Our Military Family Morning Routine
Our Military Family Morning Routine
This post is in partnership with Gillette’s new SkinGuard razor – new at Walmart today.. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting Made in Mom Jeans!
If you read the title of this and thought to yourself, “a military morning routine?” with a furrowed brow then welcome to the club. I know that having any kind of routine when it comes to military life is like a super special unicorn, but I’m here to give you confidence that it is actually possible to create a military family morning routine!
When my husband and I first got married and entered the throes of military life together last year, I found it so difficult to find a groove. I realized that I am a serious creature of habit who thrives off of having routines, especially when it comes to the mornings. A morning routine was something I was definitely lacking when I transitioned from full-time human resources professional to stay-at-home military wife. Once I realized the morning routine was what we were missing, the hard part of actually creating and sticking to a morning routine started. While our morning routine has ebbed and flowed and evolved over the last year, I think it’s safe to say we have finally gotten into the groove of things (just in time to throw a baby and a PCS into the mix).
As a military family, it’s nearly impossible to maintain routines from day to day because something is always changing when it comes to the military. My husband’s schedule these last few months has definitely been much more flexible than normal which has made it possible for us to have more time together and to actually tailor our military family morning routine into something that makes us look like we’re a normal family. But we also know that we have to be flexible as a military family and that it may not always be possible for us to completely move through our military family morning routine in exactly the same way every day. I wrote a whole post a few months ago about being flexible as a military spouse and learning the art of flexibility is definitely something that has helped me (and my husband) to stay sane during the more crazier times, like recently becoming parents for the first time!
Our Military Family Morning Routine
05:30- Alarm goes off, time for Justin to wake up for PT! What I do when Justin’s alarm goes off depends on how well I’ve slept the night before. Some days I get up and start my own morning routine and other times I let myself get another hour or so of sleep!
05:30 - 06:00- Justin is busy getting ready for PT. This includes putting on his PT uniform (usually after ransacking the house looking for pieces of it) and shaving. One thing that military life really makes me thankful for is that I can get away with not shaving every day. Justin isn’t so lucky. He almost always has to shave in the mornings and that’s why we trust Gillette razors so much. Shaving regularly, especially every morning, can really take a toll on your skin and that’s why I was so excited when I heard about the new Gillette SkinGuard Razor which is specifically designed to prevent irritation. The other reason Justin always reaches for Gillette razors is because they’re easy to find. Especially with our upcoming move to Alaska, we are more aware of where we can get the products we love. I love the fact that Gillette is readily available at Walmart's across the country, including the new SkinGuard Razor and PURE by Gillette shaving gel!
A note from Justin: The SkinGuard Razor is great for getting ready in the morning. I am usually in a hurry to get to PT so not having to worry about razor burn or skin irritation when I shave quickly is a huge benefit to this razor. At the same time, I usually try to go two to three weeks without having to get a haircut. That being said, by the third week my sideburns get a little wild. The trimmer on the reverse side of the SkinGuard Razor is perfect for lining my sideburns up and making sure I maintain a professional appearance. These razors also have great longevity. As each razor can last me at least a week, I can carry four in my rucksack when going into the field and not have to worry about my shave for a month or more with minimal weight added to my pack. In the past, I’ve had razors that didn’t really perform well in field environments leaving my face burning with irritation. I don’t have to worry about that with Gillette SkinGuard razors, and when you’re not having the best of days in the field any small comfort can be a game changer, a good shave included.
06:00 - 07:30- This is usually the time it takes Justin to get to PT (Physical Training), do his workout, and come back. During this time, if I’m not still sleeping, involves taking the dogs outside so they can use the bathroom and getting a pot of coffee started. I always take the time when I’m waiting for Justin to come home to shower and do my skincare routine and get ready for the day.
07:30 - 08:00- We drink our coffee and get ready for the rest of the day. One of the things my husband and I are super intentional with is our time together. We do our best every morning to sit down together and drink our coffee. Even if we’re both doing other things, just the act of being able to cuddle up on the couch with a good cup of coffee and enjoy each other’s company for a few minutes is such a blessing when it comes to military life. I also think this helps both of us really kick start our days off on a positive note. Once we get done with our coffee, Justin showers, gets his uniform on, and goes to work
Tips for Creating a Morning Routine
I wanted to leave you all with a little bit of wisdom that I’ve learned over the last few years about creating a good morning routine that helps you thrive since this post is a little different than what I normally write. These are just a few of the thing that helped Justin and I create a morning routine that we can stick to (for the most part) even with the ever-changing world of military life.
Choose one thing to do every single day, no matter what- Justin always gives himself an extra half an hour or so between waking up and when he needs to leave the house so that he can wake up, get some water, and relax a little. My must do every morning is to shower, do my skincare routine, and put on real clothes even though I’m a stay-at-home mom. This helps me feel refreshed, focused and fueled for the day but I’m also able to do all of these things even if Justin is away because of military obligation which makes sticking to a morning routine that much easier.
Don’t immediately reach for your phone- In today’s world, we are attached to our cell phones. One thing Justin and I have both been trying to do this year is to be more present and not necessarily on our phones the entire day. I don’t even touch my phone until after our coffee on most days. I can’t tell you enough how much this small change has positively impacted my mornings.
Create your morning routine with a specific goal in mind- One thing that’s super important for military families is quality time and that’s why Justin and I created our morning routine with the intent to be able to relax and spend time together. Justin especially values the creation of morning routines around a specific goal whether that is to relax, get a workout in, or make a healthy breakfast.