What should a good Morning Routine consist of?

Our morning routine sets us up for success, and we should all be starting our day the way we intend to carry it on—whether that is energized, relaxed, productive, slow, organized, or rested. A healthy start to the day leads us to a better day, a better week, and a better year!

 

We will only experience about 25,000 mornings in our adult life.

It is essential to make each morning count. 

 

What is The Perfect Morning Routine?

A morning routine is a set of habits you commit to complete every morning to set yourself up for a successful day. The perfect morning routine is down to each individual, but in general, you want to balance your emotional and physical needs with the tasks you need to get done every morning.

 

Your morning routine should be carefully designed around your personality, aspirations, and interests.

 

As you consider building your routine, pay particular attention to when you feel most productive in the morning. For most people, this is mid-morning (with another burst of productivity in the late afternoon or early evening). When you understand your body’s natural rhythm, you can design your morning routine around it. It’s much easier to design your day around your body than to try to fit your body around your day.

 

Morning Routine Ideas to Incorporate Into Your Mornings

Now you’ve got the basics down, let’s get to our example habits to master your morning routine. Remember, not all these will work for everyone, so only take what serves you and leave the rest.

 

Meditation

Meditating is known to bring improved focus and concentration, not to mention a sense of calm and well-being to the day. Various scientific studies have demonstrated that small daily meditations enhance memory, attention, mood, and emotional regulation, even in those of us without any meditation experience. If you are not sure where to start, try an app like Headspace, which will start you off with short guided meditation and work up from there.

There are plenty of reasons successful people incorporate meditation into their morning routine: The practice can help control anxiety and stress, and it can also boost self-awareness and the ability to concentrate. It’s no wonder so many leaders have incorporated the art of mindfulness into their days. 

 

Take a Full Body Scan

It’s as simple as sitting up and asking yourself, “How do I feel today?” Mentally scan your body from head to toe, noticing any tension, stress, or discomfort. It’s not necessarily about fixing anything, it’s about paying attention and tapping into mindfulness from the get-go.

Take a minute to listen to your body. How does your body feel this morning? Are you well-rested? Is there any part of your body that feels painful or sore? What does your mood feel like? 

 

Movement

Building exercise into your morning can earn you mental clarity that lasts throughout the day. Exercise leads to the secretion of neurotransmitters that promote mental clarity and an improved attention span. You’ll feel a sense of accomplishment as well as rejuvenated and recharged.

 

Listen to music

This one is super easy; you can incorporate it into almost any other part of your routine. Music increases mood, ability to concentrate, happiness, and even productivity. Get the tunes playing while you cook up your breakfast. 

 

Gratitude

Wealth is not measured by euros, but by the love we make, the laughter we enjoy, the meals we share, the dreams we experience, and the hopes we create.

 

Rise with the sun (or even before it)

Early risers tend to procrastinate less than night owls with a later alarm clock. It makes sense then that many successful people throughout history have identified as early birds. 

 

Get Sun Exposure

Sunshine, especially early in the morning, can help to balance your internal body clock, regulate your circadian rhythm, and stabilize your overall energy levels. In addition to energy throughout the day, you might just find yourself sleeping better after a dose of Vitamin D in the AM.

 

Make the Bed

Or empty the dishwasher, throw a load of laundry in the wash—you get it. The idea is to do an easy task that provides an instant sense of accomplishment. Plus, starting with one good habit in the morning creates a domino effect. You’ll find yourself more motivated to tackle tasks throughout the day.

 

Say Positive Affirmations

Say it, believe it.

 “I trust in myself and my abilities, and I will stay calm and breathe in the face of challenges.” “I make the most of each opportunity to learn, grow, and improve myself.” “I prioritize my time and energy to achieve my goals.” “I let go of distractions and stay focused on the taste that matters to me.” “I approach my tasks with a clear mind and positive attitude.”

 

Ground yourself

Use the soles of your feet or palms of your hand (or even your entire body) to touch the earth. This means getting some time to go outside so you can pair it with another point of your morning routine (like getting fresh air or going for a walk). Grounding yourself will connect you to your body and give you a healthy boost to start your day.

 

Habit Stack

James Clear introduced us all to the term “habit stacking” in his book, Atomic Habits. The idea is simple: when you add a new habit on top of one you already have, your first habit automatically rolls into the second. Ask yourself, “What habit am I already doing every morning and what habit could I stack?” It could be: Brushing your teeth. Stack on a daily positive affirmation while you brush. Making coffee. Take your vitamins and supplements while you wait for it to brew. Blow-drying your hair. Think of three things you’re grateful for today.

 

Limit Social Media

Say it with me: I will not let social media be the first thing I consume in the morning. Nourish your mind and emotions as much as you do your body. Rather than focusing on what you’re removing (that early morning scroll/dopamine hit), get excited about what you’re adding: 10 minutes you could now spend reading, walking, or simply breathing deep.

 

Read

Many people know that reading before bed can help calm the mind and prepare the body for sleep. What you hear less about are the benefits of adding reading to your morning routine. Rather than scrolling through social media in the morning, consider reading a book or an article instead. You get all the benefits of reading first thing in the morning. One study found that just six minutes of reading can reduce stress by up to 68 percent. There’s also a wealth of evidence that reading can boost cognitive activity in the brain, which is a great way to prime yourself for the challenges of the day. 

 

Journal

The act of writing has surprising power. Why not start your day with journaling? 

What am I most excited about for today?

What are my three big goals?

How does my body feel right now?

What is one thing I could do to feel more physically comfortable?

What are the thoughts behind procrastinating that one big task?

 

Go Outside

We’ve already hit on the energy benefits of sun exposure in the morning for our physical health, but there’s also something special about breathing in the fresh air and grounding in nature. 

 

Plan

Get all of your thoughts down on paper for the day ahead. You might find this easier to do if you divide it up into 3 sections – morning, afternoon, and evening. Eisenhower decision matrix, with four different components. The four categories are urgent important tasks, urgent not important tasks, important not urgent tasks, and not urgent not important tasks. This is helpful when it comes to crafting your day or morning routine. Start with the hardest task first, followed by the urgent, important tasks. It is important to get your most challenging tasks done first. This is known as the ‘eat the frog technique. This will stop you from procrastinating and will give you a boost of dopamine when you finish

 

Drink water

It might sound trivial, but adding a simple glass of water to your morning routine can make a huge difference. Hydration is a critical aspect of health. Water removes waste from the body, regulates your body temperature, lubricates and cushions your joints, and protects sensitive tissues. Our bodies can become dehydrated overnight, so water in the morning helps rehydrate. A morning glass of water has also been shown to improve mental performance during the day, improve the look and health of your skin, and even jump-start your metabolism. 

 

Let Coffee (or Tea) be a Ritual

For many (most) of us, we don’t come alive until that first cup of coffee or tea. Take your time with the process, slowing down as you grind the beans, pour the water. Delay drinking your first cup of coffee. It can be tempting to fire up that coffee machine as soon as you roll out of bed, but research shows that your cortisol levels are naturally higher for the first one to two hours after you wake up.  This means you should already be feeling quite alert in the first hours you are awake, and if you drink coffee now, you will crash earlier, which won’t help your 3 PM slump. But, if you delay your first coffee by 90 minutes, your caffeine boost will kick in a little later and help you sail through the day. 

 

Take a cold shower

While you might not be ready to plunge yourself into an ice bath, introducing a cold shower into your routine might be doable. Studies suggest that cold water immersion seems to reduce insulin resistance and improve insulin sensitivity, which could have a protective effect against cardiovascular, obesity, and other metabolic diseases. It will certainly give you a jolt to get you up and rearing to go. A cold shower seems to work best if you start it hot and, after a few minutes, gradually turn down the heat until it’s as cold as possible. It might take a while to work up to this, so go as far as you are comfortable until you can completely turn the hot water off.

 

Tend to your skin

Do you wake up with puffy eyes or pillow creases over your face? Take some time in the morning to tend to your skin. This will leave you feeling refreshed and keep your skin looking younger.

 

Eat a real breakfast

The right breakfast can help power you through the day. Sit down and savor—chew slowly and enjoy each bite. 

 

Make a to-do list

Planning out the day and making a list of what needs to be done can help prepare your mind for the day ahead. Block out time to plan and take care of yourself. 

 

Conclusion 

Morning Routine Takeaway

Once you have tried out some of the ideas, see what works for you. If you feel something feels right for you, incorporate it into your routine for 21 days to make it a habit. 

And remember the important takeaways from this podcast episode on mastering a morning routine:

Move: stretch, run, walk, whatever it takes but get your body moving. 

Rehydrate and reenergize: drink water and fuel your body with nutritious food

Inspire yourself: through affirmations, creative tasks, and spending time on the things you love the most.

Series Navigation

The Self-Care Power Hour – The Secret Method to a Successful Morning. >>