Why is a Morning Routine Important?

Unless you were gifted with a pristine circadian rhythm or have a healthy relationship with sunrises, many of us struggle to wake up or feel energized in the morning. It may be safe to say that for a good number of folks, the snooze button is both a blessing and a curse—providing us that extra six to seven minutes of slumber only to be jarred by the traumatic tolling of a ringtone in a never-ending battle between calm and chaos before we even start the… we’re getting carried away here.

The point is that the snooze button usually does more harm than good.

And that’s only one not-so-great habit that we may fall prey to when it comes to waking up feeling refreshed.

As daunting as mornings may seem, believe it or not, there are ways to incorporate healthy habits that can help you rise with the sun, feel your best and not need an IV of coffee to do so.

Enter the morning routine: A collection of said habits that can help us wake up without grogginess, grumpiness, restlessness or regrets. We asked our early birds what some of their tricks were for the best morning routine and are here to spill the tea.

Benefits of Having a Morning Routine

A morning routine can benefit anyone, no matter the age or what you have going on in the day. From the hustling professional to the exhausted student, sticking to a routine first thing in the morning is an effective way to start the day with your best foot forward and knock out tasks with more ease than usual.

While everyone works a little differently, there are some common benefits that many people enjoy because of establishing a healthy morning routine. Some of which include:

• Increased focus and productivity
• Improved mood and overall wellbeing
• Healthy stress management
• Sustained energy throughout the day
• Boosted confidence
• Better quality of sleep

If one (or all) of these sounds good, let’s get started on how to build the best morning routine for you.

How to Build Your Best Morning Routine

One of the best pieces of advice for beginners looking for a successful morning routine is to start small and work your way up. It may feel exciting to plan out some new habits in the morning…but chances are you’re making these plans later in the day when you have energy. Remember the kind of person you are in the morning: are you going to be able to take on 10 new habits on your first day?

… If so you are incredible and we love that energy, but if not that’s completely normal and you’re allowed to take your time as you establish a routine that fits your needs. After all, this is supposed to be a morning routine, not a mourning routine.

Start with 2-3 habits to start and work your way up to avoid overwhelm, exhaustion and burnout so you can create a strong foundation to build from as you go.

We’ve broken down some key habits and ways to practice them below. Try a couple at once and if they aren’t working for you, try something else and see how that goes. The beauty of building your own morning routine is that it can be versatile and change with you over time.

Wake Up/Stay Up: How to Get the Heck out of Bed

• Resist the urge to push snooze to avoid feeling groggy
• Get out of bed and open the blinds—sunshine helps our mind wake up
• Take five minutes to stretch and wake your body up
• Drink a glass of water to help rehydrate and jumpstart your metabolism

Fuel Up: How to Energize Your Morning

• Eat a healthy breakfast to fuel your body
• Try a quick 5-10 minute workout for a little boost of serotonin
• Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea (if you drank water first)
• Listen to music that pumps you up—dancing is encouraged
• Bonus: Try any of the following with a loved one for some added good vibes

Clean Up: How to Refresh and Recoup

• Take a cold shower for healthy circulation, metabolism and response to stress
• Make your bed, it’s a small task that improves sleep and can make you feel accomplished
• Enjoy a skincare regimen that leaves you looking and feeling your best
• Tidy up your space—whether it’s your home or office—to improve focus

Wise Up: How to Grow Your Mind

• Plan your day out and try to stick to it
• Read for 5-10 minutes to learn something new
• Write for 5-10 minutes and get your gears turning
• Do something you love and feel the stress fade away

Show Up: How to Conquer Your Day

• Dress to impress to build confidence, even if you’re staying home
• Knock out your most difficult task first so the rest of the day is a breeze
• Keep a list and cross off your tasks as you go to hold yourself accountable
• Go to bed on time—you’ll thank yourself for it tomorrow morning

The Long-Term Rise and Shine

Try a few of these practices for 30 days and see how you feel. If you miss a day, that’s okay, just add another day to your 30 so you can stick to your goal.

Once you feel more and more comfortable and confident with your smaller habits, try adding some more until you feel like the boss that you are. Remember that building healthy habits takes time so be kind to yourself while you venture out into the world of early birds.

Setting small goals is a great way to test your limits and feel good about your accomplishments. Soon you may come to find that your couple of habits have turned into a full-fledged morning routine complete with a mile run and gourmet breakfast—you’ve got this.