Way way way back in the day (2017), I was working the morning shift in a retail store. My role included checking the till from the day before, opening the blinds, sweeping the floors, making sure the clothes racks were all neat and tidy and, finally unlocking the doors, letting the customers trickle through.

I remember the satisfying and rare experience of stillness in a store located in Sydney's Pitt Street mall.

Recently, TikTok taught me that I can have the same experience in my own home. Creators have taken the "opening shift" concept and have reframed it to romanticise and reset their morning routines at home.

The opening shift is basically the woo-woo twin to the 'closing shift'. While we're meant to be using our nights to tidy up, so your future self can sleep stress-free, the opening shift is a purposeful ritual to calm your home, body, and mind before the chaos of the day takes over. Basically, it's about purposefully allowing yourself peace in the morning, so the rest of your day feels manageable.

What my (usual) morning routine looks like.

Before I embraced the 'opening shift', my routine was… chaos. My alarm would go off at 6:30am, but I'd end up leaving my bed chambers around 7.45am… don't @ me, I do very important things during that time such as looking at my ceiling and scrolling Instagram.

The early birds would love to know that I DO NOT go back to sleep during that time. I mean, I would love to, but I once listened to an Andrew Huberman podcast years ago that said sleeping in messes with your cortisol levels, so I avoid that at all costs (even though I have no idea what a cortisol is).

Watch: Neuroscientist's Morning Routine For Optimal Performance. Post continues below.

Once I finally get out of bed, it's a scramble (egg): making the bed, a shower (if it's a shower day…), skincare, and then choosing an outfit, hating the outfit and then re-choosing another outfit. By 8:15ish, I make a coffee and sit *mindfully* while I sip. I'd make myself a fun breakfast like toast or a smoothie or scrambled eggs and eat while I look at emails and slack messages. I'm out the door by 8.35am (I walk to work). When I get to work, it's around 8.50am so I have 10 minutes to yap to colleagues and settle into my desk.

I actually really enjoy my morning routine. However, it always felt rushed because (as you can see) there are so many things I want to accomplish in the mornings.

My (new) opening shift.

I decided to stop the "scramble… (egg)" and replace it with tasks that actually nourish me and set up my day better. Now, my opening shift is about creating a slow, intentional checklist that boosts my energy rather than draining it:

I spend a few minutes tidying my kitchen and bathroom. Decluttering my space in the morning has had a significant impact on my mental state when I come home tired from work.

I didn't realise there were so many little things I could do in the mornings that helped myself out later on in the day, such as laying out my evening skincare products before I leave the house.

Instead of eating while scrolling through Slack, I make my to-do list before I touch my phone. This lets me prioritise what really matters without the immediate pressure of the constantly pinging inbox.

I've started to read exactly one chapter of my book. I used to have big audacious reading goals which made me just… not read at all. However, spending 10 minutes reading every morning has been the best way to get through my reading list AND it's wayyyyy better than scrolling Instagram and TikTok for hours first thing (who knew? [literally every single person]).

My Verdict.

The difference is honestly night and day (no pun intended). By treating my morning like a professional 'opening shift', I'm not falling into the office in a state of chaos. I feel clear-headed and organised.

I do acknowledge that I'm probably one of the few people that can actually undertake the opening shift trend. Speaking to one of my co-hosts on the Mamamia Out Loud podcast, we talked about how for mothers of toddlers, the morning isn't an 'opening shift', it's a whole ordeal. Putting on shoes takes 20 minutes and your child thinks toast is the devil.

You can listen to the full 'opening shift' conversation. Post continues below.

As my co-hosts noted, the 'opening shift' is going to look very different depending on your stage of life. If you have little kids, you just have to let it go and accept the mayhem of stripping beds every day for what feels like the rest of your life.

But if you are in a season where you can reclaim that hour, I highly recommend it. Just make sure you're not working overtime and your boss allows you to take a break every now and then.

If you want more from Emily Vernem, you can follow her on Instagram @emilyvernem.

Feature image: Supplied.