Quarantine Mornings
“... and all at once, summer collapsed into fall.”
Readers, I can’t help but feel as if these summer months have escaped me. While under normal circumstances, I would have passed every moment in the company of family and friends and in love with the sweet promise of carefree days and the equally sweet taste of raspberries on my fingertips after popping them on one by one. After the end of my spring semester, I found myself falling more and more out of step with the upkeep of my emotional and physical health, long-term goals, and daily routine that helped get me through each week. With my hopes and dreams for my senior year constantly in battle with the unknown, I began to focus my energy on getting through a day at a time.
With my last fall semester on the horizon, I’ve found this “solution” to be quite temporary. To ensure my success in school, I would have to redirect that same energy towards my academic pursuits and post-graduate plans. By July, I decided that it was time that I create a daily routine for myself that was both realistic and beneficial for my overall well being. I wanted to make sure that when school once again became a priority, I would be prepared to do (and feel) my absolute best. So, I thought it may be helpful to pop on here and share it with as many people are willing to read it. Now and then, we all need a bit of a push in our lives. For some, I hope that this post will serve as just that.
Waking Up
My mornings begin around 8:00 on the weekdays and 9:30 on the weekends. I’ve done my best to keep my wake up times as close as possible to what they were pre-Corona!
Lately, I’ve been trying to break my bad habit of checking my phone right when I wake up. I limit myself to about 10 minutes of scrolling through social media/emails and then turn on some nice music to get me out of bed.
Cleaning
The first thing I do when I wake up is to make my bed. It’s the easiest way for me to feel like I’m starting my day off right and to make sure I don’t fall into the trap of climbing back under my covers.
In the past year, I have also gotten into the habit of picking up my bedroom and bathroom right when I get up. This way, my day begins in clean surroundings for me to live and create in.
As a cat owner, cleaning up my bathroom also includes emptying James Dean’s litter box and throwing all the less than pleasant stuff away.
Skin Care
When I hop in the shower, I tend to gravitate towards using my philosophy shower gel in the amazing scents “Pure Grace: Nude Rose” or “Living Grace.” Once a week, I follow up with a sugar scrub.
It’s taken me forever to find a skincare routine that has worked for me! This summer, I’ve been using Glossier’s Milky Jelly Cleanser and their Priming Moisturizer.
If you love lemon water, consider also using lime, strawberries, or raspberries for a variety of yummy flavors. Enjoy!!
Breakfast
Breakfast for me normally happens at 9:30. It’s my favorite meal of the day, so I do my absolute best to make it as enjoyable and yummy as possible. Some of my favorite meals to prepare is oatmeal (topped with cinnamon, Granny Smith apples, and honey) and greek yogurt with practically every fruit I can find in the fridge on it.
I also love to start my days off with a cup of tea and/or water with lemon in it. While having tea never fails to be warm and comforting, having lemon water does an amazing job of waking me up.
Getting Dressed
Moment of honesty: I haven’t done the best job of getting dressed every day. Even though I’m sure it would help me feel a lot more productive, I’ve been turning to my lounge sets and sweats for max comfort.
Wearing something that matches have made me feel that much more put together, even if it’s something I normally wouldn’t wear out in public.
Journaling
I end my mornings with a journal session: filling out my wellness journal and jotting down any ideas and feelings I have in my bullet journal. As I write, I pop in my headphones and listen to one of my two favorite playlists on Spotify.
Journaling has been a great way to keep track of my mental health during quarantine, as well as to continue creating. Before quarantine, I found very little time to sit down and sort out my thoughts. I’m really glad I’ve rediscovered my love for journaling!
That’s all I have for you today, readers! I hope this post will serve as an inspiration for anyone struggling to find some normalcy during this difficult to time to create it in their everyday schedules. I also hope that you’ve gotten to know a little more about me through my little morning routine. As always, feel free to comment below and let me know what you do to make your mornings special. I hope you stay happy, healthy, and safe! :)
With love,
Maya.