What is a morning routine and how does it improve your life? Tips and ideas for creating your own morning routine.
THE “BUSIER” YOU ARE, THE MORE YOU NEED A MORNING ROUTINE
So you’ve been hearing a lot of talk about a “morning routine” and you want to know what it’s all about.
You’ll be happy to know that you don’t have to wake up at 5 am in order to have a morning routine. You just need to wake up anywhere from 5-60 minutes earlier than you currently do.
A MORNING ROUTINE HELPS YOU SET YOUR DAY UP FOR SUCCESS
The purpose of a morning routine is to help you connect with yourself before the business of your day kicks in. How many mornings are you snoozing, then rushing around in a sweaty panic trying to drink your coffee while putting on your shoes to get out the door for work?
Starting your morning in a frenzy sets your day up to be more stressful than it needs to be. And how we spend our days is how we spend our lives…
Are you constantly feeling like “I just need to get through today, then I can relax.”? If you’re focused on getting through your days instead of making each day the best it can possibly be… you’re going to get to the end of your life and be able to say “I got through it.”
Is that the life you want? Simply getting through it, or just getting by?
I didn’t think so. You want to find joy again, you want to feel good about your life and what you’re doing.
And as crazy as it may sound, a morning routine is one of the ways you can build your best life. And it’s completely customizable to what works for you!
START SIMPLE WHEN CREATING YOUR MORNING ROUTINE
When starting to build your morning routine, implement one thing at a time. Maybe you want to start with simply making time to savour your morning coffee. Set your alarm for 5-10 minutes earlier and use that extra time to sit in silence enjoying your cup of joe.
According to The 5 AM Club book by Robin Sharma, it takes 66 days to automate a habit. So use a habit tracker to start tracking your progress, and when you feel like you’ve got a handle on the implementation of one habit, add another one.
If you’ve had a morning routine for a while, you can also consider switching up the order to see how it makes you feel! There are lots of people telling you how to do things, but I think you need to find what feels right for you. So open yourself up to trying new things and not being good at something when you first start.
I’m not perfect at practicing my morning routine. I know I feel more calm, focused, and excited for the day when I get my morning routine done, but sometimes things happen that throw us off our game. Get back up, shake it off, and let go of any negativity you’re heaping on yourself for “failing” because that sh*t isn’t helping you.
HERE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES OF THINGS YOU CAN DO DURING YOUR MORNING ROUTINE:
Establish a nighttime routine so that you’re getting the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep (or the amount that you know your mind/body need).
Set out everything you need for your morning routine in one spot.
Set your alarm early enough to make time for the morning routine you create.
Don’t hit snooze!
Drink Water
Meditate
Prayer and/or reading the Bible (if this pertains to you)
Journal
Practice Gratitude
Affirmations (pull an affirmation card and/or write your own)
Personal Development (books, podcasts, training, etc.)
Review your vision, goals, and top tasks
Workout (not to lose weight, but to jolt your body with feel-good energy that lasts all day!)
A MORNING ROUTINE TAKES DAILY PRACTICE
Sure it’s called a “routine,” but like I already said...things happen. Your morning routine is actually a practice, it’s something that you need to think about and be present in order to get the most benefits out of it.
And just like any goal you have, you should be flexible in your goal to create a morning routine. Maybe you’re traveling and need to change things up, or your body needs to sleep in so you’ve got to shorten your routine that day… your morning routine is unique to you and your life every single day.
MY MORNING ROUTINE
(as of the time this blog post was written)
Wake up to my sunshine alarm
Get out of bed before 5:30 am (Working my way up to 5 am)
Make coffee for my partner (if I’m up before him)
Mix my pre-workout (I use this: Lemon Flavour or Fruit Punch Flavour)
Put my workout clothes on
Pull affirmation card from Love Powered Co.
Write my 10 Dreams in a notebook (Inspired by Rachel Hollis’ Start Today Journal)
Write in my gratitude journal (I use The Five Minute Journal)
Read for personal development and drink my pre-workout
Join my online community for a 6 am workout - I press play on the current workout program I’m committed to (see our Mindset and Fitness page for examples)
KIRSTEN’S MORNING ROUTINE
(as of the time this blog post was written)
Wake up without hitting snooze
Turn on the hot pot of water for tea
Shake up pre-workout and collagen
Head into morning space to stretch out on yoga mat
Write in a gratitude journal (The Five Minute Journal)
Open Heart Talk by Cleo Wade to any page and read the day’s message
15 minutes of personal development
Stretch and listen to an affirmation video
Workout (sometimes I do this in the AM or the PM, depends on the day)
Pull an intention card
Get ready for work
Leave for work awake, ready, and recharged for the day
KIM FITZPATRICK’S MORNING ROUTINE
(as of the time this blog post was written)
Up at 5:04 am
Grab workout clothes that she prepped the night before (which usually includes a headband from her inspirational headband line Legacy)
Pull affirmation card from Love Powered Co.
Open up a page in Heart Talk by Cleo Wade
Read her vision statements + goals + top tasks
The Five Minute Journal for gratitude
5-12 minutes of guided meditation
Drink pre-workout
5-20 minutes of reading a personal development book
Workout with the online community at 6 am
READY TO TRY IT?
CREATE YOUR OWN MORNING ROUTINE USING THE TIPS AND IDEAS SHARED IN THIS POST, OR TRY THIS STARTER IDEA BELOW:
Give yourself 2 weeks of a morning routine and see how you feel.
1) wake up, no snooze!
2) Journal 5 things you are grateful for
3) Make a tea or cup of coffee
4) Sip it while you listen to an affirmation video
Stay tuned for a post about nighttime routines...yes you heard me! Nighttime routines are crucial too. We are creatures of habit.
Make it a great day!
Jessica