Love Your Mornings: Create Your Best A.M. Routine

What is the first thing you think about the minute you open your eyes each morning?  Do you dread the day that lies ahead, hit the snooze button repeatedly and get out of bed at the last possible minute? You then frantically race to get yourself and family ready to go, having to shift into drill sergeant mode to get everyone out of the house on time?   Are you a person that lies in bed and starts mindlessly scrolling through emails and social media and immediately become stressed out about what you will be walking into when you get to the office?  Your morning routine can either contribute to feelings of anxiety, dread and overwhelm or it can help you to feel happy, grateful, and energized for your day.  One of the most important habits you can adopt is creating a morning routine that you look forward to and that sets you up for a successful day.  This is possible even if you don’t consider yourself to be a morning person. 

First start by evaluating your current morning habits.  Which of your morning activities are setting you up to have the best possible energy and attitude for the day ahead?  Consider which practices aren’t serving you and need to be discontinued because they contribute to stress, anxiety and overall negativity.

Next, determine how much time you can realistically spend on your morning routine.  I recommend at least one hour if possible.  Modify your sleep schedule if feasible to go to bed earlier and wake up with enough time in the morning to get yourself into the right mindset for the day.  I’m at a point in my life where most of my kids are out of the house and I have one teenage daughter that still lives at home.   I’m able to spend about two hours most days on my a.m. routine before I start my workday.  I fully understand not everyone is at this place in their lives.  I recall the days of planning to get up earlier than the kids so that I could have a few minutes to myself before all hell broke loose.  I would creep around the house and try not to wake anyone up.   Coffee was ground the night before and I was even afraid to run water for fear of someone hearing me.   Somehow even if I was very stealthy my kids would sense that I was awake and jump out of bed because of FOMO on whatever it was that I was doing at 5 a.m.    If this is you, I sympathize and understand.  If you have a significant other or older child at home, don’t hesitate to ask for help and protect some time that is just for you.  Having even 15-30 minutes to yourself in the morning can be valuable for helping you get your day off to a positive start. 

Reflect on which activities help you to feel grounded, motivated, energized, and intentional about how you are spending your time each day.   Some morning habits to consider that can create feelings of peace, happiness and inspiration include exercise, meditation, journaling, reading, listening to music or an inspiring podcast and planning for the day. 

My morning routine starts with drinking a large glass of water while I prepare my favorite French press coffee which smells amazing.  Drinking French press coffee makes me feel pampered and I love the ritual of drinking it while I read a chapter in a book that inspires me or teaches me something new.  I love reading, learning, and drinking coffee so this practice makes me very happy.

 Next, I take about ten minutes to write in my journal.  Part of this ritual involves having a pretty journal and a great pen is a must.   I will admit that I am a sucker for a pretty journal and can’t resist buying journals with beautiful, blingy artwork on the cover.   I started journaling just a couple of years ago and I absolutely love it.  If I could recommend one morning practice to someone that has only a few minutes, it would be journaling.  With journaling I can get my mad, monkey brained thoughts and feelings out of my head and onto paper.  The act of writing down whatever is on my mind as fast as I can possibly write usually results in providing me with great clarity and has helped generate some of my best ideas.   Journaling helps me to be intentional with my thoughts, gets me into a positive mindset and is another form of meditation for me. 

After my coffee, reading and journaling I’m finally ready for a good workout.  In the past I would try to get out of bed at 4:45 a.m. and be on the Peloton by 5:00 for an intense workout where I would try to burn a minimum of 600 calories before I started a long workday.  I absolutely dreaded this routine and as a result ended up skipping workouts frequently.  I now have less restriction around which activity I do each day and I no longer have a crazy calorie burning requirement.  I do whatever type of workout I feel like I need for the day which is much better for both my physical and mental state.  Moving my workouts to after my coffee and taking some time to wake up has been one of the best changes I have made with my morning routine.  Everyone is different with their ideal workout time, but this is what works best for me.

Next, before I jump in the shower, I take five to ten minutes to review my schedule for the day and make sure I have time blocked for the things most important to me and this includes blocking time for after my workday ends.  Having quality time with my husband, kids, grandkids, and friends is one of my highest priorities and I protect this time.  What I’ve found through research and trial and error with my own schedule is that the happiest people tend to incorporate movement, learning, connection, creativity, contribution, and reflection regularly into their daily schedules.  Scheduling time on your calendar for the things most important and impactful to you will result in better productivity with increased levels of happiness and contentment.

There is not one magical morning routine that works for all people.  We all have different personalities, preferences, and things that inspire us.  Don’t strive for perfection, just start.  After trying a lot of different variations in my morning routine I’ve found what works best for me.  It is something I look forward to each day and makes me excited to get out of bed in the morning.  The key is to try something new if you are not currently feeling inspired with your morning habits.  At the end of each week evaluate what worked and what didn’t.  Continue to make modifications until your morning routine is dialed in and leaves you feeling energized to sets you up for a successful day.