My morning routine.

This article was originally published on Her Story Goes, a lifestyle blog that I co-founded with my best friend in 2016. After two years of giving it our all, we decided to call it quits in order to pursue other passions; the site will be permanently shut down in 2025. Rather than part with the content forever, however, I decided to display all of the 40-something posts that I wrote in that two-year span on my personal blog. (I’m a nostalgic.) Hope you enjoy reading!

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Morning has always been my favorite time of day. I love getting out of bed before sunrise, brewing some coffee (extra strong, please), sitting down with a book or my laptop, and savoring every quiet moment before the rest of the world wakes up.

I know, I know. All of the night owls in my life ask me the same question: Why would I choose to give up an extra hour of sleep in the AM? Because, honestly, I can’t imagine starting my day without those blissful minutes of complete solace. (God help me if/when I have kids.) Seriously though, having a solid morning routine makes all of the difference in the world.

And since I’m fascinated (honestly, fascinated) by other people’s morning routines and rituals, I thought it’d be fun to share my own! I’ll just pretend that this sort of thing fascinates you as well. Humor me, will you?

Here is what a typical weekday morning at the Blasik household looks like:

5:30 a.m. — The alarm goes off at 5:30 a.m., but I tend to take my sweet time getting out of bed. The following fifteen minutes are typically spent cuddling with my husband, stretching my sleepy muscles, and blinking until my eyes grow accustomed to the light. (We use a wake-up light that simulates the sunrise, so there’s really no falling back to sleep after that.) Once I’m finally up and at ’em, the first thing I do is wash my face with a gentle cleanser and cold water to shock my senses awake. It always does the trick!

6:00 a.m. — I’m really glad I wake up with an appetite, because I’m not sure I would be so eager to get out of bed if it weren’t for the promise of food and a hot cup o’ Joe. Around 6ish, I’ll head straight to the kitchen to brew a pot of coffee and make myself a simple breakfast. This week, I’ve been rotating between almond butter toast and old-fashioned oatmeal. Nothing like a big bowl of carbs washed down by caffeine to get your energy soaring!

If Scott’s hungry, I’ll scramble a few eggs and we’ll eat together while watching the news. Otherwise…

6:30 a.m. — Even though it’s not ideal, I like to enjoy my first meal in front of the computer while I check my email and catch up on my favorite blogs. This helps to get my creative juices flowing. On days that I’m trying to unplug, I’ll exchange the laptop for a novel or Scripture and light a candle or two. (My current favorite is Bath & Body Works Spiced Apple Toddy—I love fall scents.)

7:00 a.m. — Scott leaves for work before 7 a.m., but I don’t start getting down to business until eight or so, which gives me plenty of time to ease into my day. (Working from home helps, too.) Once he’s out of the door, I’ll wash the dishes and tidy the kitchen.

I’m a little list-crazy, so my last few quiet moments are spent writing out my to-do lists and preparing for the day. I don’t know how I ever survived without my Day Designer. It is perfection in a planner!

7:30 a.m. — Before leaving the house, I’ll brush my teeth, put on a little tinted moisturizer (so I don’t look like a walking zombie), and change into a pair of yoga pants. Super low-maintenance stuff, y’all.

Then it’s off to my favorite coffee shop to actually get some writing done before my afternoon yoga class.

There you go, guys! Pretty basic, I’ll admit, but my whole day would be completely thrown off without it.