When Your Morning Routine Feels Like a Flop



I have a morning routine that, on paper, sounds like a productivity dream. I wake up, drink a glass of water, make myself a cup of coffee, do a quick 15-minute workout, journal for a bit, and then dive into lesson planning or writing while my mind is still fresh—all before 6 a.m. when I officially start my day.

Sounds great, right? A structured, disciplined start to the morning, setting the tone for the rest of the day. But here’s the reality of how today went:

I woke up and had my glass of water—so far, so good. But then, I felt too sore and tired to work out. I made my coffee but added milk (at least I skipped the sugar, so small victories?). I’m supposed to be fasting until 8 a.m., which means no milk or sugar, but today, I just couldn’t bring myself to care.

Then came journaling. I opened my notebook, pen in hand, ready to reflect, plan, or pour out my thoughts. And all I could think was: Blah. I’m tired. Not exactly the profound insight I was hoping for. So, I jotted down some notes for my learners instead, then sat there, feeling frustrated with myself.

I hate mornings like this. I hate the heaviness, the sense of falling short, the creeping guilt of not doing what I said I would do.


The Pressure of Perfection

I know I’m not alone in this. We all have those days when our well-intentioned routines feel impossible, when the energy just isn’t there, and when our own expectations feel like a weight rather than a motivation. And yet, instead of offering ourselves grace, we punish ourselves with disappointment.

Why? Because we’ve internalised the idea that consistency must mean flawless consistency. That skipping one part of the routine is failure. That a morning like today is somehow a sign of weakness rather than just being human.


Shifting the Perspective

What if we changed the narrative? What if, instead of focusing on what we didn’t do, we acknowledged what we did?

  • I woke up and drank my water.
  • I made my coffee (yes, with milk, but I skipped the sugar—progress, not perfection).
  • I attempted to journal, even if all I could write was “blah.”
  • I still showed up for my learners, even if it wasn’t in the way I originally planned.

That’s not failure. That’s doing the best I could with the energy I had today.


Honouring the Off Days

Maybe today wasn’t a high-achieving morning. But it was a morning where I listened to my body, acknowledged my exhaustion, and adapted. And isn’t that part of self-discipline, too? The ability to adjust, to be kind to ourselves, to trust that tomorrow is a new day?

So, if you’re having a morning like mine—where nothing feels quite right, where routine feels like resistance—know this: you are still showing up for yourself. And that counts for something.

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