What the First Hour Looks Like When It's Done Right
On hot yoga, skincare, and mornings made golden
My hatch alarm rings in the morning, with wind chimes and a bright, sunny light, to bring me to life, and keeps doing so until I find the strength to roll out of bed a few minutes past my ideal. To not be a morning person, I deeply love my morning routine once I’m about 5 minutes in.
Of course, the very first thing I do is put in my contacts and brush my teeth. I can’t do anything until these two are checked off my list. I prep very minimally for the day and grab my outfit for hot yoga. I flip every light on as I pass through the house en route to the kitchen for immediate coffee and water. As my espresso drips, I read my daily devotional and check my phone calendar. I relax on the couch with a snoring frenchie tucked into my side as I sip my maple latte and watch whatever sitcom looks enticing. I wish I could say I veer away from screens in the morning, but I don’t, and I love it.
These 20-30 minutes each morning are my absolute favorite; my time of grounding and peace. It’s a relaxing gap between the night before and the day ahead that I find completely necessary. Once the calm ends, I slip on my gym clothes and pack my bag to head out for the best kickstart to my day.
Hot yoga is something I’m confident I’ll be doing for the rest of my life. I’ve weaved in and out of workout classes and gyms, and nothing has ever satisfied me quite like an intensive vinyasa flow in a 97º room that leaves me dripping in sweat. I spend my 10 min ride in different ways each day: podcasts, music with the windows down, but recently I’ve been using it to organize my thoughts. The mindset I leave my workout with is how I put my best foot forward each day.
Once I’m home, I’m immediately in the shower; the “hot” in hot yoga is serious. Past my slow morning, workout session, and cool-down shower, I get into my skincare. With sensitive skin, I keep things short and sweet. I start in the shower with Embryolisse Foaming Milk Cream Cleanser, and once I’ve emerged, I move into the Beauty of Joseon Rice Milk Toner, which has truly saved my dry skin. I had no idea the gap I had left open for so long between cleansing and moisturizing. Finally, I bring it all together with the Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré–deemed my favorite product of all time and has now become my husband’s too.
The last thing I do before my brain switches on for work is make the bed and tidy up our house for the day. This includes opening the drapes, turning on the lights, and making our home/work spaces feel alive.
I’ve pushed beyond the titled time limit, but to maximize your mornings, you must shine your first hour (or two) into gold. There are countless tips and tricks out there to get the most out of your routine: no screen time, get in the sunshine, drink water, eat protein… all absolutely fantastic, and I do try to achieve these within my first few hours, but realistically, I spend my morning how I want, without succumbing to the outside pressure to have a perfect routine.
No matter how you choose to begin your day, make every second worth it. Mine happens to begin with a snoring frenchie and coffee on the couch–yours might look completely different. Optimize the small amount of time you have to yourself, and if you don’t have it in the mornings, carve it out later in the day. The key is to find your version of a golden morning and return to it every single day until it’s a nonnegotiable.
Find your Bachét.