Are you looking to start your morning routine? Here are five simple tips to start your morning right.
A long time ago in a far away land.
…I slept until noon.
until.
Until I got a job.
And children.
And the dogs, the cats, and the various individuals who relied on me to get out of bed, put my feet on the floor, and drink a lot of coffee to wipe the mist from my eyes and face every day earlier than I ever thought possible. Understandably, it took me some time to adjust. It took me a while to figure out that the sun was my friend and that the birds chirping was just nature’s way of letting you know that the day had begun and that hitting the snooze button might be a bit overkill.
To say I’m not really a morning person is the understatement of the century, but I really want 2025 to be different.
This year I decided I needed a morning routine to start my day off right. Now that we’re back from the cruise, I have a new morning routine that actually works.
Yes.
fact?
I’m more productive than I was before.
Now just between us, I’m only a few days away, so I don’t want to get overly confident yet, but if this is what your morning looks like right, I’m all for it.
So, in honor of ringing in the new year, here are my morning routine (including the one thing I do that changed my entire day) and my five best tips for making the most of all those hours before noon I didn’t know existed.
Five things I’ve learned to make mornings easier
1. Start your morning routine by getting out of bed
I know this is the most obvious captain’s suggestion I’ve ever heard.
But it’s true.
You have to commit to getting out of bed, stopping hitting the snooze alarm, smelling that pot of coffee you set on a timer the night before, putting your feet up on the floor, and never cuddling back under the covers.
Here’s the best tip for step #1. Once you get out of bed…
…make it.
It accomplishes two things (three if you teach yourself how to coordinate your arms and legs together before 7:00 a.m.). Firstly, making your bed prevents you from climbing back in, and secondly, it helps prepare your room for the morning as well.
2. Do the same things in the same order
When I was looking for morning routines, they all had one thing in common.
Consistency.
Getting out of bed is hard enough without having to make decisions as well. If you have a routine in place, you won’t have to decide anything (especially when you’re not at the top of your game). So decide what you want to achieve in the morning, make a list and repeat the list every morning.
At the end of this post, you can see exactly what I did each morning and what works for me now.
I’m not entirely sure why this works, but it does. I think when you have a routine, you’re telling your brain that it’s time to go and that there’s no way to go back and crawl back under the covers (which you can’t do anyway because the bed is already made).
3. Don’t call your phone
Your bed has been made as you process your list and you stumble into the kitchen due to the smell of coffee and suddenly you hear the voice of Facebook from your phone.
And you want to access it.
no.
This phone can totally lure you into sneak situations.
If you land on Facebook, it may turn into Instagram which may turn into email, messaging, Snapchat, or Tumbler and before you know it, Good Morning America isn’t on TV anymore and the show is on.
sigh.
And the morning was halfway over.
Cats who play the piano, dogs who ride skateboards, and people who sing, laugh, graduate from high school, or dance to songs about Applebees can wait.
I made a rule for myself to not use social media or my phone until I finished my list and had breakfast. This is what suits me. You can find a time that works for you, but give yourself time to adjust to the morning first before you start looking at that little screen.
4. Make sure to drink water
The one thing that changed my entire morning?
A cup of water.
I know it sounds very simple. I know it sounds very basic. But it will change the rules of the game.
When we wake up we feel dehydrated.
And then?
We drink coffee, which can be a slight diuretic.
Before you drink that coffee?
Drink water.
It’s an easy addition to your morning routine. I started doing this at the beginning of my weight loss journey and it really worked. I drink a glass of water before my first cup of coffee, and it wakes me up, fills me up and starts my day off right.
5. Move your body
I added stretching to my morning routine.
Nothing fancy.
I just found 10 minute videos on YouTube and play them on the TV. I tried different trainers and found one I really liked.
It’s too early for me to exercise. But stretch? It makes my toes wiggle, my stomach feel flat, and my arms feel like they want to take on the day. It has also helped improve my posture and made me feel taller too.
And now?
Here’s my morning routine (I put it in a Google Doc so I remember it):
7:15: Wake up, drink a glass of water, and make the bed
7:20: Wash my face (with my skincare routine) / Brush my teeth / Floss / Apply moisturizer / Add under eye patches to reduce swelling
7:30: Stretch with a 10-minute stretching video
7:45: Morning prayer and 10-minute quiet time/coffee
7:55: Eat breakfast
8:05: I get dressed and put on makeup
8:15: Enjoy the day
Some quick notes:
I shower at night, so I’m already done with it in the morning. I also only wash my hair once a week (much better for your hair). Then I curl it and don’t need to re-curl it for the rest of the week – just comb it and go. This year I’m also trying to lay out my clothes the night before (this is kinda new, so I need to work on this more). The thing that made the biggest difference for me was that I embraced routine. I love him. I enjoy it. I enjoy it. When I stretch, I tell my arms and legs how beautiful they are. When I apply lotion, I take my time and pretend I’m in a romantic movie. This is the key. Enjoy your routine. It’s yours. Let it prepare you for the day. Be kind to yourself. Give yourself grace. There is only one you and you are amazing. My routine is only an hour from start to finish and I’m ready for the day.
Completely life changing.
A wise man once said that the first hour of the day can set the tone for an entire day of productivity.
This is very true.
And having that morning routine is key.
It takes the thinking and decision-making out of the morning, like designing a great outfit for the day so you don’t have to think about what to wear.
I don’t need to think about what to do in the first hour of the day, because everything is already planned for me.
And when you finished?
I’m ready for today.
Beware the world…
…..Here I come. 🙂
Here are some things that help me in the morning:
Note: What do you do first thing in the morning? Do you have a morning routine? I’d love to hear any ideas and suggestions.
