How I Start My Day Working From Home

I could say “my morning routine” but I’m kind of sick of those types of posts. Anyone else? So I decided to title it a little differently. I admit, how I start my day is always dependent on the weather, how I’m feeling, or honestly, how late I slept in. But generally, I start my days about the same way. So from wake up to starting my 9 a.m. work-from-home grind, here’s how I kick off the day.

Now remember—how I start my day does not in any way have to be how you start your day. We are not playing a comparison game. This is simply a way to give you ideas, maybe things you want to change or try yourself. But everyone is different, and there’s no measure of success when it comes to starting your day. It’s your day—not mine. It should look different.

And just so we’re clear…this is how I start a typical work day. If it’s a weekend you can just add two hours to the times below. We’re rarely out of bed before 9 a.m. and fully taking advantage of that no-kid life right now.

But if it’s a weekday? It generally starts around 7.

7 am: Move my body

Now that my home and my work are always in the same place, I make a point of moving my body every day. In the wintertime that usually means some kind of workout in the living room. But when it isn’t bitter cold outside, I try to get outdoors—which is part of my new work from home routine.

Most of the time this means I’m riding my bike. I have two loops that I love to ride. The first goes north into Prospect Park—about 7 miles. The second goes south down to the beach—about 9 miles.

I always take a small break in the middle to sit by the water (either the small pond in the park or a bench at the beach) before riding the second half of my loop.

However, riding is always dependent on how diligent I am in the morning. Sometimes I hit snooze a bit too much and end up having to change plans. So if it’s a little later, I have a 2-mile walk that I’ll do through our neighborhood, or squeeze in a 20-30 minute workout through one of my online workout subscriptions (I like using Tone It Up and Beachbody). 

7:30am: Listen to my prayer app

This is currently my favorite part of how I start my day. I recently discovered the app Pray as you go, which walks you through a 10-15 minute time of meditation. This includes songs, scripture, and reflections for prayer. Plus, the speakers all talk in British accents. Just won you over, didn’t I?

It is incredibly soothing to listen to. I love how every day is mixed with new songs (usually classic hymnals) and prayers, and I always come away from it with something to think on throughout the day.

I take the time to listen to the app during the break in my bike ride or during my walk around the neighborhood. If I decided to workout indoors, I’ll listen while I cook breakfast later.

8am: Quick shower & face cleansing

I’m not going anywhere, so I don’t take a ton of time making myself look pretty. I’m the queen of the 5-minute shower, and I also take some time to wash my face. If I know I’m going outside, I put on this Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture lotion that has 35 SPF.

I leave my hair wet (again, not going anywhere) and get dressed in something comfy—usually a dress, because why in the world would I wear pants?

8:15am: Cook breakfast

I don’t take a ton of time to get ready because I know I’m going to want a good breakfast. Especially after a long bike ride. So I take the time to cook. Some of my favorites to make right now are my single-stack pumpkin pancakes, strawberry yogurt bowl, scrambled eggs with toast, and if I’m feeling extra hungry, this spinach omelette breakfast sandwich.

8:30am: Coffee and reflection

After I gobble up some breakfast, I take some time to reset before I start working. This includes sipping on a cup of coffee that my husband made me (he’s made me pour over every morning since we got married, a true gem), reading my Bible, and journaling out my thoughts and intentions. Sometimes it’s for the immediate day ahead, sometimes it’s for other long term goals. It’s also a nice way to close up the lovely morning I just had.

9am: Catching up on emails & the news

At this point, I’m sitting down at my desk with my half-finished cup of coffee ready to officially start the work day. And I almost always start it the same way—checking emails and reading up on the latest food news. Sometimes those two things are simultaneous because of all the PR emails I receive (p.s. it’s over 200 a day at this point). 

I know some career experts say this is not the way to start your day, but honestly, it helps to clean up my inbox and start with a clean slate. Typically I’ll discover some kind of news that would be good to cover for the day, which I’ll pitch to my editor and the rest of the team. So if I don’t do these two things, I’ll feel kind of behind.

And you know what my day doesn’t start with? Social media. And I never open the news until 9 a.m. Because even if there is so much going on in the world, it doesn’t need my constant attention all the time. Especially during those precious few hours while the sun rises.

How do you like to start your day? Share below—I love hearing from you!