THE POWER TO PAUSE

TIME MANAGEMENT COACH ANGELA GILLTRAP, EXPLAINS WHY DOING NOTHING IS THE SECRET TO HER PERFECT MORNING ROUTINE & MAYBE YOURS TOO..

Mornings have become competitive, haven’t they?

We’re bombarded with advice—from social media, wellness experts and modern-day gurus—on how we should start our day: yoga on the beach, meditation on a mountain, then hustle your way to millionaire status before 8 a.m. We’re told to squeeze in an hour of exercise, write a gratitude journal, eat something organic with chia seeds and reach spiritual enlightenment before the clock strikes seven. Otherwise, our day—and by extension, we—are a failure.

From ancient rituals promising transformation in under 30 minutes to new-age practices that allegedly reverse aging, the “perfect” morning routine has become big business. And honestly, for good reason.

How we start our day does matter—it sets the emotional, mental and physical tone for everything that follows. Your morning is your launchpad, determining whether your day feels chaotic or calm, reactive or intentional.

But here’s the thing: When was the last time you asked yourself, How do I want to start my day?

I asked myself this question two years ago.

At the time, I was overwhelmed—by responsibility, noise (literal and figurative), and a gauntlet of obligations squeezed into a 45-minute window of chaos. I’m not a morning person, which made the soul-sucking spiral even worse. The energy in our house? Far from ideal.

If I wasn’t yelling at the dog to stop eating the furniture, my son to get dressed, my husband to do something, the parrot was squawking at me, the chickens were clucking conspiratorially and my son was having a breakdown over a lost Lego piece. And my coffee? Lukewarm—which to be honest, is a personal insult.

So I asked myself: How do I really want to start my day? And the answer was instant: “As if it were Sunday.”

I was surprised by the speed and clarity of that answer. But why Sunday?

Because on Sundays, I’m not harried.There are no deadlines. No packed lunches. No voluntary snack program for 35 kids. No inbox fires, corporate meltdowns or calendar jenga. That’s the feeling I wanted.

While I can’t officially change the calendar, I realized I could recreate the feeling. I could isolate what makes Sunday feel spacious—and bring that into my every day.

Here’s what I discovered: the issue wasn’t any one task on my list of to-dos—it was all of them. At once. In a tiny, frantic window. That’s what made me miserable.

So I made one key change: I started waking up earlier.

Yes, it sounds counterintuitive for a non-morning person. But it wasn’t the wake-up time that was the problem—it was the ramp-up time. I needed space to ease into my day on my terms.

Now, I wake up naturally at 6:30 a.m. No alarms. No obligations. I get out of bed and head to our cozy atrium. Just me in silence, a soft blanket on my lap, my bullet-proof coffee placed lovingly (and silently) on the table beside me by my husband. I look out the giant windows and revel in the scenery of our one acre property in the country.

I don’t journal. I don’t meditate. I don’t check the news. I just sit. Am I tempted to write the next great American novel? Sure. But I don’t.

Does it take all my will power not to write out my to-do list? You betcha. Instead,

I just sit. I let myself be. And let me tell you—when you finish an entire coffee without having to reheat it? That, my friend, is success.

Then, just as I’m finishing my caffeinated bliss, my five-year-old son wakes up—sleepy-eyed and adorable. We hug. Not a rushed, “Let’s get on with it” hug. A full, grounding, melt-into-each-other hug that lasts as long as we want.

That’s it. That’s my perfect morning routine. Simple. Undramatic. Gloriously unproductive. I embrace the possibility of the day. And when I’m good and ready—usually within 40 minutes—I get to work.

I’ve walked clients through this exact exercise—hundreds of times. The answer always comes quickly. And it’s always personal. So, here’s my invitation to you: What is your perfect morning?

If working out makes you feel like a superhero—do it.

If journaling brings peace and clarity—write away.

But if sitting in a cozy chair with a warm drink and doing absolutely nothing feels like bliss? That’s okay too. We’re all different people with different rhythms. And if your rhythm involves a bit of sitting and sipping? I’m here to tell you: you’re doing great. TimeTitans.co