Daily Colors

My day always starts as early as 3 am.

It’s the best time of the day where I have all the silence needed for me without interruption and distractions.

My set of personal morning routines have been running since two last Ramadan. The first two hours after waking up are dedicated for taking care things that matter the most for me. All the conversations inside the head, all the plan for the day, all the to do lists, they were organized at this time. When it feels hard inside, this is also the best time to ‘consult’, to ‘nag’, to be very demanding to the One who takes care all affairs. Problems won’t go right away, but, at least, you know you have filed the complaint.

My working hours start once adzan subuh heard. Breakfast, lunch boxes, early morning lessons, and many more. 

After I am done with things in the kitchen, I’ll open my laptop and start exercising with Heather Robertson. Heather has been my daily exercise companion since 4 years ago. No day passed without meeting her on youtube, wherever I am, home or away. 

Done with Heather, I proceed for dhuha prayer. 

By 7.10 am, my kitchen is closed and cleaned, I get my morning endorphins and all most important personal routines done. Time to leave for school delivery. 

This is what happens 7 days a week, most of the time. Except no lunch boxes preparation on weekend. 

School delivery is done before 8 am. If it’s odd date, I will proceed with my morning walk. If it’s even date, where I send the little girl by car, it means cleaning up at home. Or, a proper nap time. 

Morning walk is my most look forward routine. 6000 steps are the main goal. Usually, boulangerie or grocery becomes the main destination. If it’s not, then I just walk leisurely until it’s time to return by the public transportation. There would be time when I don’t feel like walking. Then, I’ll choose the longer bus route to go home for reading. I usually arrive at home around 10-10.30 am. 

The little store that has been surviving for 6 years opens at 10 am and that when I start working part time from home.

The period between 10 am until school pick up is mostly about taking care my place.

Some cleaning, that’s for sure. 

Some cooking, if there’s a pressure. Some pressure like the fridge is quite empty while the food storage boxes is full. 

Some laundry, if it’s already the deadline. This is my least favorite chore of all.

Without cooking pressure or laundry deadline, then I will be taking some nap or doing some research for the on-going plans. Whenever I have plans that make me excited, my mind is rarely on the rest mode.

After midday, it’s time to prepare for school pick up . Afternoon spent more for taking care the little girl’s afternoon classes while replying customer chat, social media scrolling and being couch potato in between.

Dinner preparation usually starts at five.Here, dinner serves before 6 pm. I want my kitchen cleaned and closed before maghrib prayer. The little store is also closed by 6 pm. So, all works in a day are done by that time.

Above 6.30 pm is reading time for everyone until the last prayer of the day. By 8.30 pm, most of the time, the house is already in the dark mode.

Every two weeks, I have evening class every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday where I volunteer to be a moderator for online English speaking class discussion. It’s something that I really enjoy doing. For the last two batches, the founder asked me to teach some of the classes. Some of them were pretty good. I realize that I am doing better at listening than talking.

From others, it may look mundane, but for me it’s an ideal daily life that I look forward to each day. I love how each thing that I consider important in life has the their own time slot. The only one which I am struggling is to find a fixed slot for writing. I desperately want a dedicated time slot for writing but still find it’s hard to be committed, although I have tried several ways like turnin on the reminder, etc. 

This one is finished after the early morning prayer and before the early morning shfit starts. It’s only doable when it’s weekend.

Despite of whatever excuse I have about writing regularly, this is a little struggle that keeps me sane along the way. So, maybe I’ll just be struggling then. It’s not a (good) life without a bit of struggle here and there, isn’t?

Have a nice week ahead!