The Morning Routine

My morning routine hasn't changed in the past three years.

Everyday, I wake up at around 7 in the morning. After the natural obligations are out of the way, I put up a pot of water on the stove to boil. Then, I put about two scoops of freshly brewed coffee beans in a manual coffee grinder and grind for about four minutes. There's something esoteric about manually grinding the coffee. Or manually doing anything. The force and energy required to move the handle. The sound made by the burr as beans pass through it. Everything is clear. Everything is present. There's no blackbox. I know what's happening. It's comforting. Therapeutic of sorts.

On a cup — usually white — I place a coffee filter and empty the grounded coffee. By this time, water starts to boil. Nobody is up in the house yet so I can hear the sound boiling water makes. I start pouring it over my grounded coffee and then I stop after a few seconds and repeat the pouring. This break in pouring is essential to accentuate intricate flavours of the coffee.

As the water drains through the coffee and filter into the mug, it makes another distinct sound and effuses a familiar aroma. An aroma that I've grown used to. My comfort aroma.

The coffee is ready now and it's 7:30ish. I take the cup and sit on a nice comfortable chair with my Kindle Oasis. Sometimes its a hard copy of a book. When I was in Bangalore, I managed to score a knock off Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman for about $300 (original Eames cost $5,295.00). Now I switch between a $10 IKEA and $80 IKEA.

I can't take the sip of the coffee just yet. It's too hot. I prefer not hot. I turn the Kindle on and start reading where I had left yesterday. On this chair, at this time, but yesterday. I start reading and five minutes into the book, I make my way to the cup and take the first sip. I can feel the warmth of the coffee as it makes it's way through oesophagus to my belly. I like this feeling. I wait for another minute to take the second sip. I continue to read and in the process I forget about the coffee. About 20 minutes later, the coffee is at room temperature now and I gulp the remaining at once. I continue to read and highlight. Sometimes, I take notes.

It's past 8:30 now. And I have completed my morning routine. The same exact routine that I've been following from the past three years.

There's nothing unique about the routine but the whole process sets me in the right mood to start the day — slow, thoughtful and focused. I tried to make physical activities as part of my routine but I didn't like being tired in the morning. It works well for me and I don't intend to change it in years to come.