Work From Home Parent: My Morning Routine
Wake-up – morning affirmations in the bed
Walk downstairs – morning mantra with my son
Send my husband and son off for the day
Meditation with my daughter
Leave out for middle school
Back home, pour coffee and sign in for work
“Thank you bed for supporting me through the night. Thank You God for opening my eyes for another day,” is the morning affirmation that usually runs through my mind before sitting up out of bed and placing my feet on the ground beneath my bed.
It’s morning and I’m ready to start the day by listening to my phone play a jazz playlist on the speakers downstairs.
As my son walks down the stairs and towards the kitchen table for breakfast, I have him recite his daily mantras.
After he finishes eating and puts his bookbag on; my husband is ready to grab his coffee and drop our son off at school before commuting to work.
Shortly after, my daughter is getting ready for school, finishes her breakfast and sits on the couch for our daily meditation. Once we finish, we hop in the car and head to her middle school. I drop her off and head home to make my cup of coffee and sign on for work.
“I wake up some mornings and sit and have my coffee and look out at my beautiful garden, and I go, ‘Remember how good this is. Because you can lose it.’– Jim Carrey
Morning Mantras:
Each school year, my son has a special 3 part mantra he recites with me before he eats breakfast.
The word mantra can be broken down into two parts: “man,” which means mind, and “tra,” which means transport or vehicle. In other words, a mantra is an instrument of the mind—a powerful sound or vibration that you can use to enter a deep state of meditation.
His mantra always includes something about doing his best through the day, following directions, and making sure he shows off how intelligent he is. This meditation practice helps him keep what is important to him in mind throughout his school day.
Meditation:
Mindfulness meditation isn’t about letting your thoughts wander. But it isn’t about trying to empty your mind, either. Instead, the practice involves paying close attention to the present moment — especially our own thoughts, emotions, and sensations — whatever it is that’s happening.
Middle school is full of teenagers trying to figure out who they are in the world which makes it difficult for them to be present. In the mornings before we leave out for the day, my middle schooler and I sit for 10 minutes and meditate. Meditation offers us both a moment to pause before the day and clear out the brain clutter. This allows us to become observers as opposed to just going along with whatever life throws at us.
I’ve noticed that this practice has resulted in her telling me stories about her school from an observer’s perspective. Also, it can feel like the time goes by quicker when you are more in flow with the day as opposed to pushing against events that are happening.
Working from Home:
I have worked from home for over 8 years for a large corporation. A few benefits of working from home are:
- I waste less time commuting
- I’m more productive
- I take fewer sick days
- I don’t constantly feel the need for a vacation
This work/life balance has had a tremendous impact on my family because of the flexibility. There have been a few career trade offs I had to make in order to maintain this lifestyle however nothing that I regret. The value of being more available and present in my family’s lives will last for generations.
My morning routine continues to evolve each year. What is your morning routine? Is there anything you would change?
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