An Easy Morning Routine that Actually Works

I am not a morning person. At any given time, I’d rather be in bed, sleeping, dozing, or watching videos.

Even breakfast in bed is a top-tier joy for me. 

You don’t have to be a morning person to have a morning routine, however. It’s normal to wake up on the wrong side of the bed from time to time, but it shouldn’t be constant.

Before, without intention and habit, I would wake up already stressing about the day ahead. I’d be worried about work, about errands, ruminating on the past. In other words, I felt pretty mediocre waking up.

And that’s not ok.

Therefore, morning routines can help you develop into a healthier, happier person. Here is an easy routine that can help you today!

What is a Morning Routine

A morning routine is a set group of habits you do, usually starting as soon as you wake up. The purpose is to develop routine, repetitive activities that can train your mind and body to feel better.

Above all, having a morning routine can help you avoid burnout, reduce fatigue, decrease feelings of anxiety and depression, and an important self-care habit.

No, you don’t have to be a morning person to have a morning routine! As long as you do it as soon as you wake up, you can benefit from one today!

A Simple Morning Routine

Check out this simple yet effective morning routine to help you live better, feel happier, and be calmer.

Make Your Bed

The first thing you should do when you wake up is making your bed. No, not because cleanliness is the top priority, but because small achievements boost your mood.

When you accomplish something, no matter how big or small, the reward pathway in the brain is activated, boosting dopamine. This increase in feel-good chemicals can really set the tone for your day.

Don’t Grab That Phone

We’ll inevitably wake up and have emails to check, notifications from social media, and messages to respond to.

Well. They can wait.

With this in mind, catching up on messages and notifications should wait until after your morning routine. You don’t want your thoughts to wander to work, or people, or things you need to do. 

An important part of a morning routine is being present in the moment. It’s a way to practice mindfulness and truly appreciate where you are now.

Do One Thing You Enjoy

Give yourself a gift by doing something you enjoy! It can be anything from lighting a candle with your favorite scent, playing a song you like, or petting your pet.

All that matters is that you practice this self-care to truly show that you matter.

In fact, can be something small, like making your favorite cup of coffee, or something bigger like planning a get-together!

Move A Bit

Moving can get the blood flowing, increase mobility, reduce stress, and increase mental clarity.

Plus, you don’t need to do an hour-long workout, you don’t even need to do something high-intensity! 

Try to do some yoga, which is almost like a moving meditation. There are 5-minute routines available for free online so check some out and choose one to do daily. If you don’t want to do yoga, no problem! Take a short walk, do some stretching, or pump out some jumping jacks.

Journal

Journaling is a great way to clear the mind, as you can jot down everything you feel without fear of judgment. It might even help you sort through thoughts.

You can even journal gratitude, writing down things you are grateful for to appreciate it more. This can help you not take things for granted. Instead, you start to love the little things. Maybe you have a roof over your head, but many don’t.

Maybe you’re grateful for running water, food, and your family. Perhaps you’re grateful for the sun, the ocean. Maybe you really appreciate your pet. Write it out and see how things flow!

Plan the Day

Planning the day can help motivate you more, clear the mind, and reduce worries. Once you have a plan, you do not have to keep thinking about what to do, how to act, and what needs to be done.

Therefore, you worry less about forgetting something and start to think more about, well, anything else! You have more mental clarity to focus on solutions rather than problems, you have more time to appreciate, and you have more energy to do something nice for yourself.

And it is always better to have a plan, visually being able to see what you have to do. Planning can help you feel more productive too, which is great for mental wellbeing!

Morning Routine Ideas 

Here are some extra ideas to add to your daily dose of well-being!

Turn off the Technology

Try to limit phone, computer, and tv time in the morning. If completely unavoidable, try to keep it under 15 minutes. Technology puts the brain on a constant chase for something new, for the next quick video, for the next trend, for a like and follow. 

Being constantly exposed to this is not healthy, so limit technology in the morning as much as possible!

Read a Bit

Read something worthwhile if you have time, a self-help book, a work of fiction you enjoy, etc.

It doesn’t have to be too long, just 10 minutes is enough to really get that mind working. Don’t like reading? No problem! Turn to audiobooks, which are just as beneficial for engaging the mind in the morning.

Read Affirmations

Hear me out. Affirmations don’t have to be something grand and unrealistic like I have 500 million in my bank account. 

They can be daily reminders of values, goals, aspirations, and positivity.

I am worthy by simply being myself. I am confident in myself.

Set intentions as well. I will be kind today. I will spread joy not hate.

You can even set goals. I will check on my family today.

We tend to speak so negatively about ourselves, that we should work to speak to ourselves in a kinder, more positive way.

The Takeaway

A morning routine does not have to take hours. A little bit of time for yourself during the day can make magic happen. I used to laugh at people that would claim morning routines changed their lives. 

But it really did change mine. You have got the benefits of being more focused, feeling more productive, and just being happier in general.

Remember that health comes from within, wellbeing and wellness take time to flourish. You can plant the seed today and watch it bloom!