5 people share the morning routines that keep them feeling positive during the lockdown

Till about three years ago, I considered myself a “morning” person. I’d be up by 6am, go for a quick 30-minute run, organise my schedule for the day, all this before I left for work after a leisurely breakfast with my son and some household chores. There were days I could even squeeze in a few phone calls with friends, and yes, I would dedicate at least 30 minutes to reading a print publication or two.  

I don’t remember going through social media as much… maybe when I’d reached the halfway point (since it took—and still does—me an hour and a half to reach the office on a good day), though more often than not I’d prioritise sleep and music over mindless scrolling. This routine set the tone of my day—I felt more in control. I didn’t really understand how much it helped me, till I suffered a huge personal loss and with it, the loss of my “morning” person status.  

Then, last year, I came across an Instagram video by author, TV host and motivational speaker Mel Robbins, talking about how she took charge of her life by creating a meaningful morning routine—simple practises like waking up half an hour earlier than usual to meditate or practise yoga, journaling, having a cold shower, brushing with her non-active hand, enjoying her cup of coffee. Nothing you and I would consider life-altering and yet, in so many ways they are.

Today, as we struggle to adjust to our new way of life in lockdown—with everything from the way we eat to the way we shop for groceries and other essentials, work, and parent our kids, changing on a daily basis almost— adopting some mindful practices may help bring some structure and calm. We spoke to five professionals to find out what they are doing to ensure they stay positive and productive through the day.

Saransh Goila, chef

If you’re active on social media, you’ve probably now seen (or at least heard of) ‘Mornings With Goila’, an Instagram live series launched two days before the first lockdown was announced by Goila. The popular chef has his own niche following who tune in everyday at 12pm to watch this “radio kinda show” where he interviews chefs, actors, comedians and even doctors. Food, of course, is the central theme.  

“I’d self-isolated much earlier than the lockdown was declared, and realised then itself, given the busy profession I was in, I’d need to do something to stop me from pulling my hair out. At the same time, I also knew that it had to be something that would add value not just to my life but others as well. There is so much negative news around, so I thought, ‘Why not launch a positive, happy show?’” he says. 

This, he says, helped him stick to not only his morning, but also his regular day-long schedule. “I wake up at 7.30am as usual, spend half an hour on meditation and stretches, have my lemon water, then some garlic pods,  get dressed like I would normally and start prepping for my show,” he says, “I document and edit my own videos not just for ‘Mornings with Goila’ but also the recipe hacks I share with followers. It’s important to use this time to rewire and reflect.”

Payal Singhal, fashion designer

Before the enormity of COVID-19 hit us, Italy was already reeling from the effects of the novel coronavirus. A close friend of Singhal’s had just returned from there with these words of advice from Italians already in quarantine: Maintain a schedule as close as you can to your normal day. Routine is important.  

And that’s exactly what the designer has been following. “I’m not an early riser, but once out of bed I sit by my bedside window and do some breathing exercises—I find this to truly be a game changer. This is followed by coffee hour, catching up on social media since I need to do this in my line of work,” she says.

Sketching (not fashion, but Van Gogh paintings and landscapes) keeps her creativity flowing. And then, of course, there’s her “happiness project”, called PS Girls. “Every Thursday at 5pm, I host one of my favourite women. Next Thursday it’s Shibani [Dandekar, singer/actor/anchor] talking about how maintaining a gratitude journal changed her life. The week after we have Maria [Goretti, VJ-turned-chef] on how cooking is therapeutic…” she says.

Deanne Panday, health coach

For Panday, her morning routine has always been sacrosanct. “I wake up at 7.30am, drink half a litre of water, give thanks for being alive and then meditate for 10-15 minutes—this has been my life forever,” she says. Currently, she’s following the Oprah Winfrey-Deepak Chopra 21-day Meditation Experience with friends. “The guided meditations are aimed to help you create a better and more meaningful life for yourself, something we all need as well as have time for right now,” she says.

Standing in the sunlight on her balcony for a few minutes every morning is a must, as is having a healthy breakfast that consists of foods that keep her immunity and energy levels up. “I’ve eliminated all and anything that gives me acidity or makes me feel bloated.” In addition to her hot cup of spice-infused tea with lactose-free milk, Panday includes a bevy of organic supplements including a turmeric pill, ashwagandha and spirulina. “Then I teach a 1.5-hour-long yoga class via Zoom before I start my work from home routine,” she adds.

Dr Harsha Bijlani, skin expert

A mum to young children, Bijlani starts her morning early to sneak in some "me time" before the kids wake up and have to get ready for virtual school. “The one thing I absolutely do not do in the morning is check my phone or the news. I feel like the start of the day is when I want to work on inculcating positivity in my mind and not bombard myself with news, which is almost always negative,” she says.

A glass of warm water with ginger, lemon and turmeric with a fruit is followed by yoga on her balcony. “This time away from the gym has rekindled my love for Iyengar yoga, which I’d started practising at 15 years old,” she says. Given her profession, no day even in lockdown kicks off without a morning skincare routine.  

It is important to count your blessings. “Set some kind of routine, limit the time you spend hunting for news as well as screen time and take up a new hobby or learn a new skill instead. The COVID-19 lockdown will end—there will be memories of these times, some bad but let’s try and work on making a few good ones as well,” she says.

Danesh Kumar, holistic healer  

“I make a conscious effort to smile first thing when I wake up in the morning, no matter how I am feeling,” says Kumar. He’ll then listen to some music depending on what he’s in the mood for. “When I think of my dad [who passed away some years ago] I play any old Hindi song, on other days something spiritual and uplifting. Music can be very therapeutic as it gets you moving automatically and can also bring back some beautiful memories—it’s a great way to begin your day,” he adds.

His morning rituals have continued to hold him in good stead—a morning shower with sea salt followed by lighting of a candle, meditation and chanting, and giving thanks, “It’s important to create little rituals for ourselves in our homes,” he adds.

What’s the one advice he’d give people to cope with the lockdown? “You can either look at this negatively or positively. And by the latter, I don’t mean you need to be happy or joyful all the time. Use this time to do anything, be it learning to cook or even cleaning your home in the absence of domestic help. It’s empowering. Try and find silver linings, that in my view is the only way to live life.”

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