Having a morning routine is one of the best things you can do for a healthy & happy life.
Your brain loves structure, and having a set schedule you stick to every day allows you to take control of your life and have more time for the things you want to do.
I previously wrote a post on nighttime routine habits, which you can read here.
Now it’s time to dig into morning routines.
Just a disclaimer: morning routines are not just for those people who have hours and hours of time. If you’ve ever watched someone’s morning routine video, you might be familiar with the concept of filling your morning with every possible healthy habit you can do. And while that’s great and totally okay if you have the time, that doesn’t mean that you HAVE to do that. Morning routines are not an all-or-nothing thing.
A lot of us just simply don’t have the time for a 90 minute workout + a making a 4 course breakfast + reading 3 chapters of a book. So as you’re reading this list of ideas, keep in mind that your morning routine should work for you.
Our goal here is to simply add a few healthy habits to our day that let us live better lives. Do what you can, and don’t feel guilty about what you can’t do.
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1. Do a skincare routine.
Skincare is a very important thing, especially as we get older. And I know for a lot of people, including myself, it’s the thing that usually gets skipped.
A skincare routine doesn’t have to consist of a whole lot, it can be as simple as putting on moisturizer. Taking a few seconds each morning to put on some lotion or wash your face can do wonders for your skin for years to come.
I’ve seen many women in their later years of life say that skincare is one of those things you should definitely not neglect when you’re young. So starting this habit now can be so beneficial. Not only that, but having clean, moisturized and well taken care of skin can help us feel more confident and beautiful.
If you have the extra time and want to do an entire deep-dive skincare routine, some brands have entire skincare kits like this one. This brand is eco-friendly and creates all their products with the planet in mind, which I love.
2. Stretch (or work out if you have time)
Like I mentioned before, we don’t all have time for a big workout in our morning routines, but one thing most of us can fit in is a few minutes of stretching.
Set a timer for 3-5 minutes and just take that time to stretch and loosen up your muscles for the day. Trust me, this will make a huge difference in how you feel throughout the day and can keep you from feeling back pain or muscle soreness.
If you want to work out, but don’t have a ton of time, try doing a 10 minute floor workout or taking your dog for a short walk. Again, do whatever fits into your schedule.
3. Reflection time
Of all the things on this morning routine list, this one is probably my favorite and the one I would label as most important.
Taking time to reflect each morning, even if it’s just for a few minutes, sets us up for a healthy and happy day.
It gives us an opportunity to put our mental health in check, to see how we’re feeling, what’s on our minds, and check in with ourselves before the day begins.
This can be done through journaling (which I recommend), meditation, or even just a few minutes of sitting quietly and thinking while you drink your morning coffee.
If you only have 5 minutes of morning routine time, do this one. Trust me, focusing on your feelings at the beginning of every day is one of the best things you can do for yourself.
4. Plan your day
Chances are you probably already have a mental idea of how your day is going to unfold, but taking the time to write it out and put it on paper can still be super beneficial.
Not only does it give us a clearer idea of the day and allow us to make a checklist of sorts, it also helps us feel like we’re in control and on top of things.
I have a free printable to-do list you can download here to help you with your morning to-do list
5. Drink a big glass of water.
This one is for all of us out there who don’t drink enough water. I have found after much trial and error that when I drink a glass of water first thing in the morning, I tend to drink a lot more throughout the day as well.
Water is necessary, I think we all know that. So it only makes sense to add it to our morning routines, right?
One of the best things I’ve done to help myself stick to this habit is to buy a bottle that keeps my ice water actually ice cold and filling it up before I go to bed. That way when I wake up, I just have to grab it and start chugging.
My favorite bottle for this is my Hydroflask, but there are so many others out there that work just as well.
6. Clean up any leftover mess from yesterday.
If you’ve read my nighttime routine post, you know that tidying up the day’s mess is a great nighttime routine habit.
But we’re human and sometimes we wake up to the remnants of yesterday’s mess.
That’s why adding a little time for tidying can be a great addition to your morning routine.
It can help you start the day with a clear mind and clean home, and prevent any clutter related stress from happening through the day.
7. Do something creative and fulfilling.
We’re adults, we tend to have full schedules and not enough time to do everything.
So what usually gets cut out when we’re too busy?
For me, and for a lot of people, it’s hobbies and ‘fun’ things that usually end up on the chopping block.
But it’s not beneficial for us to get rid of the things that keep us sane and help us to feel fulfilled.
One way to keep that from happening is to add it to your morning routine.
Make time for something that you’re passionate about, whether that’s painting or reading or writing or crafting or baking or any number of things.
If you can afford the time, it can even be worth it to wake up a little earlier to fit these things in your schedule. Our brains need the creative and fulfilling activities to keep us going.
Making time in the morning for creativity and fun can help us to feel more fulfilled, happier and content with our lives.
8. Do a bible study.
If you consider yourself a spiritual person or someone who wants to be more spiritual, adding a bible study to your morning routine can be very beneficial.
I don’t know about you, but I find that when I get busy, I begin to lose focus on my relationship with God.
Taking time to do it in the morning helps me to devote that time before my day gets too hectic.
If you find yourself short on time but want to still make this a part of your morning routine, it can be helpful to find a short devotional book that only takes a few minutes each day.
One I am currently going through is this 40 Days of Intentional Living devotional. It only takes a few minutes of my morning, but I still always feel better and closer to God after making time for it.
Building morning routines is all about creating a schedule that helps you live a healthier and happier life. I hope this list has given you a few ideas of things you can add to your morning routine and how to implement them.
I’m proud of you for taking charge of your mental and physical wellbeing and I truly hope you can learn to love your mornings!
What things are missing from my list? Do you have something that is a part of your morning routine that I didn’t mention here? Drop a comment below and tell me!
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