I'm attempting to create a productive morning routine.

For the past month or so, I've been setting my alarm to wake up ten minutes earlier every week. This week I'm up at 6 am. The main reasoning for this is that I would like to work out in the morning vs. the late afternoon, which is my current routine. I live in Texas, and even though it is Spring, by 2 pm, it is already 80 degrees.

The goal is to be up at 5 am eventually. This should provide enough time to work out, meditate, shower, have breakfast, get ready for work, and hopefully get in some reading. I'm currently at a point where I'm not up early enough to work out and shower, but enough to get some significant writing/reading done.

Growing up, I was never a morning person. I never wanted to get up for school and tried to stay in bed for as long as possible. This eventually resulted in my mom sometimes using a spray bottle with water and spraying me to force me out of bed.

Over time though, I've realized that the earlier I get up, the more control of my day I have. Once I leave my apartment, life happens, and the plans I had sometimes have to go out the window.

The story I tell myself is that working out is important to me. Both for my mental and physical health. My actions, though, don't always reflect this. Hence, the overall goal for my wake-up time and morning routine. My capacity to deal with the curveballs of life is infinitely better if I've been able to work out and meditate in the morning.