Why I stopped taking my coffee to go

For the past 2 months, I made a minor change to my mornings that has had a major impact on my day. I have decided to enjoy my coffee at home instead of taking it with me to drink on the road. I didn't realize how much this was going to change my routine, but I absolutely love it! At first, I started waking up 10 minutes early to make sure I wasn't off-setting my morning routine. I slowly found out that it truly didn't make a difference! I gave myself those 10 minutes back in bed and still have time to enjoy my cup of coffee {and the benefits I've realized through taking the time to do so!}.

In the mornings, I always have the Today Show playing while I get ready. I love the background noise, as well as hearing most of the stories. My apartment is pretty small so I can play it from my tv in my living room and hear just fine in my bathroom. I had previously been eating breakfast at my desk while getting my day started on my work computer. Although I didn't realize this, the behavior caused me to feel rushed through my morning and thrown into business before I actually started my work day. Not a good way to start things off. In addition, I hate to bring drinks to my desk for fear of spilling. So I was putting off my cup of coffee until I was completely ready and walking out the door. If I'm being completely honest- I felt as though eating and starting my work day a my desk was successful multitasking, however I actually found out that it was taking me more time to complete both tasks at the same time than it would to do them separately. Since the very first day I changed my ways, I find my mornings to be more relaxed and surprisingly more productive. I feel like they belong to me, not my job. I eat my breakfast on my couch with my cute trays {check them out via Instagram} and enjoy a hot cup of coffee while actually watching the Today Show. It's glorious!

I think that I tend to get to caught up in planning my day/week at the computer, so I wasn't taking the time to wake up and really begin my day in a calm manner as I prefer. This attitude shift helps me in several ways: I feel much happier when leaving the house, I'm more alert because I've already jump started my system with caffeine before getting behind the wheel of my car, and I feel as though my mind is truly ready to start the work day. Beginning the day with a positive and relaxed outlook helps set the tone for the entire day- which I appreciate!! I plan on keeping up with this change, even if it requires me to make small adjustments to my morning to ensure it stays in the routine. It truly is my recipe for morning success!

How do you start out your day to ensure it's successful? Do you have any tips on making the perfect morning routine?