It’s been a year since I started working from home due to COVID-19 pandemic. So many things have changed including my weekday morning routine. Gone are the days of me stressing about the time to get to work and rushing. I live near my office but it takes me forever in the morning to get ready!
I’ve never been a morning person. Used to set my alarm at 7AM, hit the off button and get back to sleep. Finally at 8AM, I’d finally drag my sleepy butt out of my bed to get ready for work. That was how I was even after a couple of months working from home. These days it’s different.
I’m sharing the routine I was able to establish that works well for me.
7AM Start of the Day
This has to be the biggest change for me since I got used to working from home. My alarm goes off at 7AM but usually my body is already waking up before then so when the alarm does go off, I’m already awake. I don’t get up immediately instead I would check my phone’s notifications and do a little browsing before finally getting on with my day.
The first thing I do? I like to start my morning these days by doing a 5 or 10 minute positive affirmation. I’m subscribed to Bob Baker on Youtube.
7:30AM Morning Greetings and Breakfast
Once I’m downstairs, I’d find my mom and my cat, Lucky so I can say goodmorning to both.

Some days, I’d find Lucky sleeping on this chair. He’s already eaten by then since he usually feeds at 5AM when my mom wakes. Then it’s breakfast and Netflix for me. This morning habit’s been with me since way before. Actually it’s one of the reasons I was always rushing to get to work because I get so caught up in the series I’m watching. LOL!
8AM Time for Coffee and A Little Bit More Netflix

I used to brew my coffee using the coffee maker my best friend gave me. Right now though, it’s all instant coffee again since my aunt from abroad sent us two bottles and I’m the only one who really loves coffee at our house! Have every intention of going back to my brewed coffee. I miss the smell of coffee brewing in the morning actually! I take my coffee black on weekdays unless I’m feeling low then I’d switch to 3 in 1 coffee. My favorite is Kopiko Blanca.
Now that I don’t have to rush to get to the office, I can savor drinking my coffee in the morning while I watch a couple more of my favorite Netflix series. I’m currently loving RuPaul’s Drag Race.
9AM Get Moving
Mornings at work are usually quiet so I take this time to squeeze in a bit of workout. Whether that’s a 30minute yoga workout, an hour dance class or a 30minute low impact cardio workout, I make sure I get some exercise in the morning during weekdays mostly. Considering we’re mostly at home these days, I make it a point to get moving to keep myself not only in good shape but also to stay healthy. Usually I workout by 9AM an hour after breakfast except on Mondays or Wednesdays when I attend Body Jam class which starts at 10AM.
10AM Squeezing in Work While Cooling Down
Since my work mail is synced on my phone, I’m able to check my emails while resting after workout. I take this time to answer any email or Viber messages. while I eat a light snack, usually a banana and do a little bit of social media browsing or play a game before finally taking a bath. Another thing I do is to check on the news in the morning and also read and share positive affirmations. I follow Apply the Law of Attraction, Power of Positivity or The Secret. The days are heavy considering what’s going on on the outside world so I like to balance the negativity around me with some positive energy.
11:00AM Time to Work
So finally after I’ve cleaned up, done my morning skincare routine and gotten dressed, I finally sit down to open my laptop to really get down to work. I miss dressing up for work and fussing about what I would wear though I also like that it’s one less thing to think about these days.
Check out my work desk! I’ve been trying to prettify my area to motivate me to work. That canvas print on the side? I got that from Photowall. Here’s the story about that particular photo.

So that’s how my mornings are these days. After an hour, I’d be taking a break from work to eat lunch with my mom. I had a different weekday morning routine a year ago at the start of the quarantine period. You can check that out here.
Misha K
I LOVE reading other people’s morning routines! Yours feels incredibly balanced as well. I especially noticed that when lockdown first began, I understood how much of an impact a morning routine makes. Starting your day sets yourself up for how the rest will go. I also typically begin with a positive affirmation or meditate first thing. Being someone who used to wake up (and still does) with a lot of anxiety, it’s a tool to manage it first thing so it doesn’t trickle throughout the day.
PS: Lucky is such an adorable cat!
My Work From Home Productivity Tips - Pieces of Liz
[…] How does having a routine help? It helps set your mindset that it’s time to work. I’ve actually shared my morning routine previously. You can read about that here and here. […]