Developing an effective morning routine will set you up for success, in many areas of your life. The thing is, finding that ‘sweet spot’ is different for everyone, which means it’s down to you to figure out what works best. In this post, I’ll therefore be running through 20 suggestions for what to include in a morning routine to help you to craft one that’s right for you. So let’s jump straight in and get the ideas flowing…
What To Include In A Morning Routine…
From this list, pick what you like the sound of, try different things, until eventually you find what works most effectively.
1) Start By Re-Hydrating
Don’t start the day with coffee, instead – grab a glass of water as soon as you wake up!
Think about it, you’ve had six to eight hours without nothing! So drinking water first thing in the morning immediately helps rehydrate the body quickly.
When you’re hydrated you have higher levels of concentration and mental alertness so the knock-on effect is just what you need.
Psst, to get yourself into the habit of this, you may like to try a 7 Day Water Challenge. (Trust me – it makes it so much easier!)
2) Have a Good Stretch
It sounds simple, self-explanatory even. But how many of us actually do it? And do it properly?
Stretching first thing helps to reduce all the tension which in turn has a calming effect on your body.
It also wakes up your muscles, which is great if you plan to do a bit of exercise as part of your morning routine…
3) Do a Little Workout
Starting your day with a workout is always a good idea. It doesn’t have to be super intense or for that long. 10-15 minutes is better than nothing.
An added bonus is – when you exercise it enhances your metabolism, which means your body burns more calories throughout the day.
It also helps to cultivate consistency, improves your physical & mental energy and even helps you to get a better sleep when you do go to bed again that night.
4) Make Time For Breakfast
Often we skip breakfast, thinking it will do us good. But it actually does the opposite…
Breakfast after your morning exercise is actually ideal, because it also boosts your metabolism, helps you burn more calories throughout the day and actually decreases your appetite – and that’s aside from the other healthy benefits.
For this reason, fuelling your body should definitely be included in your morning routine, even if you’re not used to it!
5) Take Time For Everyday Self-Care
You also need to leave a little time for the normal stuff. (Of course!)
Like starting with your shower routine for glowing skin, then washing your face, cleaning your teeth, doing your little morning pampering routine – whatever that looks like for you!
Try experimenting with different products you can incorporate into your weekly / daily morning self care routine, to up that level of self-care.
For instance, aloe oil is great for hydrating your skin, preventing aging in your skin and it even helps to manage acne. You can even make this yourself too!
So take the time to research, tweak and adapt your everyday self-care routine, knowing that you’re worth it and you deserve this time.
6) Try Taking a Cold Shower
Talking of the essentials, if you’re showering in the morning, you might like to consider including a COLD shower as part of your routine.
A cold shower in the morning does more than wake you up and improve your circulation.
The cold and warm stimuli constrict and dilate your blood vessels, which strengthens your immune system. Have a look into it and maybe give it a go… if you’re feeling brave enough!
7) Do Some Meditation
Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it! And if you haven’t… try it now, try it now. As getting into meditation is actually easier than you think!
What’s more – meditation has proven benefits of reducing stress, controlling anxiety, enhancing self awareness, promoting emotional health, and more.
For this reason, it’s a great thing to get into and can really set you up for the day.
8) Say Some Positive Affirmations
Affirmations are positive statements that you should say to yourself (and in front of a mirror if you can).
Take these “I Am Loved” Affirmations for example. They’re my personal favourite!
The great thing is, affirmations can help you to feel motivated and reshape your limiting beliefs, so the best time to do them is actually first thing!
You might also like to go one step further and try some visualisations – for how you’d like the day to go and how you’d like to see yourself being.
9) Outline What You’re Thankful For
An attitude of gratitude always wins! Start your day by writing down three things you’re thankful for. You can then finish the day with three things you’re proud of achieving.
This leads me onto my next morning routine suggestion…
10) Map Out Your Day
Some prefer to do their planning the evening before, but if you’d rather do it when you’re feeling fresh, that works too!
Create your to-do-list, map out your intentions and set those goals, ready to smash the day!
11) Complete an Essential Task
Now this depends on your line of work, but something you may like to include in your morning routine, is completing a specific task shortly after you wake up.
For example, if you’re a business owner, it might be checking your accounts, going through your emails, paying any invoices, etc.
Try doing the jobs you don’t always want to do but know are important and popping them somewhere in your routine, fairly early on.
I don’t recommend they become the very first thing – that time initially should be for you. But somewhere in the morning, or as the first proper task of the day.
That’s usually a pretty good shout and gets you into good habits… certainly don’t let procrastination beat you!
If you have a looming task you don’t want to do – get that done too. That way, it means that the task won’t play on your mind for the rest of the day so it’s a win, win!
Recommended Read: 7 Smart Procrastination Challenges (You Really Should Try!)
12) Have a Read or Listen To a Podcast
The morning is great for ‘me’ time, or even better for personal development time.
Set aside a little section in the morning where you can listen to 10 minutes of a podcast or audiobook. Or read a new chapter of a book, that’s going to help you grow.
Imagine the difference that would make if you did that every day for the next 30 / 60 / 90 etc. days – imagine how much more you’d learn.
It also helps with motivation and getting you in the right state.
13) Watch a TedTalk or Video
Just like the last one, but in another different format. It depends what you prefer.
TedTalks are always good because they get you thinking about different things, which helps to expand your mind.
14) Read an Article
Before we move on from this idea, reading an article is a great thing to include in a morning routine.
So often we stumble across things but don’t have time to fully digest them – or could read them but they’d end up distracting us.
Instead, when you come across something you’d like to learn more about or develop in, save the link in a separate place and then work through one of these articles every morning.
It’s smart and effective! (And hey – there’s plenty of valuable ones to get you started, right here, on Forgetting Fairytales!)
15) Write a Journal or Record a Video Diary
This is an interesting suggestion for what to include in a morning routine… But it should certainly be considered.
After all, it enables you to really see your progress and growth over a period of time.
One of my favourite quotes is, ‘a life worth living, is worth recording…’ Powerful hey? Doesn’t it make you want to start recording?!
16) Brainstorm New Ideas
Take some time to be creative! To put those ideas on pen and paper.
This can be to do with a specific project you’re working on, thinking about things you can do to improve your business, mapping out things you want to learn or understand – anything and everything!
After you’ve done this, just make sure you put some time aside, maybe later on in the day or the following day, to process these ideas, develop them further or put them into a plan where suitable.
17) Focus On Your Dreams
So I mentioned earlier about mapping out your day, your plans and your goals, but it’s also good to take time in the morning to remember your dreams.
Remember what you’re working towards, remember what you want. This conscious focus on it will help you feel far more motivated and consequently helps you to become more productive.
18) Take Time To Connect With People
Don’t be so busy that you forget the people that matter to you.
Give your loved ones a hug and a kiss, take the time to send a quick message to check in with a friend. Let people know that you’re thinking of them, you care about them and you love them.
It’s a small thing but it makes a big difference and means that you don’t loose the bond you have with the people who are important to you.
It’s also good for you – you need this as much as they do!
Remember: there are different ways to feel loved – it doesn’t just come from romantic relationships, and is just as powerful!
19) Tidy Up Your Surroundings
Your working environment makes the world of difference.
So whether you work from home or not, make sure your space is tidy and free from distractions.
You might also like to include a little time in your morning routine, simply for organising – so that you know where everything you need is and it will save time later in the day.
20) Always Remember To Smile
You can make today amazing, if you want to be. So make sure you get excited and start the day with a smile! Do simple things that make you feel good and bring that little bit of extra joy!
Pop some music on, have a little sing, have a little dance, do the things that make you feel good and look in that mirror and SMILE.
Because when you push through shoulders back, hold that head up high and have a good old grin – it actually sends signals to your brain to make you feel better!
There are plenty of reasons to smile, so make sure you find them!
Have Fun Creating…
So there we have it! 20 suggestions for what to include in your morning routine.
Hope this helps. All you have to do next, is experiment to see what works for you.
Good luck!
Love,
Ell_xx
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