When I set my 2017 goals, you may remember I mentioned wanting to train myself to become more of a morning person. Now, as a babe who loves to stay up late… this is often problematic. Your girl needs her beauty sleep. The thing is, the days I wake up early, I get SO much more done and truthfully… I just feel more productive. To that end, I’ve discovered that if I set a routine for myself, waking up and kicking butt is a million times easier. I thought today it might be fun to share a bit about what that looks like. I’m teaming up today with Procter & Gamble to share a little peek at my morning and how I get myself started.
Take a few minutes to wake up.
I like to set my alarm for a few minutes before I actually need to be up so that I can wake up slowly and lounge for a few minutes. On days I jump out of bed and immediately get into it, I feel like I spend the whole day running to catch up. Decompressing for a few minutes before getting the day started really helps focus the rest of the day for me.
ALL the coffee…
I basically need ALL the coffee in the morning. Usually 2 cups. I brew the first and head back to bed for a few minutes to get centered for the day. It’s really important to start the day off with the right mindset. How you wake up sets the tone for the whole day and I find that I’m most productive when I start out the morning with a clear mind. Which leads to…
Quiet time and journaling.
The way I get into the right mindset? I start off my day with my quiet time and journaling. I really find that when I make this a priority, I make better decisions, stay on track, and generally just HAVE A GOOD DAY. I like to do my morning devotional (let me know if you’re into that and want me to write about it!) and then I write in my prayer journal. I think it’s important to have an attitude of gratitude, so I always start by writing things I’m thankful for. (Again, let me know if you want to hear more about this! I’d love to share.)
Showering is a Major Key.
TBH there are days I stay in my PJs all day or some sort of loungewear. Those days? I get nothing done. I’m most productive when I get up and get ready. I always make sure to hop in the shower first thing, I just feel like I can’t get started until I do. (Because really, even with the coffee, I don’t feel alive until I shower!)
Right now, I am totally obsessed with the DUO, a new shower cleansing tool from Procter & Gamble available in 3 different scents: Olay, Ivory, and Old Spice. I’ve been using the Olay DUO for a few weeks and I really have no idea how I would go back to using normal soap or body wash after. Bar soaps do a great job of cleaning, but don’t do too much in terms of delivering soft, smooth skin. (I always feel itchy and dry after using a bar soap?) Body washes are great in terms of moisturizing and lathering, but I often don’t feel really, really clean and the exfoliation factor is usually low. What I’m loving about the DUO is that it delivers on both.
The scent is also kind of amazing. Each duo has 2-3x more scent than a body wash. (But subtle, I swear.) The Olay scent is Soothing Orchid & Black Currant. Old Spice comes in Swagger and Pure Sport, and Ivory is introducing a new scent, Refreshing Clean. (I love Ivory scents, they’re so clean and classic. And unisex. Olay is a bit girlier, for sure and the Old Spice is definitely more masculine!)
One side of the DUO is a textured exfoliator and the other side is smooth to clean. I am LIVING for the exfoliating side. The first time I used it, I didn’t expect it to be a powerful as it was. It really does an amazing job of sloughing off the dead skin. The exfoliation in the AM really wakes up both my mind and my skin for the day.
One DUO lasts about 30 washes, and then you just toss and buy another. (They’re $9.99-$12.99!) Really this is a million times better than a loofah– which you never throw away. They totally fall apart and collect bacteria which is pretty gross if you think about it.
You may have peeked at my Snapchat/IG story last night and seen a little sneak peek of the DUO in action. You just add water and it lathers up.
I can’t wait to try the Ivory scent next! (Make sure you pick up an Old Spice for your boy… you definitely don’t want him using yours!) In terms of getting focused and ready for the day, showering is definitely one of the most important parts of that. If you feel good and refreshed, you’ll be able to tackle your to-do list with ease.
Get ready for the day.
After I shower, I just throw on a little bit of tinted moisturizer and mascara and get dressed for the day. Easy peasy. If I’m shooting or heading to a meeting or event, obviously I have a more intensive makeup routine, but if I’m just working from home, I try to give my skin a little break.
Once I’m dressed, I grab a quick breakfast and sit down to get to work! I try to make my to-do list the night before so I know exactly what’s priority. I find that this method keeps me most focused and helps me from helping overwhelmed. Like I said, a good, clear mindset is key to a productive day.
I feel so blessed to be able to work from home. I absolutely love my job, but I’ll admit that sometimes it’s a bit harder to get motivated. Keeping myself on a routine and making sure that I start the day with the right attitude and mindset is really the key to my whole day. I’d love to hear in the comments– how do you tackle your mornings? Any tips for productivity? If you’d like more info on the DUO, head here to read all about it!
Thanks so much for reading!
This post was sponsored by Procter & Gamble. All opinions and thoughts expressed are, as always, my own. Thank you for supporting the brands who support A Sparkle Factor!
