My 5–9 Before My 9–5: Full Time Working Mom Edition

Every working mom I know is chasing the same impossible equation: how to be ambitious and present. How to build a meaningful career and still show up fully for the small, fleeting moments that make motherhood worth it.

It’s different from mama to mama, but for me, the shift didn’t come from doing less or from chasing balance. It came from learning to manage my energy before the day starts managing me.

Those early hours give me a head start on myself… a chance to move with intention, create space for what matters, and fill my own cup before I pour into everything and everyone else.

The Ritual of the Early Hours

My 5–9 isn’t glamorous. It’s not a Pinterest board of routines or a checklist of habits. It’s the quiet rhythm that keeps me anchored.

It starts with something warm in my hands (coffee, a matcha latte, or turmeric tea) depending on what I need that morning. That first sip feels like a soft entry into the day, a reminder that I get to begin it on my own terms.

Then I settle into my morning ritual…

I read a few of my favorite newsletters (Hello Morning Brew and The Good Trade) or a chapter of whatever book I’m into. I open Duolingo (I’m learning German because my son is half Bavarian and it’s become a small daily act of connection to his heritage). I take my morning vitamins and supplements, do my devotional, and write a quick thought in my journal.

By the time I’m done, I feel centered… not in control of everything, but grounded enough to handle what comes.

Then I move my body. My home workout is simple: yoga mixed with dumbbells, bodyweight, and resistance bands. I used to teach workout classes (yoga, spin, versaclimber) so my daily movement has become less about aesthetics and more about energy: creating and protecting it.

I follow that with a shower, a few deep breaths, and a quick breakfast—usually eggs and avocado toast, or plain Greek yogurt with berries, or oatmeal with a drizzle of honey. Nothing fancy. Just real food that fuels my son and I.

Then the Sweet Chaos 

Then comes the shift… the most tender part of my morning.

I wake my son. He’s warm and sleepy, but ready to go! His wild hair is the first sign of his energy waking up. I get him dressed while we talk about what he dreamed about or what he hopes they’ll have for snack time at school.

We walk our dog, Oat, a basset hound with more personality than most people I know. She waddles down the sidewalk while my son and I talk about the clouds, cars, roly polies, or pine cones. It’s our daily ritual of noticing things together.

Then we drive to school. It’s short, but those fifteen minutes are everything… Blippi’s Garbage Truck song on repeat, sunroof cracked, a goodbye kiss that somehow resets my entire system.

By the time I pull back into the driveway and open my laptop, I don’t feel like I’m sprinting into my day. I feel like I’ve already lived a full one.

That’s the quiet magic of the 5–9 before the 9–5. It gives me space to fill myself first so I can give more freely later.

A Quick Q&A with Myself About My 5–9

Q: Isn’t it exhausting to wake up early every day?
A: It can be. But I’ve learned that exhaustion from rushing feels worse than fatigue from waking early. This version of tired comes with peace.

Q: How do you fit so much in?
A: I don’t always. Some mornings, journaling is two lines. Some mornings, Oat’s walk counts as my workout. It’s not about doing everything perfectly, it’s about protecting the rhythm that keeps me steady.

Q: Why not just sleep in?
A: Because these quiet hours belong to me. They’re the only part of the day when no one’s asking for anything. I get to be just Sabrina—not “Mom,” not “Marketer,” not anyone’s anything. And that makes me more present when the world wakes up.

Q: What does this routine give you that’s worth it?
A: Space. Clarity. Patience. The ability to show up to my 9–5 and my son with a full tank. This is how I take care of myself so I can take care of everything else.

A Closing Note

Motherhood and work don’t always fit neatly together. But those early hours give me a bridge between the two. 

You don’t need a perfect routine. You just need a gentle one. Often, when you begin with presence, the rest of the day tends to follow suit.

A Morning Mantra

I fill my own cup first, not out of selfishness, but out of intention.
I move, I learn, I create, I nurture.
And when the world wakes up, I’m already grounded in who I am.