Raffaella Caso
Raffaella Caso is the founder of BabyGreen, a popular Italian eco-family blog where she shares her journey from a high-impact lifestyle to a more simple, healthy, and green way of living. Raffaella lives in Milan, Italy.
What is your morning routine?
I wake up at 5:00am with my phone alarm and turn it off right away so as not to wake the others (my partner and my seven-year-old daughter). I drink a glass of water or, when I am inspired, water and lemon.
I open the windows of the kitchen and living room to let the fresh air come in, and then I do the worst job of the day: I empty the dishwasher. I don’t like to do it, but I prefer to do it first thing in the morning so that I don’t have to think about it for the rest of the day. I generally empty it while listening to Radio 24 (a major news radio channel in Italy).
Then I prepare breakfast for the family with love and care. This is one of my favorite moments of the day.
When breakfast is ready and the table is set, I drink my coffee and write down my daily docket for both work and home (sometimes I check email and blog statistics). In the warm season, I take care of the plants on the terrace.
At 6:30am, it’s time to shower and get dressed. At about 7:00am, my daughter and my partner wake up. While my daughter gets ready, I take care of the bedrooms (I open the windows, make the beds, etc.). At 7:20am, we all have breakfast together - half an hour of relaxation and chatter.
At 8:00am it’s time to walk to school. This takes approximately thirty minutes, and we walk through a very nice green area (this is another of my favorite moments of the day). 8:30am: We kiss bye bye at school, and I walk back home listening to my favorite music and thinking about new blog ideas. 9:00am: My workday begins!
How long have you stuck with this routine so far?
About two years, but my routine changes according to school schedules.
How has your morning routine changed over recent years?
My routine has changed many times in recent years due to the fact that my daughter is growing up; every year was different because of her changing needs. I tried to exercise in the morning, but I now prefer to walk one hour every morning (going to and coming from school).
What time do you go to sleep?
During workdays, at about 9:30pm.
Do you do anything before going to bed to make your morning easier?
I spend 10-15 minutes getting everything ready for the next day and decluttering the house. I believe this is very important to jumpstart the morning!
Do you use an alarm to wake you up in the morning, and if so do you ever hit the snooze button?
Yes, I use the phone alarm. I sometimes hit the snooze button, and I don’t like that because I lose the good rhythm for the day. I’m planning to change that habit and place the phone farther away from me, so I have to get up to turn off the alarm.
How soon after waking up do you have breakfast, and what do you typically have?
I have a coffee on my own while I write my daily docket at about 5:30am. Then I have a full breakfast with my family at about 7:20am. I recently discovered the benefits of overnight oats and I love them!
Do you have a morning workout routine?
At the moment, my morning workout routine is a sixty-minute walk. The first thirty minutes are with my daughter going to school. During the other thirty minutes, I walk faster with music.
Do you have a morning meditation routine?
I’m attracted to meditation, but have not yet tried it.
Do you answer email first thing in the morning or leave it until later in the day?
I briefly check my email in the morning, but I answer it in the late morning after writing my daily post, which needs more concentration.
Do you use any apps or products to enhance your sleep or morning routine?
I sometimes use Sleep Cycle.
How soon do you check your phone in the morning?
I briefly check it when I plan my day and write my daily docket. I usually check blog statistics and email.
What are your most important tasks in the morning?
Planning my day. Being a freelance working mom without any help and with a partner who works and travels a lot requires a lot of planning. Every morning I need to plan my work in detail. I also plan meals for the family and synchronize with my daughter’s activities.
What and when is your first drink in the morning?
As soon as I get up, I have a glass of water, sometimes with lemon.
Do you also follow this routine on weekends, or do you change some steps?
I usually follow the same routine, but I wake up a little later.
On days you’re not settled in your home, are you able to adapt your routine to fit in with a different environment?
I’m usually at home in the school season. In the summer it’s harder to stick to my routine, but I feel that I strongly need it, so I try to adapt it.
What do you do if you fail to follow your morning routine, and how does this influence the rest of your day?
If, for any reason, my morning routine fails, I try to recover the rest of the day. But it’s not the same; that’s why I strongly need my routine, especially the minutes I spend writing down my daily docket (with my hot coffee).
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