Declan Ferguson
Declan Ferguson is an accountancy student and social media customer manager from Glasgow, Scotland, with a deep passion for coffee and travel.
What is your morning routine?
I normally wake up at around 7:30am and start getting ready for the day ahead straight away. I have coffee at 8:15am and drive to the train station for the 8:35am train.
Depending on where I’m going (work or university), on the train I’ll either read over projects for the day ahead, or read lecture notes. Except on Sundays. Sundays are for lie-ins.
How long have you stuck with this routine so far?
I am currently changing from a night owl to a morning riser. It is really difficult, but I have stuck to this routine for two months now.
How has your morning routine changed over recent years?
As a student my routine generally changed whenever my university timetable did. Recently, I have become set in the routine of waking at 7:30am.
What time do you go to sleep?
Because I’m still in-between mind-sets, I still go to sleep at about 2:00am.
Five hours is not a lot of sleep, but I make up for this on Sundays by sleeping until about 10 or 11:00am.
Do you use an alarm to wake you up in the morning, and if so do you ever hit the snooze button?
I am currently using the Sleep Cycle app on my iPhone. A Google search for an intelligent alarm led me to the app and My Morning Routine. I have to admit, I use the intelligent snooze. It’s a blessing in disguise.
How soon after waking up do you have breakfast, and what do you typically have?
Coffee, coffee, and more coffee. I don’t like to eat before 1:00pm. Before then I typically have around 4-5 cups of coffee.
Do you have a morning workout routine?
On the days I have off, I tend to go to the gym or on a short run around the Loch. But more often than not, I don’t get days off, so working out at night is key.
I’m a member of a 24-hour gym so I can happily work out at one in the morning if I so wish (hey, it’s still morning!).
How about morning meditation?
It’s not something I have tried myself but a close friend is a great believer in meditation. Maybe something I should consider in the future.
Do you see to email first thing in the morning or leave it until later in the day?
I generally look at the notifications on my lock screen in the morning as a glance. I normally leave it until I am on the train; twenty minutes is great time to scan and clear my email.
Due to my job, I am constantly online with email. I even get one when a phone call is coming in.
How soon do you check your phone in the morning, either for calls/messages or social media and news?
Right away! I feel it helps to peel my eyelids open.
What are your most important tasks in the morning?
On university days, I like to read over lecture notes before arriving at class. On work days, I review my calendar and my to-do list first, then once in work I clear out menial tasks first.
On days you’re not settled in your home, are you able to adapt your routine to fit in with a different environment?
On days away, I can easily adapt the routine to suit myself. When staying with friends though, it can be slightly harder. I tend to stay with my closest friend, Eleanor the most though, and we practically have the same routine.
What do you do if you fail to follow your routine, and how does this influence the rest of your day?
I keep going. There is no point slowing down and reminiscing. That just puts the full day off course.
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