One of the best decisions I ever made for myself was to create a healthy morning routine.
I’ve had my morning routine going for over a year now, and it has done wonders for my state of mind and my productivity.
My morning routine helps me wake up in a calm, relaxing way and sets the tone for the rest of the day. It keeps me from rushing and puts me in the right state of mind to move through my day with purpose.
Today, I’m going to share some ideas to help you create your own morning routine to get everyday off to a calm, solid start!
Give yourself time
A calm start to your day means no rushing!
Give yourself plenty of time to move through your morning routine. This may mean getting up earlier than you’re used to.
How much earlier will depend on the activities you want to include in your routine, and how much time you want to give them.
This was probably the hardest but most important commitment for me. I enjoy sleeping immensely, but committing to getting up earlier than I really needed to, so I had plenty of time to calmly move through my morning routine, was crucial.
Now I get up an hour earlier than I need to.
It took some getting used to, but now that I’ve adjusted, I don’t miss that hour of sleep. In fact, I think waking up slowly and calmly—without having to scarf down breakfast and drink coffee while I get ready—has done more for me than that hour of sleep ever did.
If you’re like me and the prospect of getting up earlier isn’t appealing, then just start with fifteen minutes earlier and add one or two activities. If you find that extra fifteen minutes to be as beneficial, it’ll be a lot easier to increase the time.
I also found it helpful to create a nighttime routine that helps me wind down every night. I get to bed a little earlier, fall asleep quicker, and sleep more deeply, which makes waking up an hour earlier easier. You can check it out here! (I’ll link this again at the end, so you can find it there too!)
Feed yourself
Get yourself a good healthy breakfast. Eggs or oatmeal can be a quick, easy, start to your day. I like to eat first so my breakfast can kickstart my system and give me energy, but I know not everyone likes to eat first thing.
Whenever you eat, go for something healthy that adds energy instead of bringing you down.
Enjoy a hot beverage
Waking up with something hot is so soothing. I’m partial to coffee, but tea or even hot water with lemon can be a great start to your day.
Try to give yourself time to actually enjoy what you’re drinking. This means not trying to get ready or make lunch. Instead, give yourself time to sit with your drink and maybe consider one (or both) of the following two activities while you do.
Read
This is my go to. Every morning, I get my coffee and read about twenty pages of a book. It takes me about a half an hour.
Reading is a great activity to start your day with. It takes you out of the stress or expectation of the day ahead of you and gives your brain a chance to slow wake up and kick into gear.
It’s also an incredibly relaxing way to wake up—especially if you have a cup of coffee or tea to enjoy as you do.
Personally, I would recommend avoiding a newspaper or news site because they are rare calming, but you got to do what works for you! 🙂
Journal
You also may want to give yourself time to journal. This can be a brain dump of anything on your mind—good or bad. If something’s bothering you, journaling it out might help take that weight off your shoulders and clear your head for the day ahead.
It may also help to write out how you hope your day will unfold. This can help you set an intention for the day, so you’re clear on what you hope to accomplish and how you hope to go about it.
Avoid technology
I have found this to be critical to a calm and happy morning.
I avoid all technology until I’ve moved through my morning routine.
Technology has a lot of benefits, but they also come with a lot of demands. There are emails and texts that demand your attention. Social media is full of comments to respond to and pictures to like and share. There’s time for that later in the day when you’re wide awake and ready to respond.
Give yourself the gift of a tech free morning. Tell people to call you if they need you early, but unless the phone rings, don’t pick it up.
Exercise
I’ve found that moving has also really helped me start my day in a positive way. If exercise isn’t your thing, it doesn’t have to be intense! I’m partial to yoga in the morning (Bad Yogi is my jam!), but a walk around the block is also good!
Getting your body moving also gets your brain moving and sets the tone for a great and productive day.
Get ready for the day
Now, get ready for your day—whatever this means to you. It might mean taking a shower, doing makeup, getting the kids ready, or just getting dressed and jumping in the car.
But again, do what you can to give yourself plenty of time. It might really suck to get up earlier, but I’ve found the benefits of a calm morning far out weighs the extra sleep that results in me rushing to get ready (and trying to multitask while I do).
And, if we’re being honest, a good morning starts with a good night before. Check out this post for tips on creating an awesome nighttime routine!
Sound off: What vital step do you include in your morning routine? Tell me about it in the comments!