Good morning friends! We are on day 2 of our Thanksgiving break and it has been so nice to have the girls home and a little bit of downtime before a busy end of the week/weekend.

As we head into such a busy time of year between the holidays and the retail world I was thinking the other day about how I have really let my morning routine go in favor of sleep but how much my day goes smoother when I have a solid routine in place.

Isn’t it crazy how sometimes we don’t do what we know is best for us?

This week I have vowed to get my routine back and I thought I would share with you some of the routines and habits that help start my day off on the right foot and set me up for a productive and less stressful day ahead.

1. Wake Up Early - I am definitely not a morning person but when I wake up before the kids and have time to myself before really getting the day started it all goes smoother. I am really working towards getting up at 5:00 AM since I have to wake the girls up at 6:00 AM and this gives me a solid hour of quiet.

2. Quiet Time/Bible Study - Whether it is journaling, reading my Bible, doing my devotional or all three, when I start my day with these things I always feel better mentally heading into my day!

3. Reading NonFiction - This is something that I did during 75 hard and I loved it. Ten pages of a nonfiction book was so good and something I still do even though I am not doing 75 hard anymore. Starting my day learning and growing and taking that mindset into my personal and professional day has been a game changer.

4. Hot coffee - This sounds silly but sitting with hot coffee and actually drinking it while hot makes a difference because it really is the little things that matter most. I like to drink my coffee while doing #2 and #3 and waking up early makes that all possible. Such a reminder that habits stack on top of each other.

5. Exercise - When I move my body everything is better throughout the day. A good routine for me is taking the girls to school and coming straight home to workout and then get ready for the day. I aim for 45 minutes…20 mins cardio, 20 minutes strength and 5 minutes stretching. More than that I am bored and not putting in the effort.

6. Get Ready for the day - I notice a huge difference in how I feel and operate when I take the time to get dressed for the day. Even if it is comfy and simple getting ready always makes me more productive.

What are your favorite routines and how do you set yourself up for a good day ahead? I would love to know below!