My “Morning” Routine During Self-Isolation
My “morning” routine since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic looks quite different than it did prior to living predominantly in self-isolation.
I put “morning” in quotes because spending most of my days in self-isolation, in addition to not working, has flipped my sleeping schedule upside down.
My night owl tendencies have surfaced full force.
Lately I’ve been going to sleep between 5 am and 7 am. By the time I get out of bed, it’s early afternoon.
I quite enjoy my morning-ish routine, as it provides some structure during a precarious time, and an opportunity to ease into the day by exercising self-care.
My “Morning” Routine During Self-Isolation
Here’s how I start my day.
Say my affirmations
I started saying positive affirmations in November 2019. I met someone on LinkedIn who said that saying them helped her manifest her desires, so I decided to give it a go.
I had tried saying affirmations in the past but didn’t maintain the practice because I felt silly and awkward. The words didn’t ring true to me: It was hard to look at myself in the mirror and say “I love you” without feeling like a liar.
But I’m back to saying them again because trying to feel better from the outside in – through the accumulation of things and other people’s approval – isn’t working.
I’ve reached a point in my life where I realize that if I want to feel fulfilled and to have the courage to live the life I dream of, then I must learn to love myself.
I’m almost 50 years old. It’s never too late to start loving yourself.
*If I’m not alert enough to say my affirmations as soon as I get out of bed, I do something else first. For affirmations to be effective, you must impart your words with meaning, faith, and emotions.
Drink a glass of water
I drink a glass of room temperature Brita-filtered water, which I keep on my kitchen counter.
There are a lot of claims about the benefits of drinking water first thing in the morning. But I found this article on healthline that refutes the notion that we need to drink water in the morning.
“As long as you compensate for your body’s water losses, it doesn’t make much of a difference whether you start your day off with a glass of water or drink it at any other time of day.”
I choose to drink water when I wake up as I figure it’s a good idea to hydrate a bit after a 7-hour sleep.
Wash my face
I wash my face using warm water and use a mild facial cleanser that contains ceramides, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid. I have no idea what those ingredients are except that they’re supposed to be good for your skin. I’m partial to the brand CeraVe, which I’ve used for years.
Tone my face with apple cider vinegar
After cleansing my face and making a big, wet mess of my sink area, I tone my face with apple cider vinegar (ACV).
I’ve been using Bragg Organic Raw Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar (with the Mother) as a toner for a few weeks now and haven’t seen a noticeable difference. Sometimes my skin looks brighter, but it could just be my imagination.
Some people use ACV without diluting it, but I chose the “safer” route.
I filled a small glass jar with 1 part ACV and 2 parts purified water.
The first time I tried it I tested it out on a small area of my face to check for any skin sensitivity or burning sensations. Luckily, I didn’t feel any adverse effects.
There is a downside to using ACV as a toner, however.
The smell!
What does apple cider vinegar smell like?
If you have a sensitive nose, you may not be able to stand the way apple cider vinegar smells. Its scent has been likened to smelly feet, which is a very apt description. So, bravo to the person who came up with that one.
I’d like to add to the description, though. Maybe it’s just me and how the ACV reacts to my face, but sometimes I get a whiff of smelly feet with a trace of dry urine.
I have to admit it’s rather funny that people would choose to apply a foot-smelling ingredient on their face, but that just goes to show the lengths to which we’ll go in the name of vanity.
You can read more about the multiple uses of ACV for your face on healthline’s blog.
Moisturize
After toning my face, I moisturize using CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion.
Make my bed
Why don’t I make my bed as soon as I wake up? This may seem strange, but I want to let my sheets “breathe.”
Whether we realize it or not, we sweat while we sleep, so I want to give my sheets and mattress time to air out before making the bed.
Eat breakfast
Making and eating breakfast may be one of the activities I most look forward to in the morning.
My breakfast consistently consists of the following:
- Coffee
- Toasted light rye bread
- One fried egg sunny side up
Preparing breakfast is a comforting ritual. It’s like an awkward half-awake dance of automatic movements.
- I turn on the kitchen light.
- Fill the kettle with water to boil.
- Put frying pan on the burner to let it heat up.
- Get butter, egg, and Havarti cheese from the fridge.
- Put two pieces of bread in the toaster oven.
- Take two plates (one small, one large) and a mug from the cupboard, and a butter knife from the drawer.
- Place my Hario V60 dripper on top of my mug. Put a paper filter in the dripper.
- Place the small plate on the stove by frying pan. I use this plate to crack the egg to avoid mess-ups on the stove.
- Heat butter in frying pan.
- Scoop approximately 16 grams of coffee beans into my manual coffee grinder.
- Try to crack egg with one hand to no avail. I end up prying the cracked shell open using both hands. I am determined to learn how to crack an egg with one hand. #Goals.
- Wash my hands to avoid Salmonella.
- Grind the coffee beans, which, for me, can be quite a strenuous workout.
- Pour coffee grinds in filter.
- Pour hot water over grinds intermittently. I make my coffee using the pour over method.
- Place 2 pieces of toast on plate.
- Halve one square of Havarti and place each half on each piece of toast.
- Slide fried egg onto toast straight from the pan.
- Add 3 brown sugar cane cubes and cream to coffee.
- Eat breakfast on my couch. I don’t have a dining table.
Read
After I finish eating, I read and drink my coffee.
Books I’m currently reading:
- The Purpose-Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For?
- Psycho-Cybernetics
- Educated: A Memoir
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
- The Bible. I occasionally read excerpts to complement my reading of The Purpose-Driven Life.
Journal
I started journaling again recently. Getting my thoughts down on paper felt like a good idea considering I’m on a self-love journey.
The thoughts and feelings I have a habit of silencing need to find expression somehow. Part of learning to love myself is “finding my voice.”
That is one of the reasons why I started the Ripped Jeans Journey blog. I needed an outlet, my own space, where I could find my voice and create.
I journal about whatever I feel like writing about, but I usually like to include what I’m grateful for.
We hear people talk about the importance of gratitude all the time for good reason. I’ve experienced its effects in my own life.
Feeling grateful and expressing gratitude towards others makes a difference in your outlook and how people respond to you.
Brush my teeth with my non-dominant hand
I decided to try brushing my teeth with my left hand because of Jim Kwik.
The Benefits of Brushing Your Teeth With Your Opposite Hand
According to Kwik, who’s a memory and speed-reading expert, brushing your teeth with your opposite hand
- Creates new neurological pathways in your brain; it builds “brain fitness”
- Builds your attention muscle by teaching you to be focused on the present moment
- Trains you to face challenges and do uncomfortable things
I’m still new to brushing my teeth with my left hand, so it still feels quite awkward.
I have yet to figure out how to hold the toothbrush in a way that feels and looks “natural.” Most of the time I end up holding it in a fist, the way I imagine a Neanderthal would hold a utensil.
I feel like a child who’s only just learning how to brush her teeth. Toothpaste tends to dribble down my wrist, ensuring that I remain planted in front of the bathroom sink instead of taking a leisurely stroll through my living room.
It’s true what Kwik says about the exercise teaching you how to be more present. The first time I brushed my teeth with my left hand, I definitely noticed how mindful I was.
Because the action was so new, I had to focus on what I was doing — the pressure I was using, how to angle the toothbrush a certain way, etc. Plus, I didn’t want to gag unnecessarily while brushing my tongue.
Had I been using my right hand to brush my teeth, I would have gone on autopilot and been mindless.
I have to admit, sometimes I’m not convinced how thorough a job I’m doing. To make up for potentially not getting to every nook and cranny in my mouth, I complete the task with an aggressive rinse of mouthwash. And I floss every night.
What is NOT part of my morning routine
You may have noticed that checking my phone is not part of my morning routine. This is something that I’ve intentionally omitted from my morning routine.
Morning time is “me time,”, so distractions don’t get to claim me during this time.
For me, being too tied to my phone causes a lot of stress and anxiety. My dependent behaviour amplifies my feelings of emptiness, which is why I avoid checking my phone until my morning routine is complete.
Well, that’s my “morning” routine during self-isolation!
How has your morning routine changed during self-isolation, if at all?
