Thought of the day - my morning routine

With a new job comes a new routine.  Sort of.  My schedule at work is more regular in this new position than when I was in the dining room, which is great.  It's so nice to have my weekends back!  During the week, I still get up at my normal time around 5:30.  But now, instead of having to be at work at 6:30, I go in at 7:30.  I need to figure out what to do with that extra hour of my time!

I enjoy my mornings before work.  Michael and Squirt are still in bed.  I have my coffee.  I listen to the radio and surf the internet.  It's quiet and peaceful.  This particular morning, it's raining, so that provides some nice relaxing background music.  This time of day is just for me and I like it.  I wonder sometimes, though, should I be doing more with this time?

There are other options, I suppose.  I could sleep an extra hour.  hmmmmmm?  I could fix breakfast every day.  That would probably give me a good boost of energy for my morning.  As much as I actually enjoy domesticity, that's not an unlikely option for me.  I could exercise, too.  We have so much exercise equipment that we don't use, this would be the perfect time to use some of it.  I could also use this time to work on some projects that I have been ignoring.  That would be productive, right?  Of course, I'd have to do it quietly as to not wake the boys haha. 

As I am typically a creature of habit, I have to ask myself do I really need a daily routine?  Does it have to be the same thing every morning?  I guess it could go either way.  Early mornings are the hardest time for me not to have a cigarette still.  There was something about standing on the porch alone in the still of morning and having my coffee and a smoke.  Ah, the memories.  That's really what I am looking to replace.  If you ask an ex smoker, they'll tell you that those key times of smoking that were daily occurrences are when they want one the most.  Mom always said it was after dinner when here craving was the worst. 

But, I digress.  I have many options to add to my mornings.  When I really think about it, I don't need a set routine, but I would like to change things up once in a while.  But until I decide what to integrate into my mornings, I'm going to turn up my NPR and have another cup of coffee.