I wake up at 6:16 every day, because I was born at 6:16. The only time this rule is broken is when I need to be up earlier. During the school year, the 6:16 wake up is followed by making my bed, breakfasting with a friend, and the slog across campus for an hour and a half or so of cello practicing before class. Right now my rituals are all out of whack because I have neighbors and I play a loud instrument. So I twiddle my thumbs before work and then practice after work. So weird.
First, I love your ritual! It has this sense of gravitas around it that I enjoy. Sounds like your strict adherence to it has given you a bit of dead time in the mornings, though! What does it mean to "twiddle my thumbs" during this time, and do you wish you could use it for something else?
I do have dead time now! I've been practicing cello in the morning for the past 10 years, so it's definitely weird. Twiddling my thumbs currently consists of reading and cleaning, though it doesn't feel quite the same. I can't wait to be back in a place where I can practice in the morning!