This post has been sponsored by Dunkin’ At Home. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you so much for supporting the sponsors that make Glitter, Inc. possible!
Juggling a family and this growing business of mine has taught me so much about myself and how much I can handle. My mom always says that in every season, you can handle just what you’re given. I can remember being in college, just before a big exam, thinking that those days were the absolute hardest. Fast forward to law school, and then studying for and taking the bar exam, and nothing could have prepared me for how hard I would work then. Now that I’m a “grownup” (whatever that means!), I juggle work, family, a household “to do” list that never ends, and what feels like the world’s busiest toddler, and I laugh to myself at what I used to think was “stressful” or hard. Try drafting legal documents, responding to brand e-mails, negotiating rates, scheduling consults, staying on top of social media and pinning up a storm, grocery shopping, prepping dinner, and grabbing the dry cleaning, all while pleading with a two-year-old to please stop hitting the dog with a pink pony for the hundredth time. School feels like a breeze these days, compared to all that I juggle nowadays. And I know you ladies can relate!
I think the key is organization. I smile just typing that, because I’ve never been the “organized” type. I thrive off of chaos. I respond well to piles of work and, well, mess. But trying to do it all, and be it all – it means having to stay on top of everything – and organization plays a huge role in that, even if it is my own kind of messy, chaotic “Lexi Organization.”
My Morning Routine: 5 Steps to a Productive Morning as a Blogger
- But first, coffee. (Okay, coffee for me, and milk for baby girl.) Most mornings hubby has already flicked on the coffee pot as Scarlett is starting to stir. The smell of coffee is basically my only motivating factor for getting my butt out of bed. Which is good, because I’ve broken up with the snooze button. It just makes things worse. As for that coffee, I can’t get enough of Dunkin’ At Home Bakery Series® Coffee’s flavor, Chocolate Glazed Donut. When I brew it, the whole house smells like I’m baking chocolate donuts; but in a cup, it’s subtle and delicious and not at all overpowering. It’s the perfect everyday “treat” that makes my routine cup of coffee feel just a little bit more indulgent.
- Get the little one situated. Whether its a school morning and I have to get her packed and out of the house, or it’s an at-home day, I try to get Scarlett her breakfast and either to school or in front of an activity – a book, coloring, a puzzle, and on busy mornings, Little Einsteins (she’s obsessed) – so that I have some time to jumpstart my own work. Of course, on mornings that she has school, I have a few uninterrupted hours to work, which is bliss; but the other days of the week, it’s all about balance, and being okay with pressing “pause” to give her my undivided attention when she needs it.
- Publish the day’s post. Out of habit, I’ve always posted to my blog first thing in the morning. I guess my hope is that readers know they can depend on that new post each morning. I know plenty of bloggers who schedule their posts to go live, but I prefer to review it one last time before I hit “publish” in the morning.
- Tackle the inbox. I swear my e-mail inbox has a life of it’s own. It even grows overnight. And though I still have yet to figure out how to properly organize my inboxes (business and personal) which makes my husband cringe, I do make it a point to respond to all of the most pressing e-mails – including the e-mails I might be dreading – first. As a rule of thumb, it’s so much easier to respond to the e-mail or pick up the phone and deal with the thing you least want to deal with FIRST so that you can get it out of the way and move on with your day.
- Schedule everything to social media. When I’m really on a roll, I try to get all of my social media scheduled at once for the day ahead. Of course, it doesn’t always work out like that, but any day when I actually tackle and schedule my social media well in advance, I find is a less stressful day. That includes, posts to Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Bloglovin’, Instagram, and Pinterest. I spend at least 20 – 30 minutes on the other channels and then Pinterest gets its own 20 – 30 minutes. (HINT: If you’re looking to grow your blog, focus a lot of energy on Pinterest. The more you pin, the more reliable a pinner Pinterest sees you as and your pins get a nice bump. Most of my blog traffic comes from Pinterest.)
So tell me, what does your morning routine look like?
You can pick up your own Dunkin’ at Home Bakery Series® Coffee where you buy groceries.
Photos by Annie Watts Photography
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Like me I can’t do anything without coffee!! I miss living on the east coast where dunkin donuts was a drive through away! I need to just get some for at home! Scheduling posts is so key and such a time saver. Loved reading this and these images are awesome.
Oh my gosh, the struggle is so real. We just moved and there’s a Dunkin drive-through around the corner … I basically live there. 😉
Good tips! All Pinterest and twitter is scheduled but I need to do better preparing FB and IG.
I really need to be better about responding the emails I’m dreading most first. I often times put them off and then really don’t want to answer them when I’m exhausted at 10 pm!
Fizz and Frosting
Oh my gosh, trust me – I’m the same way – but if I answer the worst ones first, I feel like such a weight has been lifted and I don’t have to dread it all day.
such great tips!!! i definitely need to apply some of these! especially the inbox one! yikes!
I can totally relate with the crazy routine! I’m still a college student, but having a blog and a part-time job on top of 15 hours of classes a week can be quite hectic. I like to publish my posts first thing in the morning too! Though I prefer to schedule them. I reread them the night before to make sure everything is fine, and then I schedule them for the next day! I should probably start scheduling my social media posts too! I think doing that in the morning is a great idea. That way, you get it over it quickly!
Oh my gosh, you’re doing awesome! I keep thinking I should start scheduling my posts in advance, but I get so nervous for some reason, ha.
My morning coffee also motivates me to get out of bed in the morning. That little bit of quiet time and my DD Pumpkin Spice is what I am loving right now. Then I get on treadmill, check in with accountability partner, makes beds, get little guy off to school then focus on work. I love reading posts about productivity so thanks for sharing.
Having an accountability partner sounds like a brilliant idea! I may just need to try something like that. 🙂
I’m the same way, I can’t do anything without having my coffee first!
I also like to post my blogs early in the morning. Although I don’t post daily, I still like having a final once over before it goes live.
Yes – exactly! It definitely like checking in in the morning. 🙂
I love this post! I seriously need to start working on planning all social media in advance. Its such a struggle!
xoxo
Sarah Lindner
http://www.thehouseofseqins.com
I totally relate when you said you too thrive off of chaos and seriously I’m too never the organised type. But yes your five pointers are so helpful and I will remember those. Thank you for the post!
– Sudipta
I am the same, my day has to start with coffee or I am in a funk the rest of the day! These are great tips for morning organization! I follow about the same steps at work!
I so loved this post and your tips! And I can so relate to all this.. especially having a toddler that never seems to run out of energy ;-D
These are great tips! I definitely need to get more organized, especially in the mornings!
Lexi, speaking of coffee, we need to get some! Love Dunkin! Coffee Beans and Bobby Pins
I love these tips! The scheduling step is so key for bloggers! Adding it to my list 🙂
Maggie
http://www.polishedclosets.com
Love this! Planning is so important. Although I don’t have kids, I’m still getting stressed about getting everything done. I just started scheduling my social media and it really helps! thanks for sharing this great post. Love the photos!
I know how this is!! I try to schedule social media too, but it’s hard!
http://www.maggiealamode.com
I do all the social building groups first thing in the morning. Then I write and then I workout and then back to writing. i leave email and smaller tasks to the afternoon when i am not as focused.
My favorite types of mornings! These photos are so cute!!
I would love to be able to work on blog stuff in the morning. Unfortunately the full time job doesn’t allow for that! I do try to sneak in stuff on mini breaks throughout the day!
Such great tips! I agree that my mornings are my most productive. Scheduling out social posts is suer helpful!
Such a solid morning routine! Will have to try this coffee!
Such great tips Lexi, thanks for sharing!
These are definitely good tips for a perfect start to your day! I always find that the morning sets the tone for the rest of the day 🙂 and this coffee sounds amazing! I need to try!
xo Lacey
https://www.myboringcloset.com
Amen to but first coffee! LOVE Dunkin – would love to work with them! I don’t have a little one yet, but scheduling social is definitely on the list.
Coming Up Roses
Your coffee sounds so delicious. Your morning sounds a little like mine, although I schedule so much social media for the whole week to save on time. I really need to focus on Pinterest more. It’s interesting to see how much time others spend on it. x
I need to get better about organizing and actually sticking to a schedule. I am terrible and all over the place!!
Mel | http://www.thegossipdarling.com
My morning is very similar to yours! I have my own “messy organization” and for some reason I also like to publish that day’s post & review it one last time. Oh–and COFFEE!
Chocolate glazed donut? Sounds so delicious! My routine is becoming similar – coffee in the morning and then jumping straight into blogging.
These are fantastic tips!!! Your pictures are beautiful!
XO,
Jessica
Thank you so much! That’s all my awesome photographer. 😉
This is a fantastic post! I love your tips and your pictures are stunning!
I love these tips! I am in school right now, plus I have my blog, on top of doing social media consulting…I can’t wait to graduate and just have work on my plate! Its craziness! I love your tips!
– Jessica
One day I will have this schedule! For now it’s go to work, come home, try to be motivated to work on the blog.
You’ll get there! I did that for years.
This post is so helpful! I really need to schedule my social media posts more often- that would be an amazing feeling! btw that coffee sounds amazing. Now I want coffee AND doughnuts! xo
I love these tips! I am always in need of productivity tips 😉
Love these tips! I have two little ones so I have to do all the posting before the day even commences!
cristin | http://www.thesouthernstyleguide.com
Great tips! Pinterest is a big part of my morning routine, mainly because it’s so fun. 🙂 It’s great for blog traffic, too, but mainly it’s just fun.
xoxo, erin | sandsunandmessybuns.com
Coffee is so essential for me to get any work done! I typically blog after work since so I usually blog with water or wine haha, but I need coffee to function at work for sure!
Great routine! I need to get into a better routine, which includes a morning workout! I try to plan social media posts but I feel like the new algorithms makes them essentially invisible haha! The struggle of social media.
Loving these photos and hearing about your morning routine!
I am also a post first thing in the morning. Actually I’ve even posted it at midnight before lol Great tips. I think I’m broken because I normally don’t want coffee first thing. It’s usually after lunch for me.
Such great tips!! I try to do all of this, except for the house in order step. With a full-time job in addition to blogging it’s so hard to fit it all in! Great tips, though!
xo,
Alice at Lone Star Looking Glass
haha, our house is never all that in order – mostly I just pick up toys so that I’m not tripping over a firetruck every morning. 😉
This post was made for me I swear because I struggle with finding my daily morning routine as a full-time blogger! It’s amazing working from home and having the ability to stay in your jammies all day but man it’s hard to get out of my cozy bed some days! And my snuggle puppies don’t help my cause!
I love coffee in the morning too 🙂
I just recently started waking up an hour before my toddler. The amount of stuff I get done in that hour is incredible!
I need to try to do that more! Nap time is also essential around here. 🙂