The number one productivity tip that I would recommend is to have a morning routine. Spending at least 30 minutes to an hour of truly focused time on things that fuel your mind and soul will help you stay centered and set the right tone for your day. Your mornings are the only things that you can control before the craziness of life, work, or even people get in your way. Personally, I find that sometimes I wake up with so many different thoughts, especially from the night before. But taking about an hour each day to myself really helps me set the tone for how I approach new challenges. If you’re looking to figure out how to create a good morning routine, keep reading this blog post.
What is a good morning routine?
One of the reasons I’ve found that causes people to start to get really hung up on morning routines is because they make them too long and they’re very location specific. Meaning that they only work when you’re in your house and you have your things available. That’s why I like to create a morning routine that is location-independent. By creating a location-independent morning routine, you’re not only allowing yourself to keep up with the habits that you’re forming. It also helps you when you get back to your home location without feeling the need to reset.
Another hesitation that I’ve seen people say when it comes to developing routines is that they make it too long. People tend to view their morning routine to span over the course of a few hours which can be unattainable. To combat this, my recommendation is to cut your morning routine down to 3-5 tasks. While there might be other things that you do in the morning, a lot of them can be variable and may not be able to get done each day. However, if you can commit to doing 3-5 things each day, you have a built-in routine to get started.
How To Start the Best Morning Routine Schedule
If you are looking to get started with creating a morning routine, you have to hold yourself accountable. You need to get into the habit of doing these things so that it can actually become a routine. I recommend committing to doing three to five things first. And then keep track of whether or not you do those things every day. Create a plan and start taking action. Even if you don’t hit all of the things that you wanted to on your morning routine, make the intention to go through it and make it happen. If you need a system to help you start keeping track, grab my Habits and routine tracker Notion template to get started.
Morning routines are meant to flexible and buildable. For example, let’s say your morning routine starts with one thing making your bed. After you get comfortable doing that, add one more thing. When you get comfortable with that, add another thing. Your morning routine is meant to continue to evolve and grow just as you continue to evolve and grow. Embrace the change and allow yourself to be able to flow accordingly. Additionally, take a look at the things that you naturally do when you wake up each morning. If those things are things that you enjoy doing or feel like you must do, then add other things that you enjoy doing around them. Take inventory of what you have going on that is going well. And then make the changes that will help you feel like your best self.
Your Daily Morning Routine for Success
I’ve talked a lot about the importance of building a morning routine and things to consider when developing your own. So now I’m going to share my morning routine for success. I want to provide this disclaimer that my morning routine might not work for you and your schedule and that’s okay. Additionally, while I would love to tell you that I hit all of my morning routines every single morning, I, unfortunately, do not. That being said, here is the morning routine that helps me start my day feeling on top of the world.
Wake Up Before 8 am
I’m not someone who would classify myself as a “morning person” however, I am naturally a morning riser. Starting my day earlier ensures that I don’t have to rush through any part of my morning routine. Ideally, I’d like to wake up between 6 and 7. But if I’m feeling more tired that day, I’ll sleep in a little bit until 8. Allowing yourself more time to get through your day before you have to start working helps you have a routine that you know you can finish.
Journaling
I’ve found journaling to be therapeutic. As a constant overthinker, I find solace in having an outlet to jot down my thoughts. Writing helps me release the endless ruminations swirling in my head. If you’re unsure where to begin with journaling, I highly recommend the “5 Minute Journal” as a perfect starting point.
This journal has helped me build that morning journaling habit and really start the day with more mindfulness. Some questions/prompts that you can use to start your journaling habit in the morning are:
- What are you grateful for?
- What would make today great
- What are some things that you’re worried about?
- What’s a morning affirmation/quote that you want to channel this morning?
- What do you hope to learn by the end of the day?
Getting your thoughts out at the beginning of the day will help you start the day with more clarity.
Read
One of the things I enjoy most is reading. When I had to commute to the office, I would read on the train. However, after the pandemic hit and I started working from home, I found it difficult to incorporate reading into my schedule. Now, I include it as part of my morning routine. Whether I read for educational or leisure purposes, it helps activate my mind and stimulate creativity. On average, I read for about 20-30 minutes, but if I have more time, I’ll read for longer. And if I’m not feeling up to reading a lot, I’ll spend less time. The key to a good morning routine is flexibility, and this is one of my most flexible moments.
Drink Water
Drinking water in the morning is a simple yet powerful way to kickstart your day. Personally, I always wake up feeling really thirsty, and drinking water helps me quench that thirst. But beyond that immediate benefit, I’ve found that it also helps me flush out my system, especially if I haven’t eaten well the night before. Starting my day with a glass of water helps me feel refreshed and energized. And nourishing my body early in the day also helps me be more mindful about what I consume throughout the day.
Incorporating something healthy in the morning is a great way to set yourself up for success. Whether it’s drinking water, having a nutritious breakfast, or doing some light exercise, taking care of your body early in the day can have a positive impact on your overall well-being. By making a habit of starting your day with something healthy, you’ll be more likely to make healthier choices throughout the day.
So if you’re looking to improve your morning routine and set yourself up for a productive day, consider incorporating something healthy into your morning routine. It could be as simple as drinking a glass of water, but the benefits can be significant. Not only will it help you feel more energized and alert, but it can also help you develop healthier habits over time.
Yoga
I fell in love with Yoga in 2020 and I always come back to it as a grounding practice. While I’m not the best at traditional meditation, I’ve found yoga to be a really meditative practice. In addition to that, doing Yoga helps with my posture and loosens my body, especially if I’m feeling sore from a workout. Yoga is a great exercise to incorporate because you can do it anywhere with little to no equipment. As mentioned, making your morning routine location-independent helps you keep it up no matter where you are. If you’re looking for a workout that you can constantly evolve and build over time, I highly recommend yoga.
In 2020, I discovered my love for Yoga and it has helped me in so many different ways beyond just exercise. I’ve found Yoga to be a grounding practice that has helped me to stay centered and calm. I’ve also found Yoga to be very meditative and has allowed me to quiet my mind and focus on my breath. Apart from the mental benefits, Yoga has helped me to improve my posture and loosen my body, particularly after a rigorous workout.
One of the things that I love about Yoga is that it can be done anywhere with little to no equipment, making it a great exercise to incorporate into your daily routine. Because my morning routine is a location-independent morning routine, an exercise such as Yoga fits right into my routine. Yoga is also a workout that can be constantly evolved and built over time. You can start with simple poses and gradually move on to more challenging ones. Yoga is a transformative practice for me, and I encourage anyone looking to improve their physical and mental well-being to give it a try.
The first step in getting started with a morning routine is to hold yourself accountable. If you need help getting started, grab my Routines and Goals Tracker Notion Template.
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