I’ve always been a morning person, but coupled with that I’ve never really had a morning routine. Being self employed every day was different, and each morning had a slightly different light to it. I used to think I loved that difference each day and if that ever changed I’d get bored! Since having Olive routine has become key, and taking advantage of every possible second has become the brilliant norm, there’s certainly no more procrastination life has become head down and get it done, balanced with moments of stillness with my baby girl! And mornings have become the epitome of this new routine based life and I have to say I love it! Getting up and not having a moment to let the monkey brain kick in to tell me to press snooze, do it later, or maybe today’s not the day...my monkey brain is super human at being able to persuade me out of stuff and finding reasons to not do what I’d planned. Now having Olive I know that each moment she’s asleep, is a precious moment to take and use in a way that tops me up, enabling me to be a better mum for when she’s awake. My morning routine has become that thing that helps me stay connected to me, and I love the structure it brings. I love the rythmn it brings to my day and it’s now become so important to me that I notice when for some reason it’s not there. I read somewhere that it takes 10 weeks to establish a new habit or routine and this establishment goes through three stages 1. Initiation phase 2. Learning phase 3. Stability phase and for the ten weeks your starting this you’re in either the initiation or learning phase, which basically means you have to work at it, but once you’ve passed the ten weeks the stability phase kicks in when it’s easier to do it than not. So now I’m working to establish my evening routine in the same vigour, so I can sandwich my day with stability and rhythm.