Look in to most successful leaders and you’ll find they usually have a consistent morning routine behind them. A series of rituals they’ve tailored over time to fit their lifestyle.
They all look different, but have a few key things in common:
- Each routine follows the same sequence at the same time every day.
- There is no element of decision-making; they save the decisions for the office. The routine is a series of stacked habits designed to make the most of the morning.
- There is no room for the snooze button.
Productive days need a strong foundation. Starting your morning off with a routine that creates a few accomplishments before you’ve even had your coffee will set you up for bigger successes the rest of the day.
It’s a psychological thing — walking into your day feeling accomplished will have a lasting impact on your productivity and mood. Hitting the snooze button, on the other hand, sets you off on the wrong path — one of feeling like you failed the very first test of the morning.
Most of us know this, but how do we craft our own routine that sets us up for success? What should it include? It’s much easier said than done, so let me help you structure it.
I personally think a good morning routine should accomplish a few basic things. It can be as simple or as intricate as you’d like, but it should:
- Start at the same time every morning.
- Make you feel alert, in a relatively good mood, and ready for the day.
- Get you where you need to be (even if that’s just to your desk in the living room) on time.
How you accomplish these is up to you and your personal preferences. Here are a few ideas to get you started (though it may take some experimenting to get it just right):
40 Ideas For Your Routine
Ideas to wake up your body
- Take a deep breath.
- Drink a glass of water.
- Diffuse essential oils.
- Light a candle.
- Make coffee or tea.
- Open a window or step outside and breathe the fresh air.
- Look yourself in the eyes in the mirror.
- Take a quick shower.
- Sit somewhere other than the couch for a few minutes.
Ideas to wake up your mind
- Write in your journal.
- List 5 things you’re grateful for today.
- Brain dump — write down every single thing that comes to your mind for three minutes to clear your head.
- Read a chapter of a book.
- Listen to soft music.
- Meditate.
- Read the newspaper.
- Set intentions for the day.
- Water your plants.
- Listen to a chapter of an audiobook.
- Listen to a motivational podcast.
- Repeat your affirmations.
- Decide on paper to leave yesterday in the past and start this day fresh.
- Call someone who inspires you to set intentions for the day.
- Draw or color in a coloring book.
Ideas to feed your body
- Make a simple nutritious breakfast.
- Take your vitamins.
- Sit and enjoy your breakfast distraction-free or with your family.
- Pack a delicious lunch you’ll look forward to all morning.
Ideas to clear your space
- Make your bed.
- Do a 10 minute tidy of your living and kitchen space.
- Pick up lingering water cups on your way to the kitchen.
- Fold blankets or fluff the pillows on the couch.
- Put all your beauty / morning products away when you’re done.
Ideas for exercise
- Go for a walk (by yourself or with someone).
- Go to the gym or an exercise class.
- Do some yoga.
- Reach for the sky and twist your body for a quick stretch.
- Play with your children.
- Play with or walk your dog.
- Do calf raises (go up and down on your tip toes) for the two minutes you brush your teeth.
Wrapping it up || Structuring Your Full Routine
If the time you need to wake up to accomplish your morning routine is drastically different than the time you are used to, you may be packing too much into your morning right away.
Try adding just one or two things for now, and keep building and slowly moving your wake up time back. The mornings will start to become something you dread less, so waking up will seem less daunting — just give it some time.
Focus on how good or productive you feel when you do stick to your routine and you’ll begin to feel motivated to keep up with it.
Additional Note || Sharing your Morning
If you have a partner and/or children, either plan to do this together or be forgiving of the fact that you may not be able to make the bed every morning, as an example.
Compensate for them — graciously respecting their mornings — with something else you can do consistently. It will take time and practice to get it right.
FREE DOWNLOADABLE PDF WORKSHEET || DIY MORNING ROUTINE
If you need a visual to help structure your morning routine, I’ve put together two of them for you.
The two worksheets focus on the different ways to format your routine, so take a look at both and see which one works better for you — print it out and get your routine on paper. On the back of the page, take a moment to write down how you felt each day during the first week to keep yourself accountable.
Having it written out is another trick that will help you stick to it.
I hope you found this useful and see more productive days ahead! Who knows, you may be the next CEO they interview to share your success-driven morning routine.
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It’s a psychological thing — walking into your day feeling accomplished will have a lasting impact on your productivity and mood. Hitting the snooze button, on the other hand, sets you off on the wrong path — one of feeling like you failed the very first test of the morning.
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