10 Morning Routine Ideas to Be More Productive

It’s morning and you’re feeling sluggish. You don’t want to get out of bed, but the alarm clock keeps buzzing and your motivation is running low. Sound familiar? If so, it might be time for a change in routine. A morning routine can set the tone for your day and help you accomplish more than you thought possible before breakfast! In this blog post, I’ll share 10 ideas to create a successful morning routine that will help start your day at the top and boost your productivity.

What does a good morning routine look like?

A morning routine sets the tone for your day. A good morning routine should consist of at least three things: exercising, meditation/prayer and reading material. The combination will boost energy levels throughout the morning while also teaching patience, gratitude and discipline – all traits that are incredibly valuable to have as a morning person.

Why is a morning routine important?

A morning routine is important because it lays a foundation for your day and sets the tone. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed once you arrive at work with all of those emails, messages and tasks staring back at you from behind your computer screen – so why not take some time in the morning to plan out what needs to be done? A morning ritual helps you prepare for the day ahead while also giving your mind some peace of mind. Everything is planned out and set in motion, making morning tasks seem less stressful (even if they are challenging) because this morning routine prepares you mentally throughout the whole process.

How do I create a simple morning routine?

Creating a morning routine is easy if you keep it simple and consistent each morning. Here are some tips to get started:

• Write down what your morning looks like, including everything that needs to be done in order for you to start the day feeling like a morning person.
• Block out time in your schedule for morning tasks (30 minutes to an hour should be enough). Schedule specific times and stick with it! This will make you feel less stressed because everything is planned out ahead of time, giving you peace of mind during the day when other things come up that could throw off your morning routine.
• Pick morning tasks that you find enjoyable or useful to your life and goals, such as exercise or meditation (if not already a morning routine).
• Start small! If waking up early doesn’t come naturally for you, don’t expect yourself to start at five in the morning and hope it sticks. It’s much more effective to start with a morning routine that will only take you 15-30 minutes, and then slowly add more each week.
• Be consistent! This is the most important part of any morning routine – stick to it no matter what comes your way in life or business. Consistency is key if you want this morning ritual to work for you and your morning energy levels.
• Be flexible! If something pops up and you can’t complete one of the morning tasks, don’t stress out over it – just move on to the next thing and try again tomorrow morning. It’s not a big deal if schedule changes happen unexpectedly or time runs short for some reason — life happens so be prepared to adapt.
• Remember: it’s your morning routine! It has to be enjoyable for you. There’s no right or wrong, there are no rules. You choose what you want to do and what’s best for you. We are all different and need different things to get productive and fulfilled. What works for me might work for you and viceversa. (I know if I told my husband to wake up at 5 am and journaling and go walking, he would not feel as happy and fulfilled as I do!)

10 Morning Routine Ideas to boost your productivity

If you’re struggling with thinking of three things that you could do in the morning, here’s a list of ten ideas to help you create your ideal morning routine.

Routine #1: Get out of bed / Don’t hit the snooze button

Get out of bed and start your morning ritual immediately. Don’t hit the snooze button because you’ll end up wasting time and feeling more tired than when you started! Once that alarm goes off, get right out of bed as fast as possible to avoid rolling over for a few extra minutes (which we all know will turn into a few extra hours).

You’ll thank yourself for getting up early, especially after the morning routine has become a habit.

My personal advice would be to wake up before the entire home makes its appearance (but I understand it’s not always possible). This is your quiet time to dedicate to yourself, think and plan without being constantly interrupted.

Routine #2: Ignore your mobile phone

For the first hour of your morning, don’t look at your phone. Turn off all notifications and set it on silent so you’re not tempted to check emails or any other messages that could distract you from completing morning tasks.

Did you know that, in the morning, your brain is physically larger than any other time in the day? And your productivity is at its peak?
That’s why feeding your mind with something positive, in the form of meditation, prayer, gratitude, etc., will create a positive attitude and mindset.

Routine #3: Have a big glass of water

Drink a big glass of water as soon as you wake up. This is an essential morning routine for your body and mind, which will help to make sure that everything functions properly throughout the day.

Not only does this morning ritual keep your skin hydrated and clear from toxins, but drinking a large glass of water first thing in the morning will also give you the energy that you need to complete morning tasks and start your day off with a bang.

If it helps, try adding half a lemon (or two drops of Lemon ®doTerra essential oils) into your morning glass of water for an extra boost of vitamin C which will increase your morning hydration levels and get rid of toxins.

Routine #4: Drink Matcha Tea (or your favourite morning coffee)

It’s great to have some sort of caffeine in the morning. Still, you also want it to be something that will provide energy without making you feel jittery or anxious throughout your morning and workday, right? Well, try drinking a cup of matcha green tea to give your morning routine an extra boost of energy while also helping to reduce anxiety and depression.

Matcha tea is a superfood made from green tea leaves that are dried and ground into a fine powder (so it’s basically like drinking powdered green tea). It has the same amount of caffeine as regular black or white coffee, but without all the jitters you’ll get from drinking coffee or caffeinated beverages.

Matcha tea is also full of antioxidants that help protect your cells and lower the risk of cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease and other serious illnesses. It can even improve cognitive function by helping to enhance memory recall!

If drinking green tea doesn’t sound appealing to you, then stick with your favourite morning coffee or try out other alternatives. You can try experimenting with different morning beverages, like black or white tea, mushrooms latte, turmeric latte, etc. Don’t be afraid to experiment until you find the one(s) that you know will help you start your day off with energy.

Read also The Unexpected Truth About Coffee and Women’s Health.

Routine #5: Plan your day while eating breakfast or drinking coffee (or even the night before!)

I know you’re probably thinking, “But I don’t have time for that!” because, most likely, our morning routines are already jam-packed with other things we need to get done before leaving the house! But guess what? This isn’t just another morning routine idea. This morning ritual is actually more efficient than just planning your day while you’re rushing around trying to get dressed and put on makeup before leaving the house.

Planning your morning right after waking up means that you’ll be able to plan out your morning, midday and afternoon tasks all at once! You won’t have to worry about rushing around and forgetting important morning tasks.

Or, if you want to go up to the next level, you can plan for tomorrow before going to bed. This way, by morning time, all of your morning tasks will already be planned out! You won’t have to worry about planning and can just focus on completing your morning tasks as soon as you wake up.

Routine #6: Journaling / Reading / Writing out a morning gratitude list

Another morning routine idea is to write out a morning gratitude list or even journaling about something important in your life. It may seem silly, but writing down your morning thoughts and being thankful will help you think more positively throughout your day – even when times get tough.

If journaling is not your thing, you can try reading a chapter from your favourite book or something inspirational. I personally love morning reading because it allows me to start my day off by learning something new!

I know that morning reading may not be for everyone, but if you give yourself a chance, then it might help inspire and motivate you throughout your entire day.

Routine #7: Exercise / Yoga

Exercising first thing in the morning increases energy levels, improves mood, helps us eat better, helps us lose weight and has many other benefits.

Not only is morning exercise good for your body, but it’s also great for your mind!

Exercise can be anything that makes you feel good. Whether it is running, stretching, yoga or walking, the important thing is to move your body, get some fresh air (if you can) and reinvigorate your body after a night sleep. There are millions of YouTube videos that can help you with that. You can choose how much time you want to dedicate to it and the best type of exercise. One positive thing is that you can vary day by day and explore new things, which is also motivational.

If you are brave and want to get the magic early morning fresh air, you can go running or enjoy a walk in your surrounding. It’s incredible how many things you will discover that you had never noticed before.

Try experimenting with different kinds of morning exercises and figure out which one works best for you so that you’ll know what kind of morning routine to create!

Routine #8: Meditate

Meditating in the morning will help you focus more, get your mind cleared up for the day ahead and reduce stress.

It may seem challenging to meditate first thing in the morning but starting off with meditation is like exercising – it gets easier over time!

When I make time to meditate for a few minutes, my morning is complete, and I feel more relaxed throughout the day!

If you have never tried meditation before, check out YouTube videos because there are so many free ones that might work better than guided ones (which cost money).

Routine #9: Eat a healthy balanced breakfast

If you eat a healthy balanced meal, your mind will be more focused, sharp and clear to help you manage things throughout your day. And you’ll have more energy without crashing mid-morning and reaching for another cup of coffee.

A morning routine is a perfect time to prepare your breakfast because you’ll have more time than if you were rushing out of the door in the morning.

If you don’t want to cook or can’t cook in the morning, then make yourself a healthy smoothie and drink it on the way to work!

I will be honest with you, I do not drink morning smoothies, but the first thing that comes to my mind is a variety of fruits. If you are unsure how to make it or which one would work better for your morning routine, just Google “morning smoothie recipes”.

Routine #10: Hug your loved ones

Not only do morning hugs help you start your day with a loving feeling, but they also have physical benefits as well.

Hugs release oxytocin, which is known as the “love hormone”. This chemical has been shown to reduce stress and blood pressure – just by giving someone a hug!

Hug someone you love and trust for twenty full seconds, while both of you are standing over your own centers of balance. Most of the time when we hug people, it’s a quick, lean-in type hug, or it might be a longer hug where you each lean on each other, so that if one person lets go, the other person would fall over. Instead, support your own weight, as your partner does the same, and put your arms around each other. Hold on. The research suggests a twenty-second hug can change your hormones, lower your blood pressure and heart rate, and improve mood, all of which are reflected in the post-hug increase in the social-bonding hormone oxytocin.

Nagoski, Emily; Nagoski, Amelia. Burnout.

Conclusion

If morning routines are something new for you, I hope these ideas will help get your morning started more productive and positive. Or, if you already have a morning routine or an idea for another good one, please let me know in the comments section!

And remember… the best way to start is what works best for YOU – because it’s YOUR morning routine!