everything is a priority but yourself. And yet you’re lagging behind in every aspect of your life.
And I know what it’s like to always put everything first. The feeling of repetitively reaching burnout stage, a creative block in your job and when you feel like giving up on all the mommy duties too.
If that’s you too, then this post is especially for you.
But even if that’s not you and you’re simply looking for some self loving ways to start your mornings slow, then you do you. You deserve all the self love. And in this post we’re discussing how to have slow self loving mornings.
WHY YOU NEED SLOW MORNINGS?
With our jobs and chaotic lives, mornings seem like the only time when you have total control over the time and what you do with it. Before anyone has woken up, you have the time to yourself, you take it slow, make yourself a priority and get ahead on tasks too.
And while I am all for getting things done in the mornings, because it can such a productive time. I also acknowledge that some mornings are different than others. On some days you need extra TLC to feel like yourself and you need extra love and self care.
Benefits of slow mornings:
- Having a slow morning allows you to calm your busy mind. Days can be super hectic and we often don’t even get the time to gather out thoughts. And having a slow morning can be the perfect opportunity to do so. There is so much peace in sitting in your balcony early in the morning, without any distractions and letting the thoughts just flow.
- If you’re a busy person, or a busy mom, mornings are the only time you can actually put yourself first. As a mother, I know that the kids always come first, but you can put yourself first when those little loves are still sleeping. And having a slow relaxing morning does wonders for your mental health too.
- Having slow mornings helps you be more intentional throughout the day. It is such a great way to put a fresh perspective on things and see what really matters in life, instead of just going with the flow.
SLOW MORNING SELF CARE ACTIVITIES:
If you do decide to try out having a slow morning, here are some self care activities for you.
#1: Start with night routine:
One of the simplest ways to have a slow relaxed morning is to start with a proper night routine and get enough sleep. I mean, of course you can wake up early, but if you’re sleeping late and not getting proper sleep, then what’s the point?
Not a very “Self loving” Way to start the morning, right? Remember that we’re trying to be gentle with ourselves and the changes we’re making in our routines. It’s not a challenge but a sustainable lifestyle change.
And having a proper night routine ensure that:
- You’re getting enough sleep and you’re getting good sleep
- You’re relaxed and calm before going to bed
- You’re ready to take on the day (you’ve meal prepped and set out clothes) and there is no need to rush in the mornings
- You can wake up early without feeling lazy and(or) tired
So, if you currently do not have a night routine in place, it’s time to make one. As for what to include in your night routine, I’d say go easy and start with the basics:
- No screens at least an hour before bed (ensures good quality sleep)
- Go to bed early (in order to wake up early)
- Some basic skin care
- An activity to relax your busy mind : So maybe reading, coloring, baking
#2: wake up early:
Before you say “I don’t have the time for slow mornings”, may I suggest waking up early?
I am not asking you to wake up at 5 AM or 6 AM. All I am suggesting is to wake up an hour earlier than your usual wake up time. Having this “extra” one hour in the morning will give you the time to take your mornings slow.
No longer rushing through one task to another before rushing to work in the mornings. Having the time to take things slow will be something you’ll appreciate very much. Imagine the things you can actually do in the mornings if you had an extra hour before work. And imagine doing those things slowly, while taking your time, so blissful.
You’ll start loving this one hour before you even know it. And especially if you live with family or have kids. Having this time to yourself in the mornings before anyone else is awake is going to be your sacred time. It is the time when you come first and no one is constantly asking you questions or is super clingy (ahh babies).
Waking up an hour earlier is thus a self care act that you can do for yourself everyday. Just make sure, you’re not using your phone in the morning. That’d do you more harm than sleeping in.
#3: get fresh air :
The simplest and easiest thing you can do on a slow morning is get fresh air in the morning. Go for a long relaxing leisurely walk alone or simply spend time in your yard. If you do not have a yard (like me) balcony is good enough.
Here is how to relax in fresh air:
- Breathe in the fresh cool air and breathe out. While you’re doing so, be present in the moment & take deep breaths.
- One tip that I find super useful is affirming(silently) that you’re breathing in positive energy and breathing out negative energy and negative thoughts. Same goes for anything you want to attract or let go of. Breathe in whatever you want to attract and breathe out whatever you want to let go. Our breath & the thoughts we have in the morning (how we start our day) can be extremely powerful. So,
- Breathe in health & wellness and let go of any stress and worries that you’re carrying.
- Remind yourself that you’re breathing in abundance and letting go of scarcity.
- Tell yourself that you’re confident and secure and letting go of insecurities.
- Listen to the sounds of the morning around you. Birds chirping, wind blowing, anything. It is such a stillness and mindfulness practice that allows you tog round and re-centre yourself.
- Let your thoughts flow. Stop judging yourself for a thought train. Be aware of the emotions you’re feeling and be in tune with that. So often we are so busy in our lives that we have no idea what we’re feeling. Because we have no time to feel the feels. So let mornings be the time when you give yourself the space to understand your feelings.
- You could try some slow activities like gardening, which is my personal favourite. Gardening asks of me to be fully present in the moment and acts as a sort of therapy and mindfulness practice. There is no rush in gardening. Seeing your plant babies bloom is special.
#4: slowly move your body:
Do you ever get out of the bed, jump straight in the shower, then go the kitchen and out the door? Or maybe you do find the time to workout and get in a quick HIIT session in.
But for a slow morning, I am suggesting you move your body slowly, literally. When you wake up, sit in your bed in silence and slowly stretch your body. Allow your body the time to wake up before you rush it into a ” go go go” mode. Here is how to do it:
- Stretch your body while still in bed. Feel the stiffness melting away. My neck is usually pretty stiff in the mornings (must be because of weird sleeping position) but stretching it out does wonders. I always roll my head in clockwise and anti clockwise motion slowly to stretch it out.
- Stretch your arms above your head and pull your body upwards and to the sides to get a good stretch on your back. Your back really needs it too (haha what is life in your 30s)
- Once you are out of bed, make some time for a yoga session. I often do it with my breathing exercises (as I mentioned above). Some yoga poses are great for beginners too and it is such a gentle way to move your body and be more in tune with it. totally different than going for a run or doing a HIIT workout.
#5: Make your bed & Declutter your space:
Making your bed takes 5 minutes and is such an easy way to practice self care. Yes, self care goes way beyond face masks and mani pedi. Coming back to a well made bed after a long tiring work day is so relaxing and rewarding. And not having the stress of having to clean when you’re already tired is an act of self care.
Same goes with decluttering your space. And when you get into the habit of doing this everyday, it takes 10-15 minutes max. Decluttering your space makes it easier to clean it as well.
So, every morning take out some time to declutter and tidy. A clean space will help you be more productive throughout the day as well. Having a clutter free work space makes it easy to focus on the tasks. And having a clean home means you are not constantly thinking about all the cleaning you have to do.
#6: Try a new breakfast recipe & savour it:
I often make the same 2-3 breakfast recipes through the week, because days are so busy and hectic. I make whatever is quicker and what my entire family likes to have. Usually it’s eggs, toasts or porridge. I save so many recipes on Pinterest but rarely have the time to try them. I bet you do too.
So, on slow mornings I love taking out a recipe and trying it out. I quite often talk about food as a form of self care. And home cooked meals are such a simple ways to acre for yourself. The feeling of nourishing your body with the right, healthy foods (sometimes a bit indulgent) is an act of self care that you can do everyday.
Maybe cook with your partner and then set up a cute little breakfast table in the balcony and savour every bite of it. Sounds so simple. But think about it, when do we make time to actually enjoy our meals? While you’re at it, take some time to plate it nicely too. because we eat with our eyes first, so why not be a little fancy. maybe take out your nicer plates and serve it in style.
#7:Try journalling:
So you have never tried journalling because maybe you’re skeptical or you just don’t have the time. but on slow mornings when you do have the time, why not give it a try.
There is a reason people rave about journalling and I’d love to have you see for yourself what all the hype is about. And it doesn’t have to be simply writing your thoughts, you could use journalling prompts, if you’re new to this.
Or you could even try making an art journal. Sit with your journal and make some kind of art, with any medium (water colors, pens, markers) whatever you want. It is so therapeutic as well.
#8:Plan your day with intention:
Our days are so busy that we usually go with the flow of things. We tackle things as they come. But the thing is, in doing so, you loose the direction you want your life to go in.
Maybe you carry on in a job(that you wanted to leave) for years. Or maybe at the end of the year you wonder why your life has not changed much or why you didn’t hit your goals for the year.
And that’s where planning with intention comes in.
Planning your day and writing down your to-do lists is one thing. But taking out the time to analyse your to-do list and checking whether or not it aligns with your goals and vision is another.
When you plan out your day with intention, you are looking at your goals and analysing which to-dos get you closer to reaching your goals. And those automatically become a priority. You no longer let external factors (like your boss) decide what should be your priority for the day.
You are in control of shaping your life and the direction you want to take it in. And it all starts with being intentional about what you want more of and what you want less of in your life. And when you make these choices and your priorities and your to-do align, you get so much closer to actually living your dream life.
#9:Self Care, Literally!
We’re talking about self caring ways to start your mornings slow, so I can’t really leave out self care can I? Self care (in its literal sense) on a slow Morning makes your life fee like a movie, not kidding. Because usually we rarely have the time out of our busy schedules, right?
And the best thing is that it doesn’t even take that long. Here are 53 amazing free/affordable self care ideas for you. So why not indulge in one of them. My favourite is taking a long relaxing shower/bath. As a new mother, it definitely feels like a luxury some times, haha. So, indulge in a slow self acre activity when you have the time.
And there you have it. A slow morning, taking time out for yourself and savouring every second of it, is all we need sometimes. It helps me reset whenever I am feeling down or on days when I am feeling anxious for some reason. Always remember that it’s not selfish to take out time for yourself and you need to fill your own cup first, to be the best wife, mother and give your best in your career as well.
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