My Personal 2-Hour Burnout-Busting Self-Care Routine

To start out, I want to make a full disclosure: I am very serious about my self-care. I almost died from a stroke when I was 39, so I feel like self-care is survival for me. It’s a necessity, not a luxury.

I do believe everyone should think of their own self-care this way before they end up in a state of dis-ease like I did. But it is seldom thought of this way by anyone—especially women.

We are taught or programmed from a young age to be the caregivers of others and not ourselves, and putting your self-care first is often looked at as selfish. I do feel a shift coming, though. We are beginning to realize that when we care for ourselves at the deepest, most loving levels, we get to share this version of ourselves with everyone else. We get to show up better.

I start by sharing this with you because I practice a lot of self-care most mornings, and I’ve made this a norm in my life. Some people might think maybe it’s a lot. This blog post is not about following my self-care routine exactly—it’s meant to inspire you to find the perfect one for you.

Also, some days, I have a lot going on, and if I’m super excited (NOT stressed) to get into my day, I’ll do a short routine so I can start sooner. If I am stressed, I know that I need this routine and will often create a better day for myself because of my morning self-care.

I’m also self-employed, and when I started this business, I was in my fifties. The intention was to create something I loved that would be my retirement job—something fun, purposeful, location-independent, and not too many hours each week. It was very intentional and took years to get it just right, and it is always changing because I am always changing. So be patient with yourself. Sometimes shifting into this mindset and setting yourself up for success takes time, intention, and patience. But it is so worth it.

I sold real estate for 15 years and also had a dog-sitting service. When I did this work, I had very little say in when my free time was. I did, however, learn to make the most of my free time when it happened to show up. This took practice because I wasn’t getting exactly what I wanted when I wanted. When I released that expectation and took the free time and enjoyed it when I had it, I was much happier. So be open to when you can squeeze some of your self-care routine in.

I love that I get to do what I want during my mornings, but it wasn’t always this way for many years. So, get creative, squeeze it in when you can, and slowly transition over to what you want. If you keep your sights on what you want, you will get it.

One of the first things I do is cater my schedule to when I’m at my best. I do not like doing any sessions before 11 am or after 4 pm, so this is when I do my calls. I do this for me and my clients—I know I will show up best for them at these times. I do make exceptions sometimes, but not very often. I also only work Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Sometimes I even close Mondays. So I slowly set up my business to be exactly what I want—so I’m happy and show up as the best version of myself for others. This is self-care.

Now, with all that said, let me share with you my favorite way to start my day—one that keeps my stress levels really low and me happy and content.

I’m an early riser. I don’t set an alarm, but I still wake up around 5-6 am. I love getting up early because I get to see the sunrise and listen to the birds waking up the world. I’ll make some coffee and get back into bed for cuddles with my dog Millie, and then I read and journal.

I always have a couple of different books I’m reading, and I’ll grab one that fits my mood. My journaling always consists of a list of all I want to do that day. I also write out ideas I have, solutions I’m looking for—kinda like a therapy session with myself. I also write out what I want to experience for the day. When I’m feeling lazy, I speak it out loud. I know I probably sound crazy, but at my age, I’ve finally run out of fucks to give. I believe I lost my last one around 2020.

Sometimes, I pull a tarot card for the day ahead and share these with my community on Patreon. Then, I’ll do some breathwork. I’m working on my Soma breath certification, so I start my day with some breath. If you’re interested in a free session, message me>>([email protected]) I’ll be doing practice sessions soon!

Then, I get up to feed my dog Millie and go for a walk with her. Where I live is very rural, so I’m lucky to be surrounded by nature and beauty… except in the dead of winter, lol.

Afterward, I’ll come in and do my weight workout. Some days, I’ll run, but I only do this a few days a week. Most days, I’ll do a short yoga class—around 30 minutes. Depending on how I feel, I’ll do a stretch or more of a workout yoga class. At the end of my yoga class, I do a Yoga Nidra meditation, which is my absolute favorite.

Then, I’ll make a big breakfast. Sometimes, this will be my biggest meal of the day because I feel that’s when I need the most energy. After this, I get ready and start my day.

So, my routine includes breathwork, cuddles with Millie, the sunrise, coffee in bed, journaling, a tarot card, a walk with Millie, my workout, yoga, Yoga Nidra, breakfast, a shower or bath, and then my day starts. I know this sounds like a lot, but I’ll tell ya—it’s hard to have a bad day after this. And it took me a while to set my life up for this. Now, I’ll never give it up.

This is my two-hour burnout-busting routine.

I know this routine will change as I change—I’ll add things, stop doing some things. One thing that will stay the same is that this will always be my morning. I love the way I start my day. This keeps me happy, healthy, and my stress to a minimum.

So, the question you need to ask yourself when setting up your routine is:

• When do I have time to fit in self-care?

• What practices feel good to me?

• What does my dream day look like, and how do I start to shift into this?

Then, you need to start today. Just try different things—see what works, what doesn’t. Lastly, have fun. This is not supposed to feel like work at all. It’s supposed to feel good, relaxed, and natural.

If you want some ideas and support, come over to the Soul Aligned Self-Care Community on Patreon. You can follow along for free or join the VIP tier. You’ll receive so much inspiration over there, and I would love to be a part of your self-care routine!

Xo, T