Finding My Morning Routine: How to Actually Enjoy Your AMs
By Maren — Home cook energy. Not chef energy. Let's make something good with what you've got. ·
It’s Not About the 5:00 AM Club
Listen, if you follow me on TikTok, you know my kitchen is usually a chaotic scene of half-empty jars of capers, a loaf of sourdough in various stages of life, and Gary—my sourdough starter—bubbling away on the counter. If you’re looking for a morning routine that involves waking up at 4:30 AM to ice-roll your face and do a two-hour yoga flow before journaling in Sanskrit, you’ve come to the wrong place. I’m a middle school teacher. By the time 7:00 AM rolls around, I’ve usually already broken up a mental argument about who gets to use the good toaster.
My morning routine isn’t about optimization; it’s about preparation. It’s about creating a little pocket of peace before the bell rings. Since June has finally brought that sweet, fleeting Minnesota warmth, my mornings have shifted. Here is how I actually get my day moving without losing my mind.
First Things First: Feed the Living Things
I’m a firm believer that you can’t pour from an empty cup—or an empty sourdough jar. The very first thing I do, before I even think about coffee, is check on Gary. It sounds silly, but there’s something grounding about the smell of fermentation at 6:00 AM. If he needs feeding, he gets fed. It’s a rhythmic, tactile way to start the day that reminds me I’m responsible for something other than grading papers.
Once Gary is sorted, I look at my kitchen. I don’t believe in the 'clean kitchen before bed' myth—sometimes life is just too long for that. But I do believe in the 'ten-minute reset.' If I left a mess from last night’s attempt at a sheet-pan dinner, I tackle it while the kettle boils. Don’t aim for deep-cleaning; aim for 'ready to cook.' A clear counter makes me feel like I have control over the chaos of the rest of the day.
The “Home Cook” Breakfast Philosophy
I see a lot of people online making these elaborate, Pinterest-worthy breakfast bowls that take forty-five minutes to assemble. Who has the time? My breakfast needs to be sustaining, simple, and honest.
Lately, I’ve been leaning into a 'toast-first' policy. I take a slice of bread made from the discard of the day before, toast it in one of my grandma’s old cast iron pans with a knob of butter, and top it with whatever is looking sad in the fridge. Yesterday, it was a fried egg and some wilted arugula that was two minutes away from the compost bin. A little salt, a little pepper, and suddenly, I feel like a human being instead of a walking caffeine dependency.
Actionable Tips for Your Own Routine
If you’re feeling like your mornings are just a scramble to the door, try these three things:
1. The 'One-Thing' Rule: Don’t try to overhaul your morning. Pick one thing that makes you feel human. Maybe it’s drinking your coffee while sitting on the porch instead of scrolling your phone. Maybe it’s just making your bed. Start there.
2. Prep the 'Fragile' Items: If you want to have a good breakfast, put the butter on the counter the night before. Sounds small, right? But the difference between a sad, torn piece of toast and a smooth, golden slice is just a little bit of foresight. Apply that to your outfit, too—lay out your most comfortable pair of trousers the night before.
3. Cook with Intention, Not Perfection: If you’re cooking something in the morning, don’t stress about it being a 'recipe.' If you have a leftover potato, fry it. If you have half a lemon, squeeze it over your water. Use what you’ve got. It’s not chef energy; it’s just making sure you’re fed.
The Mid-Morning Teacher Transition
By 7:30 AM, I’m usually out the door, bag packed with a thermos of tea and whatever leftovers I’ve deemed 'lunch-worthy' from the night before. My morning routine isn’t about being productive in the professional sense—it’s about being productive in the caregiver sense. I’m taking care of myself so that when my students walk in, I’m not running on empty.
When we treat our mornings like we treat our kitchens—with a little bit of grace, a little bit of improvisation, and a lot of care—the rest of the day feels a whole lot more manageable.
Anyway, that’s where I’m at this June. The sun is out, the garden is finally starting to give us some herbs, and Gary is happy. What about you? How are you finding your flow lately? Are you a 'get up and go' person, or do you need a slow start to function? Drop a comment below—I’d love to hear what your fridge—and your morning—is looking like these days.