Welcome Wednesday: How do you start your day?

[#1]

Happy Wednesday Everyone!

Towards the end of last year, we unfortunately had both of our very elderly dogs pass away about a month apart. Before their passing, I would always take the dogs out for a walk every morning.

At the same time that we all were getting a little exercise, I would have some time away from everything to think through problems that stumped me and to organize my thoughts for the day.  As of their passing, I stopped going for a walk in the mornings (partly because it was cold in the winter. But, also because I didn’t feel it was necessary anymore).

A few weeks back, I started going for the walk again just by myself. I have started to realize just how much I actually needed that time to think about things without any other distractions.

My question for you all this week: Do you have a specific routine that you follow in the morning?

Let me know how you start your day on the right foot.

Have a great rest of the week everyone!

[Rune Rasmussen]

My alarm goes off just around 07:00.
Then I'll usually snooze for a bit and get some cuddle time with the cats. I'll say good morning to the wife, if she's not already up and about.
Around 08:00 I'll stagger out of bed, get dressed, brush my teeth, and generally get ready for work.
After that it's usually a 20-30 second commute to the office and at 08:30 my work day begins.

Working from home is great.

[Bogna Krystian_Deviniti_]

I start my day around 7. First thing I do- stretches. It helps me wake up. After that, morning coffe (nothing better than that!). I usually sit with my cup and watch ducks through my window. The first thing I do at work- checking emails ☕🦆

[Andy Gladstone]

My first alarm goes off at 5:20AM, but I really wake up for the 2nd alarm at 5:30AM. The first alarm is just to pull me out of deep or REM sleep into a light sleep state so that my brain is prepared for the 5:30AM alarm. I wake up my wife (her gym class is at 6AM) and turn on a low level light in the room - just enough light to see where you are going and get dressed, but not so much that it shocks your system. My wife gets the bathroom first, and while I wait my turn I play the LinkedIn games (Queens, Tango, Pinpoint, Crossclimb) which take me 5-7 minutes total and wake my brain up. After the bathroom routine I am dressed, take my vitamins which are arranged on my night table and I am ready to leave the house by 5:55AM for daily prayers.

I am lucky that my wife and I follow very similar schedules so these early alarms work for both of us. I have found that waking up my brain before my body (with the alarms and games) makes me more prepared for the day once my feet hit the floor each day.

I also know that days I walk to the train station (~12 minutes) vs. drive I am more relaxed and ready for the day. The combination of the fresh air, movement and time to think without looking at a device give me the preparation I need to face the next nine hours with confidence.

I'm glad you started walking again @Jimmy Seddon. I'm also sorry for your loss and am thinking about you!

[Matt Doar (Adaptavist)]

I wake up, get out of bed, drag a comb across my head ... Actually that last bit is no longer necessary.

In reality. on a good good day I sleep as long as I can until the cats decide I have slept enough and they need food. Then I drive a couple of miles to drink a coffee with a bunch of regular customers at a local coffee shop. Then I bring my wife good coffee and a croissant and we read bits of the newspaper at each other. Then our days can start. 

[Tomislav Tobijas]

In the morning, I can't say it's anything special apart from getting out of bed and having breakfast. Although, pretty much every day (including weekends), I make a cup of ☕ coffee and jump here in the community for half an hour or so to see what's new.

I actually have an afternoon routine which usually starts around 4 or 5 PM/as soon as I finish with the (main) work day and then I switch to another room and do the cardio that consists of up to 60 mins of training and running on a treadmill 🏃. And this is what I follow pretty much every day I'm working from home (which is like 90% of the time). This is when I really 'cooldown' from everything and then, after a shower and a snack, I mostly jump back and finish whatever else I have to do.

[Barbara Szczesniak]

I had much more of a routine when I had to go to the office: wake up, shower, dress, eat breakfast with 1 cup of tea, start brew of 2nd cup of tea for drive to work, style hair, brush teeth, put in earrings, drive to work. I keep thinking the holes in my ears will close up, since it never occurs to me to put earrings on anymore.

Now, I wake up to the gentle vibration of my Fitbit, check my lottery tickets (if I win big, I can go back to sleep 😁), shower, dress, eat breakfast with 2 cups of tea, and walk all the way across the house to the room where I work. Styling hair and brushing teeth sometimes wait until after lunch, unless I have an on-camera meeting in the morning.

[Trudy Claspill]

Per the dictates of my furry overlords my day starts at 7:00 am with dishing up breakfast for the overlords and then letting them have a romp in the backyard. Only then am I allowed to get hot chocolate for myself and get on with my day.

Sunday is my only day off from furry overlord breakfast duty. On that day my partner handles it, and I get to sleep in (if I can get back to sleep) until 8:30.

[Amanda Barber]

I always wake up around 6:30 and play the New York Times and LinkedIn games on my phone in bed while I wake up. By 7am, I need to get my big kiddo up for the day. I help get both of my kiddos out the door and I usually catch up with emails and other easy things. I'm lucky that I get to sneak away for a 9am class at the gym most mornings and then when I get back, I officially start my work day. I'm looking forward to my kids starting at the same time next year (and earlier) so I can start running or working out a bit earlier again. 

[Teodora V _Fun Inc_]

Morning is the most precious time of the day for me. I get up at 6:05 AM, brush my teeth, and at 6:30, I am out walking the dog for about an hour, hour and something (weekends, he gets a special treatment of at least 1:30 hour walks in the park).

I am back home, and thanks to the power of automation, I already have a big bucket of hot coffee waiting in the kitchen.

As @Jimmy Seddon mentioned, these early morning walks are a much-needed time for some me-time. I reflect on my day, breathe some air, and mentally prepare for the day.

9 AM I head to the gym, and at about 10:30, I am back home, ready to smash some hours of work.

[Kai Krause]

Like every morning, wakr up between 5 and 7 
Wake up

Take pills 

Bath

Clothes
PC 
Open Atlassian community :D

BR

Kai 

[James Harbinson]

I wake up around 7:30am, check my phone for any immediate notifications from our teams overseas, then get out around 8am. 

I have breakfast, turn on my laptop and login around 8:30am, I check my blood pressure and other things just before I sit at my desk for the day. 

When I was going to the office, it was a lot more fun. Catching busses and trains to be at the office by 8:30 would have me getting up at 5am to get there on time! Thankfully those times are behind me, I sometimes miss the thrill of it though. 

[Hossam Hassan]

I wake without alarm at 4:30 to 5 AM and follow the 5 AM club book routine mostly by spent about 1 hour learn something new , work out ,...ect ..all of that before got to work

[Kavishka Yapa]

I woke up at 5 AM, feeling refreshed and ready to start the day. After a quick stretch, I put on my walking shoes and headed out for a brisk 45-minute walk. The cool morning air was invigorating, and I enjoyed the peacefulness of the early hours. Once back home, I took a shower and got dressed for work. Breakfast was simple but satisfying – a bowl of oatmeal with fresh fruit and a cup of coffee. With my bag packed and everything in order, I left the house, feeling prepared to tackle the day's tasks. The routine set a positive tone for the rest of the day.

[Alan Lynn]

Great to be here! Fantastic actually! Wowza 🥸Thanks

[Laura Atkins]

After my alarm goes, my routine usually involves making coffee, then doing a Calm meditation while waiting for the coffee to brew. I read one of the many books I have on the go while drinking my coffee. Then when my second alarm goes, I get up and shower, etc. But I need that little space of peace and quiet before I start my day, to set the tone.

[Joanne]

Got to be a morning coffee for me and then checking emails and tasks and scrolling. 

[René Grämer]

Not hearing the alarm, rushing out of bed, noticing lovely wife already went to work, enjoying the sunrise while walking the dog, and then finally: first coffee,

Glad it's a rare exception during winter/summertime shift where you lose 1 hour of sleep.