How do I start a morning routine? What should be my morning routine?
This you? I got you.
The best morning routines help you have a much more productive morning, which is usually a good kickstart for having a productive day. Even on days when I wake up on the wrong side of the bed and the day is just not looking good, right from the start. That feeling usually changes after a series of successful activities.
Completing tasks successfully releases endorphins and that just puts you in a good mood. So not only are you checking off tasks off your todo list or morning routine checklist, you are also getting yourself in a much better and happier headspace. Nothing beats that.
There’s just something about having a routine in the beginning of your day that makes the rest of your day a lot more structured, and I am living for it.
A lot of productive people swear by having a morning routine. It just sets the tone for the whole day.
‘If you win the morning you win the day.’ - Tim Ferris.
One of the best things about having a morning routine is that if by any chance, you fall out of it, you can easily get back on track knowing exactly what to do. I have done my morning routine at 2 pm several times.
The reason for that is either waking up super late or waking up and having a bad morning. I spend a good amount of time moping on the couch. 2 pm, is usually when the pity party ends. It's a rule I made for myself. 2 pm is doover time. I get up and start going through the motions. I don’t have to be completely into it, but I do assure you that in the end, I feel a whole lot better than where I started.
This is just to let you know that this morning routine checklist can also be used as a midday pick me up. When you realize you are not being your best self that day, you give yourself a little self love boost. Speaking of self love, here are some key self love habits that will take you from 0 to 100 at once.
Why you should have a morning routine
- It helps reduce stress and anxiety.
- Having a routine helps you have a structured morning
- It helps make your whole day much more productive
- It makes you feel more in control of your time/life.
- Makes it easier to adapt more healthy habits long term
10 Easy Steps To Build The best Morning Routine For You
In case you are saying to yourself, what should be my morning routine?... Here are 10 easy easy thing you can add to your morning routine to build the best morning routine for you.
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Having a good sleep routine
Having a good sleep routine is essential to not just waking up early, but waking up early actually feeling rested. There’s nothing worse than waking up from sleep, except waking up from sleep tired. How do you wake up from sleep tired?
I’m sorry, what is that about? That cannot be me, and cannot be you either. Sleep is the one most rejuvenating activity you do everyday to give you a break from all the chaos that is life. You are supposed to wake up from sleep feeling refreshed, well rested and like a new person. If that’s not the case, maybe you need to look at your sleeping routine.
Sleep early, wake up early. That way your brain and your body would have rested up from a long day of work.
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Plan your goals for the day
With planning and setting goals, I always advise planning your day the night before. That way you wake up focused knowing exactly what you need to get done for the day.
It’s either you plan your entire day the night before or just write down at least three goals you need to accomplish. So when you wake up, planning and time blocking can be part of your morning routine.
I always say, ‘Having a todo list is just the first step. Time blocking and actually mapping out time to do the things that need to be done is truly what gets them done.’ -Hauwa
Which is why I love using the undated yearly digital planner to plan my day. I love writing by hand when it comes to planning, which is why I don’t use a lot of apps for that. I also love the convenience of being able to carry my entire planner without logging around a book all day.
Digital planning has truly saved me. I get to write down goals by hand, erase, and make changes whenever needed. Simply because I always have it on my mobile at all times. With that being said, if you rather just print out your goals and have them pasted on a wall where you can see it, you can definitely get you a printable daily planner, to help you schedule and plan your day for maximum productivity but also don’t forget to plan your self care.
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Do not snooze
Honestly, yo snooze, you lose. You waste way more time than you think hitting snooze. Not to mention, it messes up how you wake up. You end up having short bursts of sleep that leaves you feeling unrested, when truly you just had a long night of sleep.
If the reason you are hitting snooze is because you haven’t had enough sleep, then you need to look at your sleep routine again and make sure you are leaving enough time for a good night's rest.
Another reason you may be hitting snooze could be because you are feeling overwhelmed about what your day's tasks. The best way to combat that is by planning your day a night before. That way you are confident that the tasks you have set for the day are tasks that can be done.
If you didn’t get a chance to do that the night before, that should be the first thing you do when you wake up. It gives you a sense of control and calms your nerves. Having a staple morning routine also calms your nerves. You know exactly what you are supposed to do at least the first 60 minutes after you wake up. It removes the stress of trying to figure it all out while getting overwhelmed.
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Make your bed
I say make your bed because that ensures you are actually out of bed. If you are spending the day at home, you think twice before you jump back into it through the day. If you are going out to work, it's one of the best feelings coming back home to a made bed and some clean sheets to cuddle in.
Making your bed is the first small task you can do successfully. It will help you set the tone for the entire morning, feeling accomplished as you complete one task after the other.
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Brush your teeth
Brush your teeth and your tongue. Good hygiene is always a good idea. Doing things for yourself is a form of self care that makes you acknowledge how worthy you are. It makes you feel good. The same way you take care of others around you and it brings them a sense of peace and happiness and feeling of love, is the same way you make yourself feel when you take care of you.
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Do your skincare routine
Having a skincare routine is another self care activity. I don’t care if you have only two steps in your skincare routine, just make sure you do it. Having a skincare routine helps you have healthy glowing skin that builds confidence. If you find yourself slipping up on your skincare routine a lot, maybe you need a skincare planner to motivate and keep you on track.
The wisdom behind filling up your morning with mostly self care/self love activities is that it makes you start your day in a better mood and mindset. If you are new to skincare and don’t know where to start, click here.
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Have breakfast
Not just any breakfast, healthy breakfast. Your body needs to be fueled for a productive good day, you can’t just eat junk. Actually pay attention to the foods you eat. The nutrition it brings to your body matters. A huge reason for me planning my meals weekly. It just saves me a lot of time and keeps me on track with the right diet. Some foods make me sick, so I avoid them at all costs. Especially at the beginning of my day.
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Do some morning exercises/yoga
Morning workouts help you to regulate your sleep/wake cycle of your body. It wakes up your body and stretches your muscles.
Moving your body in the morning is always advised. If you are not a runner or an avid gym goer, then you can definitely do stretches or even yoga. Yoga is a low impact workout that gets the job done. Go for a walk, get some fresh air, and experience the new day outside.
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Meditate/ Affirmation/Pray
Meditating really early in the morning helps you set your intentions straight for the day. You can meditate or pray or say your affirmation or do all three.
This is a point that focuses solely on your mind. You have to do one every morning for a positive mindset. Here are some affirmations you can save to do every morning to boost your self esteem and make you feel better about yourself.
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Shower
Showering makes you feel clean and brand new. It is also a form of self care to prepare you for a long day ahead. Showering in the morning helps with your confidence. You walk into any room knowing that you smell good throughout the day. You wash off yesterday’s funk and all the night sweats off your body.
It can also be a form of therapy, play some good music, put on a podcast, anything that gets you in the right frame of mind. If you are one to have shower concerts, well you get a chance to do that before the day even starts off. I try not to think a lot in the shower, just be present in the moment and enjoy the now. Don’t worry, your life will still be out there for you to deal with, once you get out of the shower. Enjoy this time for you.
If you never had a morning routine, here is the sign you need. Create the best morning routine for yourself. I have designed a free morning routine checklist for you to print out and use. There are 2 PDF sheets to be downloaded. One is my morning routine checklist, feel free to follow it. It’s what I use and what has always worked for me. I also decided to create one that is blank, that way you can design and create your morning routine based on your needs. Tweak it to your lifestyle.
Make sure you print the checklist and hang it up next to your vision board. Every morning you wake up and look at your very big, large goals, you are reminded that these are the little steps you need to take daily to get you there. Everything always seems more attainable once broken down into bits.
I just checked out that morning routine and I could easily save that person 2 - 3 hours every single day from just their morning routine alone. There is no justifiable reason that needs to take as long as it does.
This would leave them with more time for THEM. More time to sit and relax or have a moment of enjoyment that isn’t centred on productivity, but centred on THEM, their mental health, their happiness and their overall quality of life.
In that checklist, I don’t see a single thing that benefits THEM mentally and emotionally. Fitness, praying and meditation isn’t the same as doing something fun just for THE FUN of it. We only get one life. Why spend 5 of your 7 mornings doing things to make yourself well enough to continue to someone else?
By rearranging things just a tad, you can gain AT LEAST 2 full hours to devote to YOURSELF. Two hours that won’t be spent with the end goal being dollars in your wallet.
It can be happy moments in your heart. You can buy a lot, but you can’t buy those.
Those two hours will come and go regardless of what you decide to use them on. So why not try and utilize that time more efficiently so you can gain more happy with less effort? And without sacrificing any of your morning routine items?
And if you don’t want to do each of those items every morning, you can gain even more hours!
I just can’t believe that takes someone 4 hours. I don’t meditate, and I prefer evening showers, but I could have all of that done by the time you’re opening your blinds. Including time blocking. While you’re still getting ready, I’m fully ready and playing video games or doing a 3D puzzle and cranking music for the next 3 hours.
Your morning routine shouldn’t feel like a chore you can’t wait to get out of the way. It should be a series of activities that is both calming and productive. 2 hours seems like a decent enough time to go through a morning routine (shower, skincare, meditate, read a book or other, have breakfast and more).
All the times i have had to wake up and rush to get things done, just make my day stressful. I rather wake up earlier to have a planned slow paced morning.
I also understand that people have different needs, which is why you can download the blank checklist and create your own morning routine. You don’t have to follow mine.