Have you been sleeping later at night and struggling to wake up early in the morning? Naturally, it can be hard to create a morning routine when our mornings are all about rushing. Being in this space can create frustration and make you feel overwhelmed. As these feelings surface in the morning they can stay with you and continue throughout your day. To avoid morning chaos, it is important to have the perfect morning routine that will set you and your day up for success. So, whether you’re a morning person or not, we’ll help you find ways to make your mornings more enjoyable. Now, let’s start the day in a mindful way!
25 Best Morning Routine Habits to Start the Day Right
1. Rise with your alarm
When you press snooze on your alarm clock over and over again, your body is going in and out of sleep, causing a disruptive sleep. This is not relaxing for your body and mind and may cause you to feel even more groggy than when your alarm went off the first time. Your alarm is set for a reason. Allow the sound of your alarm to be the sound of a new, exciting day. As you hear this sound, rise out of bed with little delay. Rise and shine!
2. Technology can wait
When you wake up and go straight to your text messages, emails and social media you move right into a busy headspace and will be feeding your ego. Device usage shouldn’t be part of your morning routine. This may influence how you feel in a negative way. Instead, give yourself time to be present and prepare for the day in a positive way. Take time for you. Everything else can wait. Create space to calm the mind and start to your day by steering clear of technology.
3. Hydrate with a refreshing glass of water
After a restful sleep, charge up with a big glass of water. Water will fuel your brain, cleanse your body and nourish your soul. Water is important for hydration and is something you should drink plenty of throughout the day. Lemon water is a popular choice if you need some flavour for your first drink of the day.
4. Meditate to elevate
Allow your mind to be present so it can rise into a space of awareness and self-control you can do this when you meditate at home. Take 5-10 minutes in the morning to breathe and center into the day. Your breath is the one thing that will always be in the present moment. The present moment is calm, beautiful and full of love. Arrive here when you wake up and connect with the endless amount of joy and abundance that is here, right now.
5. Eat keto if mornings are hard
As people age, developing a morning routine becomes harder. Often, the foods we eat affect our sleep. People who eat high carb diets without exercise are more likely to sleep in and struggle to get out of bed in the morning. However, people who eat low-carb diets like keto are more likely to wake up earlier naturally and fall asleep faster at night too. So if you’re a notorious toss and turn night owl, changing your diet can supercharge your morning routine by allowing you to fall asleep faster as you get a good night’s sleep. This diet also helps your mental health as well, helping people with psychosis and epilepsy. Having a good breakfast is key for your energy levels, especially if you do creative work. Your health starts with breakfast, so eat the diet that works best for you.
6. Spread gratitude
Think of 3 things that you are grateful for and write them down on a gratitude list. This could be the sun that rises in the morning, your home, clean drinking water. There are so many things to be grateful for in your life and at this moment. Acknowledge them and take note of them as part of your morning routine. Connecting with gratitude will instantly put you in a space of love. Focusing on gratitude will raise your vibration and elevate your mood.
7. Take a cold shower
Taking a cold shower is part of a good morning routine. You might wash yourself the night before. However, if you jump in the shower for five minutes in the morning to feel the coldness on your skin, you’ll likely wake up pretty fast as it shocks you awake. It also helps increase circulation, boost weight loss, gives your hair an added glow, and helps reduce any muscle soreness in case you workout, as part of your morning routine. So take a few minutes to jump in a cold shower to reap many benefits after hitting snooze as it helps get the blood flowing.
8. Look at your vision board
The most motivating thing you could ever create is a vision board. It sounds like something you’d create in school but helps people understand what they want out of life to give them their focus and motivation on tough days. Most people buy a poster board and some magazines. You can also get this book which specializes in pictures for vision boards for ideas. And then buy a couple of magazines in the area you want to focus on: mental health, self care, fitness, success, etc. After creating it, place it in your home office where you can see it regularly. Make it part of your daily routine to look at it. When something good happens, take some moments to look at it and say “thank you” as part of boosting happiness and gratitude for the good in your life. Add this to your to do list, so you can stay motivated every day. Morning habits are hard to know when you don’t know what you want out of your day, so take some time to think about it.
9. Record a video or take a selfie
One of the tasks you can do if you have enough time in the morning, is to record a daily video or take a selfie. Your selfie can help you have a picture of yourself everyday, so you can see how you change over the years. Particularly, if you’re exercising everyday, you can see your weight loss results change day to day. By going to bed earlier, you can wake up early enough to drink coffee and record a video about your daily life. You can share what helps boost happiness in your life, how you manage your self care, what is stressing you out, and how you hope to have a productive day.
10. The power of intentions
Set an intention for the day ahead. Use this intention to help you focus on what you desire and to create direction in your life. Allow the intention that you set to guide you throughout the day. Claim your intention, give it purpose, put it into the Universe and allow it to come back to you.
11. Read a book
You can start the day on the right foot by easing into it by reading a book. You might dedicate thirty minutes to an hour to read an enlightening, positive, educational, or meditation book that makes you think differently. While some people fall asleep reading books, some people would prefer to ease into their mornings after a quality sleep by doing something a bit more low key. You can drink coffee or a full glass of water while reading. Avoid negative news if you choose to read the newspaper and stick with the crossword puzzle in it instead. Ultimately, for book lovers this could be considered part of the perfect morning routine.
12. Watch an inspiring video
Instead of watching the morning news, try watching an inspiring video on Youtube. You can search for things like “motivational speeches,” “morning motivation,” “motivation affirmations,” or simply “motivation” to find a series of videos, ted talks, or just speeches to lift you up in the morning. Instead of dreading the day, the video will help you change your train of thought so that you can have a good rest of the day. It’s also a bit of self care as it helps improve your thinking so you have a growth mindset. You can also watch videos of positive affirmations to repeat to yourself to rewire your brain‘s thinking pattern. Instead of having a jump start into work, spend time consuming the content that makes you think and act better, like a 2.0 version update of yourself.
13. Move and groove
Moving your body will give you energy for the day, so it’s definitely part of a healthy morning routine. This could be going to the gym and exercising, going for a walk or putting one of your favourite songs on and dancing around your home. Allow your body to move and feel free. Taking care of yourself and your body will shift you into a happy, healthy mindset and you will feel vibrant from the inside out.
14. Play Wordle or any other brain game
Many people play crossword puzzles to get their brains going. Nowadays, people have been playing Wordle, a fun word game where you have six tries to guess a five-letter word. It helps get the brain started in the morning by thinking a bit. You could also play Sudoku, a number game. Or you could play a crossword puzzle. Some people play video games in the morning, which also has many benefits for strategic thinking. Studies have found that older adults who do puzzles like Sudoku or crossword puzzles were able to prevent the decline of their cognitive functions. So if you’re looking for a healthy morning routine, this could be added to your to do list.
15. Do a good deed
A great morning routine starts positively. While you might recite some positive affirmations, a step beyond that would be to do an act of kindness. Doing a good deed a day will change your life. Every day, look for opportunities to be supportive, be kind, and help others. This will rewire your brain drastically. You might start the day by wishing your Facebook friends a happy birthday on their special day. Buying a coffee for the person behind you could also be an added way to boost someone else’s day. A few extra moments a day spent on thinking about someone else’s happiness will only add to your own. Don’t expect anything in return. The good coming back to you will come in the form of feeling good about yourself for trying to be the best version of yourself instead of beating yourself up in your head all the time.
16. Learn something new
During your morning routine, do something new to reinvent yourself. You can try new recipes for a healthy breakfast. You can watch videos to learn a new skill set. Or read books on a topic you know nothing about. Taking an online course or school program can help you build your knowledge. Ultimately, there’s so many ways to learn. You might even pursue a new hobby, like learning how to golf, sew clothing, dance in a specific style, or discover new trails in your neighbourhood. The things you learn don’t have to be educational, they can be practical or fun too. Give your brain an opportunity to make new connections.
17. Hang out with family
Spending time with a family member is a good way to start your morning routine. You might hang out with the kids and your spouse. Or you might visit a parents or loved one in a retirement home before you head off to work. Every morning find some time to be with a family member and create moments you’ll cherish. A quick and easy thing to do is to ask everyone what they’re most excited about for their day and if they’re worried about anything. You can give them a pep talk that they’ll remember the whole day.
18. Write in your dream journal
As soon as you wake up, write in your dream journal. You might write two or three pages about what your dream was and how you felt about it upon waking. This one task can help you discover recurring patterns to help you diagnose fears, symptoms, and other things. If you’re currently going through a stressful time, you can find a therapist to talk about your dreams with, using specific examples in a realiable journal you write in upon waking from your sleep. You might not love waking up from a nightmare, but writing it down helps you get the help you need to get better sleep. A few moments spent each morning writing morning pages in your dream journal can help you in the day ahead, because you know you’ll solve the problem.
19. Prioritize you
You know your schedule for the day, where you need to be in the morning and what time. Give yourself ample time in the morning for your morning routine. You are worthy of this time. You deserve it. Your soul will forever be grateful that you took time for you. As you settle into a morning routine that works best for you, it is important to create a routine that you enjoy. Know that at times things will come up and you may have to shift your routine around. This is ok. Be kind to yourself. Be open to change. There are 24 hours in the day.
20. Do your makeup and/or hair
Starting the day by making yourself look your best can help you build confidence. Some people exercise in front of mirror after putting on their makeup to feel more motivated as they often look at themselves while exercising. I mean, if you look good, you’ll workout longer because you can’t stop staring at how good you look, right? In all seriousness, looking our best makes us feel better as we interact with others. Those daily showers, fresh, non-oily hair are all about making us feel good, so that we’re more productive, less self-conscious, and ready to start the day.
21. Give yourself a pep talk
Write morning pages of inspiration to inspire you on difficult mornings. You have enough time to recite some affirmations or hype yourself up in the morning. You can do this while getting ready to help manage with work stress. Every morning remind yourself all the great things you have in your life. Tell yourself who you’re working for today. Pat yourself on the back for getting out of bed and being alive still. This is your opportunity to make the most of your life. You’ve gotten out of bed, you did your exercise, and you’ve managed your stress. This morning is one of opportunity. The hardest part is over. Keep your positive mindset with you as obstacles come your way. This needs to be part of your routine.
22. Work on your side hustle
Not everyone has time to work on side hustles in the evening or weekends, particularly if you have a family. So those early mornings before your kids are awake (if they’re not the 5 am type) can really help you build something on the side. Working on your side hustle when you have some peace and quiet, and a moment to yourself, are great so that you can eventually spend time with your family. Eventually, you can trade your 9 to 5, for a work from home job that helps pay the bills and allows you the flexibility to stay at home with your kids and watch them grow up.
23. Make your bed
Before you make your healthy breakfast and embark on the rest of the day, make your bed. There are books about the importance of bed making. Making your bed improves your sleep quality, it helps you start your day on the right foot, it reduces your stress, all while making you more productive and keeping your home tidy. Tidy home, tidy mind.
24. Water your plants
Instead of hitting snooze, having something to get out of bed for can be helpful. If you have living plants, you can water them. Studies show that people who water their plants in older age are more likely to live longer and be in better health compared to a control group who had other people water their plants for them. Live plants also helped increase productivity, clean the air, and lower blood pressure. Adding this to your morning routine can help you wake up on a positive note, doing a simple stress-free activity.
25. Listen to the perfect wakeup playlist
After turning off your alarm clock, drinking water, and feeling like you had some good rest, consider playing the “perfect wakeup playlist.” Studies show that there actually is an ideal playlist for helping you jump start the day. You can play the songs during your exercise routine, or listen to it while doing a task or two if you don’t have enough time. You can come up with ideas will listening to the songs about how you’d like your day to unfold. To listen to the playlist, check out playlist.
Conclusion
The moment you wake up you have a choice. A choice about the thoughts that you think. The choice about the actions you will take. A choice about how you are going to move through the day. You are in control of your life. Never forget that – YOU are in control of your life. Today, choose to be present. Choose to live each day with purpose, choose to do what lights you up, and choose to wake up and make this the best day ever.
