22 Unique Ideas for a Powered Up Healthy Morning Routine

If you’ve ever looked up how to create a morning routine, you may have been disappointed to find that they were ALL EXACTLY THE SAME! 

Here's a refreshing new take on what a productive morning routine could look like, one that’s instead full of unique but also scientifically-based suggestions, perfect for REALLY making a difference in how you start your day.

Keep reading to learn a REAL morning routine for REAL women. 

 

COOKIE CUTTER MORNING ROUTINES

No one's life is exactly the same, so why would our mornings be that way?

I don’t know about you, but I got frustrated when looking up ideas for healthy morning routines because they're literally all the same, almost like they were made from the same mold.

For example:

• Get up at 6

• Drink a whole glass of water

• Meditate

• Journal

• Eat a Healthy Breakfast

• Put on a ton of face products no one’s ever heard of

Sound familiar? But why was I frustrated by this? 

For one, a lot of them were multiple hours. WHO HAS THAT MUCH TIME TO SPARE?! 

Second, they seemed so unrealistic! The Youtubers I was watching seemed out of touch with the real world.

I needed some REAL LIFE examples!

So I decided to share my realistic morning routine to give some new ideas and to also help remind you that not everyone wakes up in full makeup with the birds singing outside and their eyebrows on. Lol.

I hope you’ll feel inspired to MAKE YOUR OWN routine that’s just as unique as you, and encouraged to NOT try to FORCE those generic, repetitive routines to work. 

 

WHAT IS A MORNING ROUTINE?

Real quick, let’s make sure everyone is on the same page and explain what the heck even is a morning routine.

According to Medium.com:

"A morning routine is essentially a set of actions you perform in the morning, usually before starting your day's main activity like going to work or to school. The actions can be anything from drinking a glass of water or brushing your teeth to doing a two-hour workout or running around the block."

And since it’s a set of actions you perform each day, why not also have it be something that:

• Sets your life up for success
• Reduces your day’s stress
• Helps you work towards your goals

BTW, if you’re feeling a BIT overwhelmed with life right now and are looking for other ways to reduce your stress, after you get done reading this I HIGHLY suggest you check out: How to Make a To Do List - Are You Doing It the Right Way? It's the ULTIMATE guide to making a to-do list that WORKS!

And if you’re already writing to-do lists but are STILL STRESSED, you might be doing them wrong, so check it out anyway!

 

WHY I WAS AGAINST MORNING SCHEDULES

I was actually NOT a fan of morning routines AT ALL until about three months ago. 

I know I’m VERY behind on this wagon. But for the reasons I mentioned earlier, the “perfect” life and “perfect” routines the Youtubers were droning on and on about really turned me off. 

They showcased aesthetically pleasing worlds with ideas for habits that were not time-efficient, sustainable, or realistic.

I thought it was JUST A FAD...

LIFE WITHOUT A HEALTHY MORNING ROUTINE

Prior to this, for many years, I had hectic and disorganized mornings.

Does this sound familiar?

It went something like:

• Sleep as late as possible

• Get up feeling groggy and guilty for sleeping so late

• Stumble downstairs to make coffee and drink UNHEALTHY amounts

• Start work IMMEDIATELY with no self-care time

• Never actually put on day clothes and stay in PJs or sweats all-day

If you’re thinking, but I have a real job and don’t stay home all day... 

Well, girlfriend, before I was working at home, I worked for the military, and those mornings were just as hectic. I slept in late and then RUSHED! Rushed to do my makeup and hair and GET OUT THE DOOR!

 

WHY I STARTED DOING A REGULAR ROUTINE IN THE MORNING

Why did I suddenly, after years of being against it, decide to do it then?

With mornings like I just described, I was beginning my days ALREADY feeling overwhelmed.

I knew something needed to change so I decided to take an online productivity and life organization course (BTW It’s called Productivity Boot Camp if you’re interested. Not an affiliate link).

They talk about how you should organize your life into time blocks, or time periods, so I decided to try this out.

I set aside one hour in the morning as my “Morning Block” and started implementing the stuff I will go on later to describe. 

As SOON as I started putting this into practice:

• I felt less stressed

• I felt more in control of my own life

• I was finally able to get stuff done on my “Daily Do” List

• I ACTUALLY looked forward to my mornings instead of dreading them

• I was able to practice a little self-care time for myself instead of NEVER having time to

It was after a while of doing this and talking to someone else about what a REVELATION it’s been that it suddenly dawned on me. OMG, I’ve been doing a morning routine!

And it’s AMAZING!

 

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you when you click my links and make a qualifying purchase. I only promote products I use or ones that my friends have recommended to me.

A HEALTHY SCHEDULE FOR MORNINGS STARTS THE NIGHT BEFORE

I have a confession to make, I don’t actually have a solid nighttime routine, or really have one at all right now.

This is something that I want to work on in the future, but considering my husband’s current crazy military schedule, having one would be difficult right now. However, having had one before, I can attest to its value.

A good morning routine can be improved, and in my mind STARTS, with proper preparations the night before.

A perfect way to think about this and set up your night routine is to:

 

DO LITTLE THINGS TO REMOVE THE FRICTION AND MAKE THE NEXT DAY EASIER

James Clear in his New York Times bestselling book Atomic Habits says that, “Whether [you perform the action you are trying to make into a habit] depends on how motivated you are and how much friction is associated with the behavior. If a particular action requires more physical or mental effort than you are willing to expend, then you won’t do it.”

So if you want to make a morning routine, night routine, or any of these next things a HABIT then you and I have to REMOVE THAT FRICTION girlfriend and make it easier! 

Otherwise, we just won’t do it.

A few examples of stuff to do the night before, and what I’m TRYING to work on doing more consistently are:

 

SET UP THE COFFEE MACHINE TO RUN AUTOMATICALLY

Roll out of bed to enjoy the fresh coffee awaiting you.

This way the next day you can wake up to the heavenly aroma of hot coffee being made. It’s less work first thing in the morning, and it starts you off on the right side of bed.

 

MOVE THE MEAT FROM THE FREEZER TO THE FRIDGE

If you know what food you’re going to make for the next day, do what you can to prepare for it, such as moving frozen foods so they can thaw overnight.

 

PICK OUT AND SET OUT YOUR CLOTHES

This is a good practice because it prevents decision fatigue (and also poor fashion taste when you’re barely awake).

What is decision fatigue? This article by the NY Times describes it like this:

"No matter how rational and high-minded you try to be, you can’t make decision after decision without paying a biological price. It’s different from ordinary physical fatigue — you’re not consciously aware of being tired — but you’re low on mental energy. The more choices you make throughout the day, the harder each one becomes for your brain…"

So basically, try to lessen your brain’s choices the next day, by choosing the night before.

Some other ideas are:

• Pre-pack your bag/purse so it’s all set to go

• Pack your lunch, your spouse’s lunch, and the kid’s lunches

• Start the dishwasher and/or washing machine before going to bed

Again, just focus on doing little things that’ll make tomorrow morning easier for you.

But let’s move on because you’re not here to read about a night routine.

 

A REALISTIC MORNING ROUTINE

FINALLY! Onto the good stuff. Here are 22 unique ideas you can take inspiration from or use as-is for a realistic morning routine that works for you. 

 

1. IT'S ONLY ONE HOUR

Yes, that’s right. This is a 1 hour morning routine because that’s reasonable, works easier for a regular schedule, and we don't (or at least I don’t) have three hours to spend on it like those Youtubers I mentioned earlier.

 

2. WAKE UP AT 7

Maybe you’re not a morning person, and that’s fine. In order to stick with this, you’ll need to find what wake up time works best for your body (job hours permitting of course).

But for myself, I felt like a morning routine that starts at 7 was a happy medium compared to the RIDICULOUS 6 or even 5am wake up time that others suggested (Yes, if I have something I have to do I’ll get up earlier, but how many people would get up then if given a choice?).

So I get up at 7 now, and no longer allow myself to sleep in really late because I noticed that:

1. I get my best work done when I am FRESH
2. I’m at my peak state MENTALLY early in the morning
3. Waking up late immediately puts me in a BAD mood as I feel like I’ve already WASTED the day

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3. GET A FULL NIGHT'S REST

If you’ve tried to build a routine in the past that failed or that you’re struggling to stick to, maybe it’s because you weren’t being realistic about how much sleep you ACTUALLY need. 

I’m skeptical that these Youtubers will be able to stick to their eccentric schedules of waking up at 5 or 6am for years, but I’m trying to build a LIFE HABIT with this routine, I don’t know about you.

So again, it’s whatever works for you, but don’t try to MAKE more time in your day by cutting out a NECESSITY your body needs! Start your morning RIGHT by treating your body right.

The National Sleep Foundation recommendation is that healthy adults get 7-9 hours per night. So stop this 6 hour silliness!

 

4. GET UP WHEN YOUR ALARM GOES OFF

Don’t hit snooze!

I know lying around and hitting the snooze button may SOUND good, but it doesn't help you get more REAL rest, plus it’s taking away time from your day’s goals!

“...hitting the snooze button will probably make you feel foggy and more tired. And regularly relying on it to sneak in more Zzz's will mess with your body's internal clock, which can actually deprive you of sleep…” - Excerpt from “The Negative Impact of Hitting the Snooze Button”

 

5. TAKE A SHOWER

Now that I'm up, the first thing I do is hop in the shower. Why?

A few reasons:

• It’s something to look forward to so I actually WANT to get up
• It gets me AWAY from the bed so I’m not tempted to get back in
• It heats up my body and gets rid of the aches and stiffness from the cold bedroom (Hubby likes it freezing!)
• I can multi-task - Brush my teeth, wash my face, and do the next thing I mention

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6. SAY AFFIRMATIONS - SPEAK POSITIVITY

I recently started using this time to also focus on positive thoughts and not let my mind go wild about HOW MUCH I have to do that day, and this includes saying affirmations.

Funny enough I thought they were b.s. too, just like a morning routine. I felt like it was a bit hocus pocusy, and NOT a "Christian thing" to do.

But then I remembered that the Bible says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue…” Proverbs 18:21

After remembering this, I’ve been putting effort into speaking more good things over myself, loved ones, and my household than focusing on and vocalizing the bad.

BTW if you’re into affirmations, we have an Affirmations for Women  Pinterest board! Check it out and be sure to follow us after so you can keep coming back for new affirmation ideas!

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7. END YOUR SHOWER WITH COLD WATER

I end my shower with cold (not freezing, I’m not INSANE) water to invigorate and really WAKE ME UP. Of course there are scientific benefits to doing this too.

You get:

• Alertness 
• Clarity
• An increased Metabolism
• Increased Energy levels
• Illness resistance
• Endorphins released

And other health benefits, so consider adding this into your morning routine.

If you’re keeping track of time, this whole shower process takes me 20 minutes because I don’t want to feel rushed first thing.

But what happens after is a FLURRY of events.

I have a mental list of stuff I want to check off, but I do it in the order that I FEEL like, and I suggest you do the same if you HATE being told what to do by your schedule minute by minute.

I have tried it this way before and for myself, it added to the stress because sometimes stuff takes longer than intended, but do what works for you.

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8. OPEN YOUR CURTAINS - GET VITAMIN D

Seasonal depression is a REAL thing my friends, so if you’re feeling blue, and you’re not sure why, DON’T SKIP THIS STEP!

Right now it’s summer, so getting sunlight isn’t a problem. But, I still LOVE to start my day with it, and I find that if I go the whole day with the curtains closed my energy and mood levels are much lower.

The bright natural light helps me feel more awake, plus I’m also getting all the benefits of Vitamin D and good old serotonin is increased, helping to improve my mood.

There are SO MANY benefits for our physical and mental wellbeing, so let’s incorporate some warm sunshine into our morning routine. -Read about SAD (seasonal depression) and sunlight benefits.

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9. GET YOUR GROOVE ON - DO SOME DANCING AND SINGING

Yes girl! I told you my morning routine is a bit odd, but my real question is WHY is this not on EVERYONE'S list?

For my birthday a year ago, my sweet Husband got me this Bluetooth Record Player (classy right?!) and I’ve been IN LOVE with it ever since! It’s one of those things you don’t know you NEED until you have it.

Why do I love it? It’s unconventional! I mean how many people do you know who listen to music on a record player nowadays? But it also has Bluetooth capabilities so I can use it to play stuff off my phone IF I choose to.

Right now I’m listening to Dean Martin. I LOVE belting out the tunes along with him and shaking my tush (when no one is watching) to energize myself even more!

If you’re thinking THIS IS DUMB and that you’re going to skip this step too, again, DON’T.

Singing is a natural antidepressant according to the Chicago Tribune, and so is dancing (according to this article Dancing and Mental Health)!

Of course there are way more benefits than just that, but basically, it’s good for you! So why not do it?

Plus, IT'S FUN!

Listening to records during my morning routine has also been helpful because it gives me a nice non-alarm time reminder. The record lasts 20 minutes.

Me awkwardly dancing to my record player.

10. DO STUFF NOW TO SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS LATER

We already went over this, but during this “frenzy” time I’m looking for ways I can help my future self by removing friction. 

Some examples of this could be doing what I mentioned before for the night routine if I didn’t already get to it.

I also like to: 

• Pick up our clothes from the night before if they didn’t get into the hamper 

• Move stuff from the washer to dryer that was started last night

• Bring down my teacup from the bedside table and wash it

• Put away any dishes from last night left to dry

• Pick up and toss any trash if some was left out from the night before

• Run a bag of trash to the dumpster if it's full

• Fill our cat’s food bowl so she doesn’t bother me later while I’m working

• Get pots, a knife, a cutting board, and any non-fridge food out and set aside for cooking later

Most of this is general tidying after the previous night, but I still like to add in other tiny things that make doing the chores THAT much easier later on, and therefore more likely to happen.

Just don’t try to do EVERYTHING during this 20 minutes. Don’t start a BIG project, or if you do, only do a tiny part of it.

I have to be careful that I don’t start folding laundry during this time as I’ll spend ALL 20 minutes folding one basket, and then NOTHING else gets done.

So be careful of this yourself!

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11. DON'T EAT BREAKFAST

If you didn't already think this morning routine was unconventional, you will now!

Being a huge fan of intermittent fasting, and knowing how popular it is nowadays, I was really shocked to not find a SINGLE morning routine suggesting to skip breakfast.

In fact, EVERY dang Youtuber monotonously said to MAKE SURE you eat it!

It’s actually HEALTHIER to skip breakfast, but the cereal companies won’t get paid if you do, so don’t tell them I told you.

For example, some of the Health Benefits of Intermittent Fasting and why you SHOULD add it to your morning routine are:

• You experience autophagy -  The recycling/reusing of your cells and elimination of waste linked to neurodegenerative diseases
• Increased/sharpened brain function
• Improved blood pressure
• Weight loss due to insulin levels being low which allows for fat burning

All of this can be accomplished by not STUFFING your body simply because it’s “Breakfast Time.”

Just give your body a break to focus on healing and rebuilding its cells WITHOUT having to CONSTANTLY be focused on breaking down food.

If you’re interested in learning more about intermittent fasting which has opened my eyes and helped me in life-changing ways, I’d recommend you check out Dr. Berg and Thomas DeLauer. They have great SCIENTIFICALLY-BASED information about it, so don’t just take my word for it.

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12. DRINK COFFEE AND CINNAMON

If I die early, it’ll probably be from a caffeine overdose. In other words, I LOVE MY COFFEE so this step is essential to my morning routine.

I mentioned before that I‘d like to get better at having my coffee machine set up and ready to start automatically the night before. But if I don't get to it, I do it in the morning.

This goes hand-in-hand with intermittent fasting, but I’ve stopped using cream in my coffee. *GASP! 

Now, I flavor it with something healthier - CINNAMON!

No fancy cinnamon required...

Why should YOU incorporate cinnamon with black coffee into your morning routine? Antioxidants and lots of other health benefits. Plus, it also stabilizes your energy levels! Yah!

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13. DRINK APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

During my 1 hour morning routine, I also make some apple cider vinegar (ACV) water.

I get it set up during this “free” time so I can be uninterrupted later during my work time.

Apple cider vinegar is YET ANOTHER thing I thought was just a hype. I apparently seem to think that about a lot of stuff that ends up being really good for me.

But if you haven’t hopped on the ACV train yet, I recommend you do!

The main reasons that finally won me over to joining the ACV “cult” are:

1. It’s proven to help you lose weight WITHOUT you needing to do anything else
2. It helps improve the PH in your stomach and helps your gut health

 (If you have IBS this is a natural remedy for you!)

So why not add it and all its benefits to POWER UP your morning routine?

This is the apple cider vinegar that I drink. I mix 2 tablespoons into my water bottle (BE CAREFUL about sipping on this all day as it’s acidic and will weaken your teeth enamel).

Having it premade helps me be more likely to get around to drinking it (less friction again).

I can then check it off my bullet journal as it’s one of my goals to drink 2 TBSP of it daily.

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14. REVIEW YOUR GOALS

I recently came across the idea of bullet journals, and I’m wondering where have they been my whole life!? It’s the PERFECT way to track your goals and EASILY see your progress.

But if you’re not into bullet journals, you can do the same thing with a list of your New Year’s resolutions or even a 5 year plan.

Think about your year’s goals and then break them down into month goals, then further into week goals. 

See how you’re coming along with them, and decide what you need to do THAT DAY to make sure you stay on track.

I think it’s really important to keep tabs on this, and to take tiny bites out of your goals regularly so that you can hit your targets, and so that the days won’t get away from you.

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15. GET DRESSED FOR THE DAY

This is a PRO TIP!

If you leave the house for work then I assume you’re already putting on “real” clothes for the day. But for the moms who stay at home, or the work at home individuals, THIS IS IMPORTANT!

It took me MONTHS to learn this for myself, but you REALLY should put on a pair of jeans or something decent every day. I KNOW it’s tempting to just stay in pjs or sweats because no one is going to see you or because you can, but you shouldn’t. 

Here’s why:

HOW YOU DRESS AFFECTS YOUR MOOD

If you dress sloppy you will FEEL sloppy funny enough. If you dress in something that makes you look nice but is still comfortable around the house, not only will you look good but you’ll feel good too.

YOUR SPOUSE WILL APPRECIATE YOU PUTTING EFFORT INTO YOUR APPEARANCE

(or they should!)

IT WILL PREVENT WEIGHT GAIN!

This is just something I learned myself, but I found that you can help yourself subconsciously choose healthier foods by wearing tighter or at least NOT loose clothing.

It made me more aware of my current size and reminded me of my healthy eating goals because I could see my (insert large body part here) instead of if it were hiding under a bagging t-shirt. 

Part of my outfit today also included putting on this Posture Corrector.

I’ve often been told I have really bad posture, and fully admit to it. Plus, working on a computer all day has my back/shoulders hurting SO MUCH and SO REGULARLY that I HAD to try something.

I was excited to find this simple item that could quickly and easily solve my problem. I’m actually wearing it right now as I’m typing this, no lie! It seriously INSTANTLY relieves your pain, plus corrects your posture. Duh!

If you have bad posture or your shoulders/upper back hurt from hunching over a computer all day, hunching over your phone, or hunching wherever, I’d HIGHLY recommend trying this.

 
Also, this Posture Corrector is almost UNDETECTABLE underneath the nice clothes you just put on, so you can walk around confidently.

 

16. INTERACT WITH LOVED ONES - PET YOUR POOCH

It’s no secret that being around loved ones can release some feel good hormones, but did it ever occur to you that you could ALSO get that same benefit from your pet too?!

According to Today’s article about how pets can ease your stress, “Your touch relaxes the animal and releases feel-good endorphins in you, reducing your heart rate.”

So don’t negate the power of petting your pet first thing in the morning, and maybe even find a way to make it a part of your regular routine. Both you and your pet will appreciate it.

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17. LIGHT A CANDLE

Part of lowering stress includes NOT focusing on the future and instead living in the PRESENT.

Well, activating your senses through the smell of sweet vanilla or an earthly sandalwood candle helps do just that.

It especially helps if the scent of candle you use reminds you of a positive memory or place, or maybe it just makes your whole house smell like gingerbread cookies, and that brings you happiness (I mean who wouldn’t love that).

In an article about how scented candles reduce anxiety, Chryssa Chalkia, a Psychotherapist and counselor, says, “The smell of the scented candle stimulates the part of your brain which is connected to memory and mood. From boosting energy through to relieving stress or even enhancing mental clarity, the healing properties coming from a lighted scented candle can deliver psychological effects.”

I personally love a candle with a wooden wick as it has that lovely CRACKLE that reminds me of home and the woodstove I grew up with. It just makes me feel all cozy and warm inside watching the little flame dance and listening to it as it burns.

Watching the flame can also be so mesmerizing and help to soothe and relax you as well.

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18. MAKE THE BED

I’m sure you’ve been waiting for this...

One of my girlfriends recently suggested a book fittingly titled Make Your Bed. It’s written by a U.S. Navy retired Admiral, William H. McRaven, who had this to say on the matter,

If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed...It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task, and another, and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed...If, by chance, you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that’s made. That you made. And a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better.

This is a morning ritual that my Mom always did while I was growing up, and still does faithfully. I, on the other hand, didn't do it for the majority of my adulthood. In fact, it's only been in the last 7 months I started doing this daily, and now that I'm used to it, I don't think I'll ever stop!

Is this something you’re religious about or something you don’t even THINK twice about doing?

For one, it sets the ton for the day. I always feel GOOD when I start my day with this. 

Plus, then I know, that even if the rest of the house is pure chaos, at least that one little square space is tidy, and later I can come home and enjoy crawling into a nice made bed.

If you'd like a little help making this annoying chore easier and more likely to get done, check out this product which I'm loving:  

This simple little gadget clips your comforter and sheets together so that the lower half of your bed stays made. All you have to do in the morning is just flip up the top of your covers and your bed is made in seconds.

It's perfect for you if you want to get better about making your bed, as it keeps things tidy and prevents the covers from getting totally messed up while you toss at night.

This item is one of your options for a FREE GIFT. Just spend $60 USD on anything in our boutique to qualify to get these Comforter & Sheet Fasteners at no additional cost!

 

19. INCORPORATE A QUICK MORNING WORKOUT ROUTINE

DO SOME MUSCLE BUILDING

In the past, I tried to fit in a few short muscle-building activities. I did something fast and simple like: 5 pushups, 25 sit-ups, and 10 squats. 

I did this not just to get my blood flowing and heart rate up, but mainly so that I’d have less working out to do later. And also this way, even if I ended up not doing any other exercise for the rest of the day, at least I knew I’d moved my body a little bit.

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GO FOR A WALK

I've also tried going for walks at this time too, which I loved.

They were very peaceful and relaxing, but NOT time efficient which is why I don’t suggest them if you’re doing this 1 hour morning routine (but it’s still a good idea so I mention it).

The reason I suggest strengthening exercises instead of cardio is to maximize your time.

If you add a morning workout routine into your schedule, you’ll end up with increased muscle mass and you’ll burn more calories at a standstill than you would otherwise. More about this here - Cardio Versus Weight Training

But after trying both ideas, I stopped doing any exercising during this time because I found I was feeling a bit rushed, and decided I wanted to put more emphasis on the next item I do, so I simply moved my workout later in the day.

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20. DO YOUR DEVOTION OR MEDITATION

You were probably ALSO waiting for some kind of meditation to be mentioned.

Well, while I do believe in the benefits of that, I’d rather spend my time checking off another one of my Daily Dos that’s also on my bullet journal, MY DEVOTIONAL.

For a long while, I STRUGGLED to find a time to fit God into my hectic schedule. In the mornings I was too rushed, and in the evenings too tired.

Now that I built it into my morning routine, I am ACTUALLY getting it done. Hallelujah!

That’s the POWER of this morning routine. You tailor it to YOUR NEEDS, and then it works for YOU.

Currently, for getting my devotionals I’m using the Bible App which has lots of devotions, quotes, and different versions of the Bible available. Also, IT’S FREE!

However,  I DON’T like getting on my phone AT ALL during this time, so that is a downside. I plan on picking out and ordering some kind of devotional book in the future to get around this.

Timewise, I try to start reading the devotional when there are about 15 minutes left in the hour.

Now maybe you aren’t a religious person, so a devotion doesn’t appeal to you, but taking some quiet time to reflect is still a healthy practice and good habit for you to get into.

Before the chaoticness and hustle-bustle of the workday begins, enjoy a little quiet time with your own thoughts. Here you could also be incorporating saying those positive affirmations we discussed earlier.

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21. KEEP YOUR PHONE TURNED OFF

You might have noticed that earlier was the first time I even mentioned your trusty but time-demanding sidekick, and that’s because it should be OFF or AT LEAST in airplane mode during this whole process.

Right now, what’s the first thing you do when you wake up?

According to a study from IDC Research, 80% of smartphone users check their phones within the first 15 minutes of waking up.

 

I used to be no exception (and still struggle with this sometimes).

But keep in mind, we only have one hour to ourselves, and to enjoy all the positive health benefits that are packed into this routine to help lower our stress and ENJOY our morning.

So EVEN if we’re getting up early, unless we have a solid routine in place that DOESN’T include getting distracted and going down a rabbit hole, we can still start the day off unproductive and STRESSED!

Avoid this TRAP!

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22. GET READY FOR THE NEXT BLOCK OF TIME

What’s next may be different for everyone. You may be leaving to drive to work, getting the kids to school, or just heading to your at home work desk. 

Either way, when I have about five minutes left in this block I get into the preparing phase, so this includes turning on my computer and getting it loaded up so I can start right at 8 o'clock. 

Maybe this means you:

• Grab your keys and your purse

• Fill up your to-go cup with coffee

• Make sure the kids have their shoes on and you aren’t leaving anyone behind

• Turn on your car and start up the AC so you don’t die when you get into it soon

Just finish up the last little tasks so that you can BE READY and start your next block ON TIME.

Also, if you like to put on makeup, girl, let me tell you, I WISH I’d known about this thing back when I had work I left the house for (now I tend to not put on makeup when just working at home).

If you have patchy or thin eyebrows and it takes you a hot minute to fill them in, this will be a TIME SAVER for your already fast-paced morning.

I was really excited to find this makeup pen as it saves me time getting ready whenever I go out, but also makes my drawn on eyebrows look like they grew there.

So if you’re wanting natural-looking brows AND want to save time in the morning getting ready before rushing to work, check it out: Microblading Eyebrow Tattoo Pen.

 

OTHER HABITS TO INCLUDE IN YOUR MORNING ROUTINE

While I talked about my own routine and what works for me in this blog post, I still did a bunch of research for it because I wanted to try to provide the most information for you ladies possible.

I came across two other ideas which I feel worth mentioning:

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SMILE AT YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR

Girl when I read that, I FELT that!

I can’t remember the last time I looked at myself in the mirror with anything but a SCOWL because surprise, surprise, I don’t like how I look.

Maybe, you feel a similar way about yourself.

I already started trying this out and it’s been really nice to take a second to practice some self-love and say, “Hey, I see you, you’re beautiful with that smile. Today’s going to be better because of it.”

 

Try this out and see if it doesn’t help you look at yourself with new eyes and with kindness!

The other idea was:

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH POSITIVE STICKY NOTES

You’ve probably seen or heard of doing this before, but I forgot about the idea, so I thought I’d mention it here for both our sakes.

For example, you could put self-love sticky notes around your bathroom mirror. You could also add body positivity or health encouraging notes to your fridge so you see them when you open it to get food.

The idea is just to surround yourself with uplifting affirmations and reminders. Doing this wouldn't only affect your morning, but your whole day too!

If you want even more ideas or inspiration on how to improve your morning routine, consider checking out The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod. He’s the one responsible for starting this whole morning routine CRAZE!!

 

HOW TO STICK TO A MORNING ROUTINE

You might be thinking, this all sounds great, but how do I make it STICK!? 

Here are a few things you can try: 

• Set an alarm time that allows you to get enough sleep and wake rested

-Like we discussed

• Put your alarm on the other side of the room

-Do this if you always hit the snooze button!

• Start a good night routine to set yourself up for success in your morning

-Like having your clothes already laid out

• Do NOT check your phone when you wake up and leave it on “Do not disturb” 

• Be realistic about what kind of routine ACTUALLY works for your schedule

-Don’t FORCE those cookie-cutter routines to "work" for your REAL life. Find what works for you.

• Include something that you LOOK FORWARD TO and WANT to get up for

-For me, that’s taking a soothing shower

Once you get into the habit of waking up a little bit earlier, it will become easier and you’ll start to love your healthy morning routine and BE EXCITED for it!

FINAL THOUGHTS 

Whew! That was a lot!

Hopefully, my healthy morning routine gave you new ideas for how you can create one that actually WORKS for you!

If the above routine is too intense for you, start by choosing one item, and adding it to your mornings.

Remember, this is a PICK AND CHOOSE kind of thing, so make your morning routine as unique as yourself. Maybe for you, that means doing NOTHING that I mentioned.

Also equally important, for the perfectionist reading this (like myself), don't expect to be able to stick to your routine EVERY SINGLE day. That’s just NOT reality. Plus, life would be boring if it was always exactly the same.

So, are you already doing a morning routine? If not, are there any fun ideas you got from this that you’re going to use to make one?

Tell me, I’d LOVE to know!

If you found this blog post informational or just plain weird, SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS!

Thanks for reading girlfriend! I’ll see you back again soon.