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Every day you have a clean slate. A chance to design the perfect day for yourself. You get to leave behind what happened yesterday and show up for today in the best possible way. In this article, we will discuss morning routine ideas to set you up for the most successful day.
The emotions and feelings of the first hour of your day can be highly indicative of how the rest of your day will go. We have all had mornings when we either got up on the wrong foot or an impromptu situation occurred that turned our good mood upside down.
While it is true that some things are out of our control, having a morning routine that minimizes stress and negativity can be a game-changer.
Everyone is different
This article will not give you the perfect morning routine recipe. It won’t because such a thing does not exist. We are all different, our lives are different and our needs are different. Someone with 3 children under 5 is very unlikely to benefit from the same morning routine as a single college student.
You need to take a look at your own life to determine what might work for you. Try it, tweak it, and eventually stick with what works for you.
A successful morning starts the night before
It is important to look at what tends to add stress and frustration to your morning and see if some of these tasks can be moved to the night before. For example, if you tend to spend a lot of time picking your outfit in the morning, this might be a good candidate. Here are other morning routine ideas you could consider shifting to an evening task:
- Making lunches
- Prepping breakfast items for yourself or your children
- Picking children outfits
- Packing work and/or school bags
- Finishing all homework, signing school papers ,etc.
- Any tasks that have nothing to do with getting ready for the day: water plants, vacuum, fold laundry, etc.
Morning routine ideas to consider incorporating
When trying to create your morning routine, it can be helpful to understand why a morning routine is beneficial. A morning routine creates a structure for your life and gives you a sense of control. It allows you to do everything you can to start your day with the right mindset which will help you react and deal with any situations that might be thrown at you.
This is why, eliminating time wasters, stress and negativity is so important.
Self-care
Starting your day with a self-care activity can be extremely helpful to set the correct tone. If you are always very busy, it might be the only time for you to get this in. It also reminds you that you cannot fill other people’s cups unless you first fill them. You do not need to schedule an hour’s worth of self-care to see the value. As little as 5 minutes can make a huge difference in the rest of your day.
Therefore, the first thing in your morning routine should ideally be a self-care practice. Here are some ideas:
- 5 minutes meditation
- Journaling
- Gentle stretches
- Make your bed
- Have a cup of coffee in silence
Physical activity
Another beneficial component is to add some form of movement into your morning routine. It can be gentle yoga, a walk, or a full workout if you’d like. When you exercise, your brain releases a hormone called Serotonin. This hormone is considered to be a natural mood stabilizer and promotes a better mood. Therefore, adding movements in the morning can leave you feeling happier for hours to come. Physical activity also gives you energy and promotes mental clarity and focus. It is the gift that will keep on giving for the rest of the day.
Getting groomed and dressed
This may sound silly but the act of actually getting cleaned up, out of your pajamas in actual clothes does impact you mentally. It signals to your brain that you are entering a different phase of the day and helps with your productivity.
Getting yourself ready can also boost your confidence. When you feel put together, your belief in yourself increases making you more likely to succeed with your goals. Furthermore, your confidence will come across to others you cross paths with later.
Create a to-do list
Finishing your morning routine by checking your calendar and writing down your goals for the day is a great strategy. It ensures that you are on top of what you need to accomplish. It also gives you visibility to any conflicts you might not have realized before, such as scheduling conflicts.
Morning routine example
I want to share with you my morning routine for inspiration purposes. As a reminder, this routine works for me. You need to find what would work for you. However, looking at other people’s routines might provide you with ideas to try and incorporate into your routine.
- Get up as soon as the alarm goes off (never snooze)
- Start the essential oil diffuser in my yoga/meditation room
- Warm-up hot water in my favorite mug
- Empty the dishwasher while the water heats up
- Spend 10 minutes journaling: how I’m feeling, gratitude & affirmation
- Do a yoga routine (about 40 minutes)
- Do a 5 minutes meditation, and set an intention for my day
- Shower, get dressed and ready
- Make coffee
- Check my calendar for the day, and write a to-do list
This is a routine I follow on the days that I work. I have a slightly different one (which does not involve an alarm) for days when I do not work. This routine works beautifully for me. I am calm and composed when I start my workday. I know what I need and want to accomplish and my focus and motivation are high.
This routine has changed many times over the years and will change again as situations in my life change. However, for the time being, I love that I have my perfect morning routine which helps me be successful.
In Conclusion..
The intent of this article was to inspire you to create a routine that works for you by providing morning routine ideas. I wish you the best of luck in your journey and would love to hear what are some of the things in your morning routine.
As always, thank you for reading.
Cat xx