A good morning routine can be a game changer for increasing your productivity and sets you up to succeed everyday, helping you to reach your goals gradually but surely.
These 21 habits are the ones that will genuinely improve your life and help you become the best version of yourself. You do not need to adopt all or even many of these habits and should instead focus on building the habits which are most relevant for your goals.
Here are 21 morning routine habits to consider adding to your morning routine:
1. Set your alarm (and place it somewhere you have to get up to put if off)
Setting an alarm is something we all do most days but it is best if you pick one wake-up time and then stick to it (even on weekends). Your circadian rhythm craves consistency and within the first two weeks of waking at the same time daily, you will find that you don’t even need your alarm as your body clock will have adjusted.
2. Lay out your outfit the night before
Choosing your outfit the night before gives you one less decision to make the next morning and saves you time deciding on an outfit. This helps you to conserve energy for other elements of your morning routine and also ensures that you have an outfit for the day that you are comfortable with to see you through the day and didn’t need to settle for as you couldn’t find the thing you were looking for (been there 😔).
3. Write your top three priorities
Sometime in the morning (or the night before) jot down the three things that would make the day feel like a win. It doesn’t need to be a to-do list but instead can just be three focus points if needed such as the gym, work and housework. Doing this in the morning can help you go through your day with purpose.
4. No phone for the first hour (or until you have gotten ready)
This is a really difficult one for some but is very beneficial for your energy and mental health. Blue light within the first few minutes of waiting can disrupt your natural sleep-wake cycle and trigger stress responses.
Giving it an hour in the morning before you go on your phone can be very beneficial for your energy and mental health as some compare using your phone in the morning to opening yourself up to the world’s thoughts first thing in the morning, which is why it can be very draining.
5. Drink a full glass of water
After sleeping all night, you’re mildly dehydrated when you wake up so it a good idea to hydrate as soon as you can. One glass of water before anything else can help to kickstart your metabolism, sharpen your mental clarity, and signal to your body that the day has begun.
6. Open the curtains right away/Get natural light
Natural light is the most powerful signal you can send your body clock and exposure to morning sunlight helps to suppress melatonin, raises cortisol (the good kind that wakes you up) as well as improve your mood. Even if you are waking up to grey skies, the natural light can be very beneficial.
7. Make a small win
Find a small win which takes less than two minutes and delivers your first win of the day. This can be as simple as making your bed or doing 10 squats, just make it something which you can do easily and is a step forward in achieving your goals for the day. There’s a real psychology behind doing this as completing a small task early activates your brain’s reward system and this can help to build momentum for the day.
8. Stretch for a few minutes
Gentle movement in the morning can be beneficial for your mental health (calming) and physical health (improves flexibility or mobility). You can do general stretches to reduce tension you’ve held overnight or do targeted stretches to meet your fitness goals. For example, if you are someone who tends to suffer from tech neck from time to time then it may be a good idea to do neck rolls or if you are looking to strengthen your legs then weightless calf raises may be a good idea.
9. Do a five-minute meditation
Meditation can be as simple as five minutes of stillness with your eyes closed just focused on your breathing. This helps to create a sense of calmness in your day before the world rushes in. Feel free to start at two minutes if five minutes feels like too much.
10. Write three things you’re grateful for
Gratitude journaling is a great way of reminding yourself what you have to be thankful for and can help to set a positive mood for your day. The practice can help you to look for the good in life and to focus less on the bad which should help you to remain more focused on your goals each day.
11. Read one page of something inspiring
Have a book or website you read each morning and read one page or article that helps expand your knowledge or that uplifts you. This takes very little time and sets an intellectual or emotional tone that can carry you through the whole morning.
12. Set a daily intention out loud
You can say or write your main daily intention as a way of encouraging yourself to focus on it for the day. For example you can say “today I will be patient” or “today I will focus.” Something about hearing yourself say something really helps to make it stick.
13. Move your body
Exercise is something we all should strive to do each and every day in whatever from fits us best. For those that want to be healthier but are not super into fitness, it may simply be a brisk morning walk or a few minutes of stretching. For others who are very into fitness, it may be a run a few mornings a week or a daily a ten-minute yoga video. The type of exercise matters a lot less than consistency does in the long run, so find something you enjoy and stray consistent with it.
14. Eat a real breakfast
If you are someone who doesn’t feel hungry in the morning, you likely are someone who just hasn’t found a real breakfast that you actually like so it is a good idea to try to find a breakfast that you like taking. Fuel yourself for the day by ensuring you eat something with protein and healthy fat such as eggs, Greek yogurt with nuts or avocado on toast.
15. Delay coffee by 90 minutes
Delaying caffeine in the morning has became very popular in recent years as it has been shown that it can affect your energy levels for the day. Try to wait 90 minutes before your morning coffee to help you feel more energised throughout the day.
16. Cold water on your face
Washing you face with cold water on your face can help to activates the vagus nerve and triggers alertness. This is a great way to wake you up for your day plus bonus… cold water is better for reducing morning puffiness than warm water.
17. Play music that boosts your mood
Music affects mood more than you may think and taking the time to curate a positive playlist full of your favourite songs can help boost your mood/ set the tone for the day.
18. Do the thing you’re dreading most first
Pull off the ban aid in the morning and achieve the thing you are dreading most as a way of helping to make your day feel a little easier afterwards. The relief of having the task you are dreading most behind you makes all other tasks that follow feel a lot easier.
19. Step outside, even briefly
Steeping outside means you get fresh air and the morning light. This can have an effect on stress, mood, and cognitive clarity.
20. Say something kind to yourself in the mirror
Affirmations are a great way of boosting your confidence and intentionally speaking kindly about yourself helps to change your thinking. If you do this consistently, it eventually becomes a habit for you to think kindly about yourself.
21. Protect your morning like it’s sacred (because it is)
This isn’t necessarily a task but is more a mindset that you should adopt. The morning is probably the only time that’s truly yours before the world starts asking things of you so it is important that you guard it and protect/make the time for your morning routine. This involves treating the time for your morning routine as non-negotiable.
Final Thoughts
Habits are learned overtime and it takes a lot of effort to get through the initial days/weeks that these habits are not yet habits but instead tasks themself. Start by picking two or three that you think would benefit you most and then slowly add in any others you want overtime.
Hope this list of morning routine habits has been helpful! Check out some of our other posts for more inspiration for other aspects of your life.
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