5 Australian creatives share their morning routines
WORDS BY MIA RUTHERFORD
Making the most of the morning.
I wish routines were my thing, and while I hate to admit it, I actually really struggle with them. I’m someone who either wakes up with two hours to spare or 30 measly minutes – enough time to jump out of bed, brush my teeth, skull my coffee and misplace my phone three times before I walk out the door.
The funny and ironic thing is that two of my closest pals are absolute sticklers for routines. They’ve got their morning so down-pat it makes me shiver. It’s a whole thing for them – they’re the kind of people that can close their Apple Watch rings by 7am and sit down calmly to eat their breakfast. Who does that? Not me.
Interested to hear how others navigate the world? Head to our Life section.
It’s a shame I can’t seem to get my act together when it comes to a structured morning because implementing rituals and creating routines has been shown to have positive effects on mental health. So much so that researchers have found routine can help with bipolar disorder, ADHD and insomnia, as well as manage stress.
To help me get my act together and provide not only inspiration but motivation in the wee hours, I asked five creatives about their mornings and what exactly they do. Whether it’s a homemade coffee, a walk around the block or 10 minutes of affirmations, I wanted to hear all about it. Keep reading to see who works to a schedule and who rolls with the morning’s punches.
Tara Chandra, freelance content creator
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Imagine you’re waking up on a Monday morning, ready to start the week fresh as a daisy. What’s the first thing you do?
Go on my phone. It’s a habit most people hate, but I honestly don’t care too much about it. As a freelancer, I work to my own schedule and my mornings are usually pretty slow, which includes staying in bed for usually one to two hours on social media or reading. The absolute latest I’ll get out of bed is 10 am, but since daylight savings hit recently, I’ve been out of bed around 9 to 9.30am instead.
Once you’ve done that what’s next? Take me through your routine.
I go straight to the bathroom, scrape my tongue (an important part of the process!) and brush my teeth. I feel gross if I do anything before, or if I don’t brush my teeth. I then eat right after because I am prone to fainting, and no breakfast means I’m more likely to drop.
I find morning routines for some are very important and for others not so much. Where do you fit on the routine spectrum? Does your morning routine impact the rest of your day?
I’m not set on time-based routines, but I do tend to start the day doing the same actions. As soon as I get up I brush my teeth and eat but every day looks different. My body clock is pretty consistent though, so there are periods where I tend to wake up at the same time every day, to the minute, which is honestly the worst because it doesn’t matter what time I sleep, I’ll wake up at the same time. It’s a blessing and a curse. My morning routine definitely works for me and is necessary to start my day (and make sure I don’t feel gross)!
Charlotte Alldis, artist
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Imagine you’re waking up on a Monday morning, ready to start the week fresh as a daisy. What’s the first thing you do?
I usually drink a lot of water and take a moment to wake up slowly in bed to come into the day. I’m trying to dismantle chaotic habits of waking up and getting ready to the minute and being so ‘busy’ all the time and instead, be more in my body and my mind and slowly come into the day so I can be more present in my life.
Once you’ve done that what’s next? Take me through your routine.
I have a shower, make myself breakfast, my partner often brings me a coffee in bed (lucky me!), and I plan out my activities for the day in my energy diary (this is a tool I use to manage my chronic fatigue syndrome). This usually means heading off to the studio in the morning.
I find morning routines for some are very important and for others not so much. Where do you fit on the routine spectrum? Does your morning routine impact the rest of your day?
Routine is very important for me to feel prepared, to feel organised, and to manage my energy day to day. Routine helps me see where I need to rest, and where I have the capacity to plan my activities for the week to get the most out of my energy.
Sienna Ludbey, founder of Hello Sisi
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Imagine you’re waking up on a Monday morning, ready to start the week fresh as a daisy. What’s the first thing you do?
My morning routine is very simple. My boyfriend leaves for work at 7.30, so I wake up around then, make a hot water with lemon, scroll Instagram, reply to emails and write myself a to-do list for the day. I walk to my studio grabbing a coffee from Mile End on the way. I’m obsessed with their cold brew.
Once you’ve done that what’s next? Take me through your routine.
Once I arrive at my studio I usually sit on the couch with my studio friends Emma from Sister Studios and Ruby from Kannava Jewels and we have a chat. I then move to my desk and refer to my to-do list and get started on making orders.
I am so bad at choosing a podcast so I often spend about 15 minutes going back and forth between a few different ones until I find the right vibe for the day. Casefile has been a favourite of 2022, something about that monotone voice.
I find morning routines for some are very important and for others not so much. Where do you fit on the routine spectrum? Does your morning routine impact the rest of your day?
I am such a creature of habit that I really love my morning routine. It’s a nice way to start each day with a to-do list and a bit of a plan. I can get very easily distracted so having something to refer back to is good. I always write way too much on my to-do list but that’s okay (it’s satisfying crossing off what gets done). Having the time to walk to my studio also is such a nice way to ease into the day and arrive with a clear head. Coffee is also a must for this girl’s morning routine.
Carmen Azzopardi, content creator, writer and marketing and PR consultant
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Imagine you’re waking up on a Monday morning, ready to start the week fresh as a daisy. What’s the first thing you do?
Every morning when I wake up I repeat my daily affirmations to myself as I make my bed, shower and do my skincare routine. I’ve been working on my affirmations for the last three years so making sure I say them every morning is really important to me.
Once you’ve done that what’s next? Take me through your routine.
After this, my morning is usually a bit different every day depending on what I have planned that week. If I’m home for the morning I’ll always walk to my local cafe and get a coffee, and then most days I’ll come home, make a smoothie and then bother my housemates until I eventually start work for the day. A couple mornings a week I also work out with my trainer.
I find morning routines for some are very important and for others not so much. Where do you fit on the routine spectrum? Does your morning routine impact the rest of your day?
While my morning tends to change a little bit every day, a basic routine/structure for the day is really important to me. Whether it’s working out, saying my affirmations, doing my skincare or getting a coffee, making sure I do something for myself before I start work for the day is the best way I’ve found to make sure I start the day from a balanced position.
Lara Severino, content creator
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Imagine you’re waking up on a Monday morning, ready to start the week fresh as a daisy. What’s the first thing you do?
I recently made the decision to quit my full-time job and start working for myself as a content creator and social media marketer. Leaving my full-time job meant I left behind a sense of structure and repetition. It took me some time to adapt, but now I believe it’s so important for me to have a morning routine to keep me motivated and focused. The absolute first thing I do is brush my teeth and have a cup of water. Most of the time I roll over and check my phone as well… I’m trying to make social media not the first thing I check in the morning though.
Once you’ve done that what’s next? Take me through your routine.
I then go downstairs and walk on the treadmill for 30 mins (shoutout to Tiktok for introducing me to the 3-12-30 workout). I use this time to check my emails, listen to podcasts (I love Shameless), and roughly plan my day.
After that, I’ll shower, do my skincare routine and put some makeup on and do my hair. I also make sure to change out of my exercise clothes and put on either cute loungewear or a more proper outfit depending if I’m a) filming or b) going out of the house for errands. In lockdown, I was staying in my PJs all day and night, but it just made days roll into one. So it’s important for me to give myself a sense of routine.
I find morning routines for some are very important and for others not so much. Where do you fit on the routine spectrum? Does your morning routine impact the rest of your day?
Most defs. It makes me feel ready and organised for the day. However, in saying that, there are some mornings when I wake up hours after my alarm, I don’t exercise, I don’t do my skincare and the first meal I eat is at 1pm. Those days are absolutely okay and needed. When I feel tired and exhausted I allow my body to take it easy those days.
To learn more about the benefits of routine, head here.
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