My Morning Routine as a Full-Time Teachers Pay Teachers Seller (including some book recommendations)

Back when I was studying at university, I used to stay up late to do some uni work or do whatever my phone allowed me to. I always regretted it the next day, but I kept doing it anyway.

When I taught in Vietnam, the habit stuck with me. I didn't care if my class started at 7:45 in the morning. I'd go home, sometimes meet friends for dinner, stay up until 1 or 2 a.m. and get up at 6.

At the time, I was like, "I'm a night owl. My brain functions way better at night." But when I quit my teaching job in 2021, the reality bit me in the ass. I don't want to be a night owl anymore.

My morning routine is probably one of the most basic things you'll ever read. But it has helped me so much in many ways I can never imagine! I've also been reading productivity and time management books to organize my life and mindset.

So, what does my morning routine look like?

First things first. I wake up early.

I always set my alarm at 5:55 and 6:00. I know I shouldn't give 5 minutes allowance, but I'm already awake before 5:55, so I turn off my alarm and get up.

Second, I start working immediately.

That does not mean I turn on my computer as soon as I open my eyes. Working in this context means you need to move your body ASAP. You can start making a healthy breakfast, walking your dog, or jogging outside. As soon as I get up, I wear my running shoes to exercise.

My workout takes between 20 to 40 minutes, depending on my mood. I love watching growwithjo on Youtube, and my favorite workout video of her is the Tabata workout.

After I finish my workout around 6:35, I drink lemon water while I scroll on social media or read on my Kindle. (I love Damon Zahariades's books about productivity, and if you subscribed to Kindle Unlimited, you could read them for free).

The fourth one is to take a shower at 6:50 a.m.

Now, I know people say a cold shower helps you wake up in the morning. But it's not gonna work for me. Even if it's not winter, I'm not going to take a cold shower. (sorry!)

After my hot shower, I get dressed, make my coffee, eat breakfast (my breakfast usually happens in front of my laptop), and start the day. And this means tackling all the to-do lists I wrote the night before.

I forgot to write a disclaimer above, but this morning routine always happens during the weekdays. On weekends, I wake up around 6:30. I don't set the alarm because I know I will still wake up early no matter what time I sleep. I don't do home workout on weekends either because it's the weekend!

In the book Morning Makeover by Damon Zahariades, he mentioned that you should wake up at the same time, even on weekends, but I don't feel the rush to finish my tasks on a Saturday. Sunday, for me, is a more chill day because I just clean and do whatever I want. I only assign easy tasks for the weekend, such as creating pins, writing and scheduling emails, or creating a freebie for my email list. But when I'm in the mood, I continue creating products (because I'm crazy like that, and I have 10,000 product ideas floating in my head).

I subscribed to Damon Zahariades's newsletter and received a free ebook about Catapult Your Productivity (The Top 10 Habits You Must Develop to Get More Things Done). I will be sharing with you the ten habits that will help catapult your productivity (that I am slowly implementing into my daily routine):

Wake up early.
Start working immediately upon waking.
Track how effectively you use your time. (I'm currently doing this because I want to write another blog post on how many hours I work in a week, but I keep forgetting to stop and start the timer.)
Focus on tasks that contribute to high-value projects.
Create effective task management lists.
Stick to a healthy diet.
Be unreachable. (Most of the time, my phone is away from me. My TPT, email, and Instagram notifications are also off, and my phone is always on silent mode.)
Maintain an unflappable 80/20 attitude.
Be an anti-perfectionist. (Okay, I'm a perfectionist in creating and designing products (sometimes). What should be the right font combination? What color will look better in this? Should I add this clip art or not? There are so many things going on in my head during product creation. But can you imagine how much time I can save if I stop thinking about the fonts, colors, and clip arts and get on with the product?) I need to work on this!
Concentrate on one item at a time.

Each of these habits can positively change your workflow and productivity. And trust me when I say I get more things done when I wake up early and complete my morning routine.

"When you decide to get up early, you do so with a purpose in mind. There's a reason you want to get an early start. This reason drives you, prompting you to take action. It's why you're more productive when you wake up early." Damon Zahariades, Morning Makeover

And...

"They look forward to getting up early because they know their routines will help them experience a successful day."

BUT... Before you argue with me, I just want to point out that not everyone who wakes up early in the morning is a productive person. And not everyone who wakes up at 10 in the morning is lazy and unproductive. It's a personal choice. Activities that work for others may not work for you, and vice versa. It all boils down to having a clearly-defined intention.

I genuinely believe that waking up with a purpose is the key to a productive day. 😚 So you do you!

If you are interested in his books, type Damon Zahariades on the Kindle app, and you will see all his books about productivity. I'm currently reading Morning Makeover and To-Do List Formula. I have also enjoyed reading Eat That Frog!