I’m a morning person by nature, and I’m also a creature of habit, so suffice it to say, “morning routines” are my thing. In addition to cherishing my own, I love reading about the morning schedules of other women and how they structure the time spent between waking up and diving into the day’s work. Though my morning routine certainly changed when the baby came–and for awhile there, the idea of a “routine” seemed like a far-away concept–we’ve since settled back into a nice flow that works for us. Here’s what my morning routine is currently like.
I wake up: When the baby does. Sloan gets up at around 6:15 am and starts cooing in her crib, which wakes us. It’s such a lovely way to ease into the morning and a lot less severe than a blaring alarm clock.
I typically feel: Energized. Mornings are my favorite time of day – there’s so much anticipation and excitement about what’s to come. And since I’m usually up before most people, I like to be really productive and get a lot crossed off of my to-do list before I get to work.
First thing I do when I wake up: I look at my phone. While I’ve been trying not to actively read emails/use social media in bed anymore, I still check for any missed calls or texts I received since I always turn off my ringer at night.
The next thing I do is: I make Sloan’s bottle. It’s imperative that you don’t go into her room first without it since once you’ve gotten her out of her crib, she gets really impatient about eating. While her bottle is warming, I feed the cats and open the windows to get a little fresh air. Then I go into her room. She’s always up on all fours, rocking back and forth, and grinning. It’s the best part of my entire day.
My favorite part of my routine: Is our daily walk. Sloan loves being outside and it’s a built-in excuse to always leave the house and get moving. Usually I put my headphones in and listen to an audio book and walk to Larchmont Village.
Shower scenario: I used to take a long bath in the evenings, but now I squeeze in a three-minute quick shower in the morning. My singing voice is unfortunate, but the acoustics in there are quite forgiving. It’s quite an attractive scene, me butchering the lyrics to some pop song in my shower cap.
My beauty routine. Right after my shower, I towel off, throw on a silk robe, put on deodorant (I’m trying to kick the habit of the ‘clinical strength’ stuff in exchange for a more natural variety) and then apply face cream. I let it sink in while I brush my teeth and then apply my makeup. Now that I have less time in the mornings, it’s become a lot more condensed. The products I use everyday are tinted moisturizer, mascara, a brow pencil, illuminating cream and a makeup setting spray (a total game changer since my makeup now stays put for way longer than it used to). If I’m feeling a little more fun, I’ll throw on a little liquid bronzer, some eyeliner and a lipstick. I always finish with a light spritz of perfume. I like it when people can smell my fragrance if they’re really close – like if they hugged me – not if I walk into a room.
For breakfast, I usually eat: I used to be really regimented about my breakfast routine. I had the same thing almost every morning: shredded wheat cereal with fruit and coffee. Now I usually don’t get around to making something at home and will grab something once I get downtown, either a pastry or a yogurt and granola bowl.
The hardest part about my morning routine is: Juggling different things. Between getting the baby fed, changed, taken for a walk, getting myself ready and attending to some work, our mornings are a lot more chaotic than they used to be. But hands down, the hardest part is saying goodbye to Sloan each day.
The last thing I do before heading out the door is: Put on my shoes. Though it’s usually the first thing I figure out when I’m getting dressed in the morning, I’m always in bare feet at home. I usually wait to change out of my robe since handling a baby is messy. Once I’m fully dressed, I corral everything I’m bringing to the office (laptop, clothes to shoot, my camera, etc.) and head out the door by 8:30am.
