Hey everyone! Today I want to share my minimalist morning routine with you.

I am not a morning person, and I don’t get up at the crack of dawn or at 5 a.m.

But one thing I do allow myself every morning is at least 15 minutes to zone out and stare out the window. This is my slow morning routine from a non-early riser, so if you like slow, simple mornings, enjoy.

#1. Hygiene

I like letting my brain wake up naturally before getting up to brush my teeth and start my day. I’m a big fan of muslin cloths for my face, and I love using them to wipe the sleep from my eyes before I even turn on the lights. 🙂

#2. Hydrate (and Play With Charlie)

After my morning hygiene routine, I always go straight for the water. I’m always really thirsty when I wake up, and drinking water first thing makes me feel good and helps me wake up faster.

By this time, my pup Charlie is begging for her own morning routine to start. So I do a combo where I feed her and make myself coffee at the same time, since her food bowl is right next to the coffee pot.

Usually, by the time I’m finished making my coffee, Charlie has just finished eating, and then we head outside. Outside time is when we both really wake up, while she runs around with her stick and I acclimate to the weather of the day.

#3. Makeup (If I’m Doing It)

I don’t usually wear makeup, maybe 1 to 2 times a week on recording days. Even then I keep it light with a simple foundation and one color palette for my eyeshadow and eyeliner.

Some days I enjoy putting on makeup and invest a little more time in it. Other days I keep it super simple, but either way it only takes me 5 to 10 minutes.

#4. Yoga (on Good Days)

Before I dive into work full on, I like to do my morning yoga to get my body and mind in the right place. But before that, I’ll check in with my team, glance at emails, and answer anything urgent.

I’ve mentioned Yoga with Adriene before, and her videos always make me feel more focused and relaxed. It makes my body feel good for the rest of the day before I’m hunched over a laptop. 🙂

#5. Food

I’m not usually hungry in the morning. Most days I end up grabbing breakfast around lunchtime, and it’s rarely the same food two days in a row.

#6. Make the Bed (Not Every Day, TBH)

I know it’s weird that I wait this long to make my bed. More often than not, I like to give my body a chance to wake up and be more alert before I start doing physical things.

Regardless of when I make it, I always pull the covers up in the morning so Charlie doesn’t get on the sheets. If you’ve been here long enough, you know I’m a big fan of time batching, finishing everything in one space before moving to something new.

So on days I work in the upstairs office where the bed is, rather than downstairs in the living room, I tend to make the bed later, once I’m back up there for work.

#7. Work

The last step of my minimalist morning routine is diving into work. I have a couple of different spaces to choose from, even without one dedicated office, and I like switching it up to stay alert while I work.

A slow morning is really just one piece of the picture. The rest comes down to the systems and habits behind how to simplify your life for more time, energy, and mental capacity.