Are your mornings chaotic at best? Do you feel like you are rushing, have zero time, and forget half of what you need to do? Did you know that there are morning routine habits you can implement to help you regain control of your day and tackle anything that life hands you? Read on and get ready to rock your morning like a #girlboss.

 

This article is a bit lengthy, but it’s easy to read and follow along, and I broke it down into the following sections:

• The Importance of a Morning Routine
• The Night Before
• My Morning Routine
• How to Design Your Ideal Routine
• The Best Morning Routine Habits to Start Your Day
• Additional Resources.

 

While this article will be useful for many, having a set routine in the morning is especially vital for those with chronic illness, fatigue, or pain issues. It will help set yourself up for the day and also focus on getting your priorities accomplished first before you run out of steam.

 

The Importance of a Morning Routine

I’m not sure who coined it first, but Tony Robbins definitely coined it best. He calls it “Hower of Power,” “30 Minutes to Thrive,” or “15 Minutes to Fulfillment.” Regardless of how long or short, he includes gratitude first above anything else. He also ensures this time includes deep breathing, exercise, and motivational intentions.

Brendan Burchard is another productivity guru. In his #1 New York Times best-selling book, High Performance Habits, he discusses the importance of not grabbing your phone to check in on social media when you first wake up. Even more, he also claims that checking email within your first hour of waking will decrease productivity.

Lest we not forget Stephen Covey of the famed, 7 Habits of Highly Successful People who taught us to put “first things first.”

I don’t know about you, but I’m all about stacking the cards in my favor!

 

 

The Night Before

In all honesty, the success of your morning is probably only 20% dependant on your morning routine. Where the real results come from is setting yourself up for success the night before.

I get it. It’s the end of the day. You’re exhausted. The kids are rammy. Your spouse hasn’t seen you all day and wants your attention. Your tank is on empty. But it’s still the best time to stack the cards in your favor for the next day. Your evening routine is critical in eliminating much of the chaos that mornings typically bring.

In no particular order, here are some great ideas to implement the night before to help you set up the next day for success. Which are the ones that you can delegate to your spouse or kids?

Either hand-wash your dinner dishes or place them in the dishwasher. Wash and clear the kitchen table.

Take 5 minutes and run through the main areas of the house and take care of the clutter.

Write down your priorities for the next day.

Check the weather forecast and lay out clothes for the next day. This can be yours, your spouse’s and/or your kids.

Prep lunches and lunch boxes as much as possible. Sometimes, you need to make something fresh in the morning, but you can layout as much as you can and ensure there is a spot in the fridge for tomorrow’s lunch items.

Prep coffee and/or ensure your tea kettle is full of water.

If you have children, review tomorrow’s schedule with them and ensure that everything is ready to go – homework, paperwork, sports gear, etc.

Ensure keys, wallet, ID cards, etc are all in their proper place.

Write in your journal and practice your gratitudes.

If you want to learn more about how to set up a successful evening routine read the article “3 Evening Routines for a More Productive Morning.”

 

My Morning Routine

There’s always a sense of intrigue to see behind the curtain at what other people do. I’ll share my morning routine with you as an example. But here’s the thing… I’m me. You’re you. We have different lives. We have different schedules. For me to JUST share my morning routine would do you a disservice. I’m here to give you the tools you need to understand why a morning routine is important, and also to design one that works specifically for you, regardless of whether you have kids, work outside of the home, or whatever your life is like!

Obviously, it’s nearly impossible to stick to this schedule 100% of the time. Some days I have a Chamber of Commerce breakfast or doctors appointment or hit the Commissary for groceries. But for the most part, I try to stick to this schedule the best that I can.

Hubby Carter is a retired Green Beret so he wakes up at 4:00 to run. I’m awake at 4:30 (I’m a morning person too). The first 30-45 minutes I stay in bed and begin with Bible study, prayer, gratitudes, and meditation.

My morning meds are taken with 8 ounces of water, followed by brushing my teeth. Carter is usually back and showered by then, so we’ll chat while I make the bed and he gets dressed.

 

 

By 5:15 I head downstairs (still in my PJs) and listen to the Bible in One Year podcast while I heat water for tea, turn on my Light Therapy Lamp and the Essential Oil diffusers, and put the clean dishes away from the night before.

After Carter leaves for work, I switch over to another podcast while I start working. Right now I’m listening to either Amy Porterfield or James Wedmore. I have a list of routine tasks I do and check every morning for work, which takes about 30 minutes. Only after that is finished is when I check email for the first time. I’ll drink some green tea and also have a little bit of fruit just so my stomach isn’t empty when I exercise.

I’ll work until about 7:00 and then change out of my PJs and into workout clothes. Depending on the day, I go for a walk, do some yoga, or lift some small weights.

After a shower (and dry brushing before my shower!), I’ll eat breakfast which currently is a large plate of fruit and some of my favorite homemade Maca Matcha Chocolate Superfood Bars. Then I start cranking on the top priority task of the day. It’s now approximately 8:00.

So that’s it. It’s not super exciting, but it’s what I do and it works for me. It gets me started on the right foot, keeps me on task, and helps me to accomplish the most important priorities of the day.

 

 

 

 

How to Design Your Ideal Routine

Like I said before, I can give you all of the examples in the world, but the best morning routine is the one that you design. Here are some tips to help you create the best routine with the best habits for your morning.

 

What Is Your Current Routine?

Good, bad, or otherwise, we all fall into some kind of routine. Make a list of your current morning routine starting from when you wake up. It’s a total pain to do it this way, but keep a pen and paper with you or hit up Siri or Alexa with some voice commands and note each and every task that you do. If you try and look back at your morning, you will more than likely forget some critical components.

If you are a strict schedule person, one day should be sufficient. But depending on your life and schedule, you may want to do this for several days to figure out your morning trends.

 

 

What Does Your NEW Morning Routine Look Like?

Here’s where the fun begins. What do you want your new morning to look like? What kind of person do you want to be when you wake up? Start first by brainstorming, and don’t let the Negative Nelly’s in your head interfere with your dreams.

Make a list of all of the tasks that you want to accomplish every morning.

Once you feel like your list is complete, THEN start working them into a schedule, and figure out what your new schedule should look like.

Your goal is to find a happy balance between the realistic and stretching yourself. For example, if you have to be at work at 5:00AM, it may not be realistic to get up early enough to exercise for an hour. But if you want to start a spiritual practice or listen to inspirational podcasts, it is realistic to download the apps and schedule listening to them during your commute.

 

Journal Your Progress

You will want to journal your progress for a couple of weeks. Make note of the following:

What works for me?

What doesn’t work for me?

How do I feel about the timing of everything?

How do I feel about the new routine?

 

Adjust as Needed

Starting any kind of new habit may not always be easy. You may forget or slide back into your old habits. Don’t beat yourself up. This is totally normal. Just jump back in where you left off.

Keeping your journal is critical so that you can look back on every day and make a determination of what is working and what isn’t. Again, push yourself, but don’t force yourself. You want your new routine to fit you like your favorite pair of socks.

Don’t feel like you have to stick with something that isn’t working. Adjust and pivot as needed. The whole goal of this exercise is for you to create a successful routine for you! Not to impress anyone else.

 

 

 

The Best Morning Routine Habits to Start Your Day

Like I said before, everyone is different. Rather than trying to “force” a routine that may not resonate with you, I’m going to give you a list of some of the best morning routine habits. They are in no particular order. You can pick and choose which ones are best for you.

 

Pray, read the Bible, or engage in your spiritual/religious practice.

Meditate.

List your gratitudes for the day.

Write in your Journal.

Drink 8 oz of water (with lemon).

Take morning medicine and/or supplements.

Open the blinds and let in the sunlight.

Yoga or stretch.

Deep breathing.

Exercise.

Brush your teeth.

Shower.

Turn on your diffuser/s with essential oils.

Eat breakfast or make a healthy smoothie.

Pour a cup of coffee or tea.

Connect with your loved one.

Listen to a motivational podcast.

Listen to motivational music.

Review your goals and intentions for the day.

Check the weather.

Learn a new word.

Make your bed.

Put away dishes and clutter from the night before.

 

More Great Resources You Will Love

3 Evening Routines for a More Productive Morning

Pink Fortitude’s Gratitude Builds Fortitude Journals

Gratitude Builds Fortitude 30-Day Challenge

 

 

Are you Inspired? Get more GRATITUDE!

 

 

 

Love, hugs, and starting my day off with success and gratitude.

 

 

 

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