Morning Routine - A How-To Guide And Why You Need One

Personal Development Guides | By: Katie Lister

April 10, 2024

What is a morning routine? How beneficial is a morning routine? Does it mean I am disorganized if I don’t have a morning routine? How do I start a morning routine? You have come to the right place if you have these questions or more!

Hi, my name is Katie Lister. I am a practicing Registered Nurse and the founder of Growth Gals. I lead personal development groups and coach women to live their best lives authentically. Growth Gals provides a safe space for women to connect with like-minded individuals, learn, and offer support to one another.

At GG, we discuss various topics related to everyday issues that affect the lives of women, such as mental health, emotional intelligence, finding your life’s purpose, and personal development, including creating healthy everyday habits. In this article, I will give you all the information you need to know about morning routines.

Katie Lister

Written by Katie Lister, RN, BScN. An experienced Registered Nurse, Group Facilitator, Life Coach, and Community Leader. Read Katie's Full Author Bio

What is a Morning Routine?

The phrase “morning routine” has become a buzzword everyone uses, but what is it? A morning routine is a set of things to do in the morning or habits you go through every morning, geared towards your productivity and day’s focus.

A morning routine doesn’t have to be anything complicated, and you can do anything from meditating, reading, journaling, exercising, or even catching up on gossip on your social media accounts like TikTok and Instagram. All these are morning routines, not all of them are productive. For instance, catching up on the latest celebrity gossip is not a productive way of spending your morning.

It baffles most people to find out that everyone has a morning routine, whether they realize it or not. Everyone has a set of habits they engage in every morning without thinking. Over time, these habits are ingrained in the brain as routines. Even so, merely having a routine you do every morning is not enough.

For a morning routine to make a positive difference in your life, it has to consist of practices geared towards your goals. For instance, if you wake up, hydrate, and run for 5 miles every other day without fail, you are better off than someone who runs 10 miles for only a week and then quits. Consistency is a key ingredient in an ideal morning routine.

What are the Benefits of Having a Morning Routine?

A perfect morning routine helps you plan for your day. It could be as simple as reading a chapter in a book or as complex as running 10 miles, reading a chapter in a book, and meditating all in one morning.

A study found that people with a morning routine earn more money than those without one. Highly successful people worldwide attribute part of their success to having a morning routine. The benefits of having a morning routine include:

Improved energy and better habits

A morning motivation routine incorporating light workouts and a healthy breakfast provides improved energy for a challenging workday ahead. A proper routine eliminates unhealthy habits like drinking caffeine to energize you during the day or having sweets first thing in the morning.

Mental clarity

A healthy morning routine helps you clear your mind. When you wake up earlier and have some time to declutter your mind, you can prioritize your tasks for the day according to importance. With clarity of mind comes better decision-making, both at work and in your personal life.

Better organization and time management

A good morning routine checklist gives your day structure by breaking it into segments. By being better organized, you can allocate time for each task you set out for the day. When you have time to plan your day, you boost your time management, productivity, and efficiency.

You will waste less time on irrelevant and unproductive things and concentrate on the essential tasks first. This way, you will go through your day without feeling rushed or confused, and can finish your assignments quickly.

Consistency

Consistency and avoiding procrastination are the keys to long-term success. Whether in your personal life or at work, daily habits help to create consistency. You learn how to start your day with discipline and intention, the foundation of success and growth in your professional and personal life.

Stress reduction

Knowing what to expect during the day reduces the anxiety and stress of not knowing what will happen. When your day is a whirlwind of unexpected events, you are constantly anxious. Predictability helps you have more control of your day, and unexpected events don’t overwhelm you.

Better sleep and concentration

A routine improves your sleep pattern. Haphazard sleeping patterns interfere with your circadian rhythm, making it difficult to have a regular morning routine. Going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day helps to regulate your circadian rhythm, leading to better sleep quality.

Experts say that we need approximately 7 to 9 hours of sleep, so you need a better and more consistent sleep pattern to get the rest you need. With a routine and better sleep, you can create a healthy environment for concentration, especially for tasks requiring a lot of focus. Allowing yourself some self-care time in the morning can improve your focus for the day ahead.

Better work-life balance

A morning inspiration routine allows you to maintain a sensible work-life balance. You can allocate time for work and also have time for your personal life and hobbies. This balance helps to improve your well-being and quality of life. Planning your day also gives you time to work and relax at the end of the workday.

What Healthy Habits Should You Include in a Morning Routine?

Everyone wants to live a happier, healthier, and more productive life. When we look at successful entrepreneurs, their story almost always involves an early morning routine. Morning routines are personal and depend on your environment and individual preferences. However, there are some healthy habits that anyone can include in their morning routine, these include:

Getting enough rest

Getting enough sleep is crucial for your productivity. For most people, getting the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep needs you to also have a night routine. Plan for your morning the night before to avoid rushing when you wake up. Here are some tips for a good night’s sleep:

Wind down by avoiding strenuous activities towards the end of your day. Read a book and take a warm bath to induce sleep.
Turn off your TV and electronic gadgets like phones and tablets at a set time every day.
Settle on the couch or bed and have a cup of decaffeinated tea.
Set your alarm for at least eight hours to ensure you wake up well-rested.

Don’t snooze the alarm

To avoid snoozing the alarm, move the alarm clock as far away from the bed as possible, which ensures you get out of bed and switch it off. The snooze button can mess up your daily routine, and while you may intend to snooze for five minutes, it can quickly turn into an hour.

Create a routine and purpose to get out of bed when the alarm goes off. You can try hacks like counting up to five and forcing yourself to get out of bed. Snoozing the alarm is a bad habit, and makes it harder to wake up, especially if you are not a morning person.

Drink water

Hydration is vital for optimal health. Include drinking a glass of water as soon as you wake up and before you have coffee or tea in your morning routine ideas list. This is especially ideal if you are a morning coffee person as caffeine is very dehydrating.

Have a cup of coffee or tea

Appreciate a cup of coffee or tea after you hydrate. You can have your coffee as you catch up on the day’s news or bond with family members who might be awake at the same time. You can also use this time to practice other healthy practices like taking deep breaths and practicing mindfulness before your day starts.

Eat a healthy breakfast

Some experts claim that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Eat a healthy and well-balanced breakfast to start your day and fuel your body. A smoothie or a bowl of oatmeal only requires a little time to make and will fill you up until your next meal.

Incorporate self-care

Self-care supports your well-being. Be sure to include activities such as enjoying a scented bath, skincare, listening to an inspirational podcast, or reading a book. Self-care is unique to everyone, so choose practices that make your mind and body feel good.

Say positive affirmations

Positive affirmations help shut down your negative and limiting beliefs and improve your wellness and mindset. When you speak these positive affirmations in the morning, they motivate you to believe in yourself and give your best during the day. Examples of affirmations include:

I will have a productive morning and day ahead
I am grateful and love my job
I am excited about the day ahead

Say these affirmations aloud or write them down each morning to build a positive mindset and outlook toward life.

Examples of Ideal Morning Routines

Some examples of morning routines that help you have a more productive day may include:

Waking up early
Stretching/cardio workouts/going to the gym if possible/running/brisk walking
Meditation/practice gratitude and positive affirmations
Listening to a podcast/reading a book/listening to your favorite music playlist
Taking a shower/skincare regimen/brushing teeth
Journaling/writing your goals for the day
Making a smoothie/ bowl of oatmeal or fruits

Nothing is cast in stone when it comes to morning routines. You can do whatever you want for your morning routine and in whichever order, as long as they are healthy habits. You can shower and brush your teeth first and do everything else on the list, or start with breakfast, and then do the other tasks. The choice is yours. You can prepare for your morning routine at night, like preparing what to wear or prepping your breakfast ingredients.

How to Ensure You Stick to Your Morning Routine

It’s easy to craft a morning routine only for it to be short-lived thanks to poor planning on your part. Here are some tips to ensure you create productive habits you can stick to for the long haul.

Do it for yourself

Don’t commit to a morning ritual because you think it’s cool to have a morning routine, and for posting on social media. That routine will not last. If your main focus is impressing others, you will not be satisfied with the routine because you are doing it for others. The goal is to take better care of yourself, so the routine should cater to your needs. But, you must show up consistently.

Set realistic goals

New habits take approximately three months to become a routine, but only if you consistently engage in them. Be realistic about the routine you set for yourself. If you are a night owl or work night shifts, setting a 4 am morning routine to wake up might be challenging if you normally go to bed at 2 am.

Identify your goals and make them realistic. If you feel the outcome is doable, you will become more motivated to keep at it. Start with small things and as you get used to them, slowly add other practices until you come up with an ideal routine pattern.

Decide how much time to dedicate to the routine

A good morning routine should take anywhere between thirty to ninety minutes. The general assumption is that you must wake up at 4 am for a morning routine, which is wrong. Do what works for you and what fits into your schedule. Write a to-do list the night before and wake up at an ideal time to ensure you have enough time to finish the items on your routine list. Being organized means you will spend the rest of the day in control.

Morning Routine: How Growth Gals Can Help

Our aim at Growth Gals is to inspire women to reach their full potential. We also strive to create positive change by giving women the resources to discover their true selves and expand their knowledge base on various issues, such as mental health, emotional intelligence, self-improvement, and others.

Growth Gals helps women overcome obstacles and make informed decisions. We also help them connect with other women with similar values and experiences. Subscribe to the Growth Gals newsletter to access resources and helpful guides for women. Learn more about how we can support you and help you create better habits for everyday living.

Conclusion

A morning routine helps you manage your time better, reduce stress, and get better sleep, among other benefits. When you create a morning routine, be sure to consider aspects that work for you to ensure the plan is tailored to your needs. This is the only way to ensure you reap the most benefit.