How to Create a Great Morning Routine

I already know what you’re thinking.

You don’t have enough time in your mornings to create a whole routine of things you should be doing. Your mornings are already packed enough.

But hear me out.

A morning routine may sound like a very privileged thing to experience or have. But if your life is hectic or chaotic, this is even more reason to consider building a strong foundational morning routine.

Benefits of a Morning Routine

• Prepare yourself for the day. How you spend your morning will influence the rest of your day. Start it out good! Personally, my morning routine is built to help me feel more grounded in reality and in my body. My routine reflects what I need to make sure my mind is prepared for the day. This could look different for you, but the idea is that it prepares you for the day in a way that best reflects what you need for a good, productive day.

• Develop healthy habits. Your morning routine will consist of items that are most helpful for you to get ready for the day. This means, instead of snoozing in bed, you’ll be setting yourself up for success each morning. Like I’ve mentioned before, making these habits into a routine will also mean they become easier to do each morning as your brain begins doing these things subconsciously because your conscious mind is not needed any longer to complete each task.

• Lowers stress. Already having a morning routine set up for your morning takes the guess work out of what you “should” be doing with your time in the mornings. This eliminates having to stumble through tasks and chores you think you should be doing but often times end up missing out on some important things that may have helped you. It lowers the amount of stress you feel in the mornings which again sets you up for a healthier and more intentional day.

• Combats forgetfulness and decision fatigue. Due to the nature of having a routine, you’ll experience benefits like combating forgetfulness (because you’re doing repetitive routines daily) and decision fatigue (your routine is decided way before you need it so you won’t need to spend time trying to decide what you should be doing).

The First Part of Every Great Morning Routine…

The first part of every great morning routine is getting to bed early the night before!

Let me be honest… having a great morning routine is not possible without you being STRICT about your bedtime.

Even if you have a family and feel this is impossible, one of the best things you can do for your family is help create a strict bedtime that you and your kids or significant other can rely on. Your good habits will have a trickle down effect with others in your home.

Getting 7-8 hours of sleep a night is a must!

Check out this sleep calculator if you’re unsure what time you should wake up or go to bed: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-calculator

Your bedtime doesn’t need to start out very early either. We are not looking for perfection, we are just looking for better.

When I first started going to bed at the same time every night, my goal was 10:30. Now, my goal bedtime every night is 8:30. (I’ve learned I need a solid 8-9 hours sleep every night to get through my days well.)

You will improve and eventually find the times that work best for you.

If you want bonus points, pick out your outfit for the next day the night before to get a head start!

Wake-up Time

This is probably the part where you assume any morning routine means you have to get up at 5AM for it to be a productive morning routine. But this is just not true!

I initially started my morning routine at 5:30AM and then quickly realized that was just not possible for me to do. (This is also when I was going to bed at 10:30.) I moved my morning time wake up to 7:00AM and couldn’t be happier. This gives me 2 solid hours before I need to be signed on before work.

Recently, I changed my wake up time to 6:00AM so I can also get in a work out but this is ONLY for the nights I get to bed at 8:30 and wake up on my own at 6:00AM.

I want to stress that having a morning routine does NOT mean waking up early. If you are a night owl and function better at later times, waking up later than others should be normal for you. This doesn’t mean you can’t have a great morning routine, it just means you’re probably starting it later than everyone else. With this being said, everyone should have a great night routine as well so if self-care fits better in the evening then do that!

One of the best parts of having a reliable bed time and wake up time is that your body becomes acclimated to those times and the process of getting out of bed becomes so much easier when you’re well rested and on a schedule.

Be realistic about what time you can wake up in the morning. And understand that every night is not going to go as planned. For this reason, I try to go to bed at 8:30PM but know that if I go to sleep at 9:00PM, I’ll still be getting enough sleep to not be drained the next morning.

Once you have your bed time worked out, count out 7-8 hours of sleep, depending on your needs to determine your goal wake-up time.

If this time doesn’t feel do-able for you, you’re going to have to work on getting your bed time moved up to earlier. It may seem impossible but prioritizing your health and wellness should be a top priority, even if it means having to shift things around.

The Goal of a Morning Routine

This goal of a morning routine is to begin your morning in a way that will set you up for success for the rest of your day.

This will look different for everyone because everyone has different needs and requirements.

For me, my morning routine is something that helps ground me in reality and prepares me to be intentional with my day. I prioritize the things that I need to get done each morning along with some key self-care items so my morning routine is well balanced and something I enjoy doing which makes keeping up with it easier.

Your morning routine may look completely different from mine. That’s okay.

Essentials of a Good Morning Routine

• A good bed time that leaves you will 7-8 hours of quality sleep. AND AVOID THE SNOOZE BUTTON! One trick that has helped me to get out of bed in the morning easily is by counting down from 5,4,3,2,1 and then saying go and I immediately get up. This trick is probably one of the most simple, but most underutilized tricks of getting your brain to do something. I was surprised at how effective this could be.

• A good wake up time that leaves you with enough time that you won’t be rushing around.

• Drink 1 glass of water when you wake up. Staying hydrated throughout the day will keep you more focused and energized! For an added boost, I add electrolytes into my water every morning.

• Your daily morning activities that are non-negotiables.

• Making your bed when you first wake up. (This seems small but this habit is mighty!)

• A few self care habits or routines that keep you grounded and present. (To help avoid burnout from a busy day.)

• Coffee or matcha to begin your day (sorry! I’m a caffeine fiend!) (Also, combine this with a self care habit for an added boost!).

• A small healthy easy breakfast (like overnight oats or a smoothie)!

• Don’t touch your phone until after your morning routine is complete!

Self Care Habits for Your Routine

• Journaling (gratitude list, to-do list, positive affirmations, write 5 goals of yours, 10 minutes of free writing) (Although I personally have never used this - the Five Minute Journal is highly recommended by a lot of experts)

• Exercise or stretching (this can be anything from a small walk, 10 minute yoga session, the 7-minute workout, or a full workout depending on how much time you have)

• Skincare (this one can’t be missed - skincare is important! Moisturizer and sunscreen if nothing else!)

• Reading (15 minutes of a self-help book or fiction if that is more your cup of tea - I have gotten through so many finance books just from this small daily habit)

• Devotional/spiritual time (reading the bible, drawing tarot/oracle cards, astrology daily reading)

• Meditation (even 10 minutes of meditation can add value to your day)

• Listen to a podcast, audio book, or motivating or inspirational music

• Spend time on a side hustle or hobby (even 20 minutes a day will move your goals closer)

• Take a cold shower (if you’re really brave)

Structuring and Beginning Your Morning Routine

There are tons of templates and ideas out there about just how your morning routine should progress, but I believe that the best morning routine for you is one that is specifically tailored to you and your needs and obligations each day. Things to remember:

• Start by getting a good nights rest the night before!

• Set yourself up for success in the morning by preparing the night before. Set out your clothes, or workout clothes, clothes of any children you need to get ready, have a pre-made breakfast like overnight oats waiting for you in the fridge, and take a few minutes to make a list of things you need to do the next day.

• Make sure in the morning, you are carving out time that is specifically just for you. If you live with other people, make sure some of your morning routine can be done before they wake up or in a room separate from others. Having you time is important and essential to feeling like you’re not rushed through your morning!

• If you have new habits you’d like to try with your routine, try habit stacking them to make them easier to remember. (Habit stacking is when you stack a habit on top of another habit that you already do without thought.)

• Your morning routine doesn’t need to start out perfect, just getting started with one self-care item can be the first structured task you begin adding to your morning routine. Add more as you get comfortable.

• Remember it takes 21 days to create a habit. Don’t beat yourself up for mistakes.

• When you notice things during the morning that add stress to your day or make you feel poorly, eliminate those things from your morning routine. Even if it’s something you need to address later, schedule a time for it. Keep your morning routine positive and upbeat to keep you on track and focused so you’ll start the day off right.

• There is no amount of time that works best for everyone. Some people may only need to make their morning routine 30 minutes to give themselves what they need to start the day, for others like myself it may look like 1-2 hours. Each person is different. Try out different times and habits to figure out what fits your lifestyle best.

As you begin to structure your routine better and it begins to align more with what you need for the day ahead, you’ll begin to understand the full impact that having a healthy, structured morning routine can mean for you.

It may sound like I’m exaggerating, but I l do not start my day without my morning routine, even when it means signing on a half hour later for work. It is my must have for a healthy, productive, and intentional day.

Life is truly hectic and chaotic for all of us at some points, but leveraging a morning routine to help you start your day successfully will do wonders at helping you keep on track in other areas of your life too.

If you have any good tips or suggestions on starting or maintaining a morning routine, leave them in the comments below!