Iâve always loved morning routine ideas, but like many of us â I struggle to stick with it! Iâve finally found my best morning routine for success, and Iâm excited to share what I do daily, as well as, the benefits of a routine and how to start your own!
Successful people utilize the morning because they know itâs a time theyâre less likely to be interrupted â whether it be by kids, email, or the office. Creating a morning routine can help you be more productive and less stressed. So letâs dig into what should be a part of your routine!
We also did a podcast about our Morning Routine Checklist that you might like!
What should be your morning routine?
Your morning routine should consist of the things that are most important to you. Even if you typically put your kidsâ, spouseâs, or bossâs agendas before your own, this routine is all about what you want and need.
Some ideas to include in your morning routine are:
- Bible Study or Prayer
- Exercising
- Meditation or Visualization
- Journaling (get a free template to future self journaling)
- Reading Personal Development
- Breakfast
- Tackling the Most Important Thing on Your To Do List
Now you may be thinking to yourself â this is all great, but I can barely get done whatâs on my to-do list now, and you want me to add in visualization?
I learned in my early 20s that the things that make us successful are usually easy to do. The flip side to that is that they are also easy not to do.
Itâs easy to journal for 5 minutes or take a walk around the block, but itâs also easy not to do those things, too.
So creating a morning routine around the things that you value help you create time for them.
(This epiphany and many others came from Darren Hardyâs Compound Effect).
Get Our Morning Routine System to Maximize Your Time (Without Stressing!)
Why is a morning routine important?
Not only does your morning routine allow you to make time for the things that are most important to you, it is also the time of day when your willpower is the highest.
Typically people donât mindlessly eat a whole bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos at 7AM, but give them a rough day, and theyâll find themselves in front of the TV with that same bag of Doritos and an orange-covered hands from devouring the whole bag.
This is because our willpower declines with every decision and action we take.
So itâs best to start our day with things that uplift us and make the biggest difference in our day.
When we do this, it also helps us feel accomplished early in the day and boosts our dopamine! Dopamine is connected to our ability to focus, motivation, and satisfaction; all of these things help us feel our best and boosts our productivity.
My Morning Routine
I learned my morning routine from Darren Hardy. He spent 25+ years interviewing successful people, and he found the secrets to creating better results with less stress through their expertise. You can grab the same free morning routine training I used from him as well!
While heâll share his routine in the training, I had to customize it for my own needs, and I think youâll want to do the same.
- 7:30 Wake up, listen to a quick 5 minute personal development training while brushing my teeth and hair.
- 7:45 Look over my goals and affirmations and take a few minutes of gratitude.
- 8:00 Sit down with my Bible study and pray.
- 8:30 Start either a workout or most important thing on my to-do list.
- 10:00 I eat breakfast.
I chose to have my breakfast a few hours after waking because Iâve been following intermittent fasting.
Depending on my day, I either workout or hit the most important thing on my to-do list. If I know Iâll be out most of the day, I workout. If itâs a full-day at home, Iâll tackle the most important thing on my to-do list.
Have kids?
I realize trying to get the kids out of the door can be one of the most hectic parts of the day. So I encourage you to wake up 1 hour before the kids to do what is most important to you.
I also love these printable morning routine charts and tips to getting out the door for school. Both of these resources can help build personal responsibility in kids which can make mornings run smoother.
How do I start an early morning routine?
I realize my schedule is a little cushy now because I set my own hours and donât have kids. With that said, you can still create a plan for yourself. I set aside 2.5 hours for my morning routine.
In order to start an early morning routine, figure out what youâd like to do daily and how much time it will take. Then, this will help you decide what time to get up!
How long should a morning routine be?
Iâve seen morning routines range from 30 minutes to 3 hours! It depends on your schedule and whatâs most important to you.
How do I stick to a morning routine?
Itâs pretty easy to write down what youâd like to be your best morning routine for success. Sticking to that routine is the hard part.
So here are a few tips to sticking to your morning routine:
Prepare the week and night before.
Youâll want to decide what time youâll wake up and what youâll do first thing in the morning. I know what my most important task for the day is, as well as, my specific workout. I plan out my week using a Sunday Planner and then look over it each night.
Make it easy to start and hard to stop.
If you find yourself hitting the snooze button, put your alarm somewhere you have to get up to turn it off. Want to drink more water? Remove soda from your house and set a glass of water on the nightstand to wake up and drink first thing. Starting a new workout routine? Consider an at-home workout so you donât have traffic and crowds to deal with!
Figure out ways to make your new habits easier and your old bad habits harder to do.
Donât allow for interruptions.
Part of the magic of a morning routine is that itâs quiet. Make sure you honor this quiet time of your day by putting your phone away or on Do Not Disturb during your morning routine. Donât check emails or social media yet. Let this time be all yours.
Focus on whatâs important.
Steve Jobs asked himself daily, âIf today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?â
And maybe youâre like âHeck no, I wouldnât drive an hour to go to this miserable job for another 8 hours!â I think weâve all been there.
But, think about why you do what you do (to provide for your family, make a difference in the company, etc) or how you do it (you are the freaking best at graphics or pitches!). If youâre not passionate about why or how you do something, figure out something you can do in your morning routine that brings you joy.
How to Create a Morning Routine
Now youâve seen my best morning routine for success and know why the morning is the best time to start. Itâs now time for you to figure out how youâll start your day!
Here is Our 6 Step System to Creating a Morning Routine
Step 1: List anything youâd like to do on a daily basis
Step 2: Prioritize the list based on importance
Step 3: Decide the 3-5 things that are most valuable and forget the rest.
Step 4: Figure out how long each task takes.
Step 5: Put the tasks on your calendar and set your alarm for tomorrow
Step 6: Track your habits and how you feel on the routine
It can be tempting to be rigid with yourself once you have your morning routine outlined, but itâs important to notice how you feel after a week on the plan.
If you feel great, productive, and have more energy â youâre in a sweet spot! On the other hand, if your routine is bringing on more stress or youâre not getting 8+ hours of sleep, consider tweaking your routine until you do feel productive, energetic and happy with it!
Love these tips!! I have been slacking on having a good morning routine. Now that my kids are back in preschool, I could spend some extra time getting up earlier and having some alone time before the day starts!
Hi Kim and Kalee,
I love your blog and especially this post! These are great ideas! Thank you.
I also love your pajamas, can you share where you got them?
Thanks Angela!! They were a splurge, but we fell in love with them! Theyâre from Nordstrom, and the brand is Rails.
Such a good idea to avoid all interruptions until youâre done your morning routine. I feel like emails always take precedence over whatever I actually planned to do that morning. Thanks!