10 Morning Habits You’ll Want to Try

A morning routine is  a popular topic of conversation, especially among high-achieving individuals. A quick Google search explains what a morning routine is: a set of habits or motions that you go through when you wake up. Ideally, a deliberate morning routine will set us up for success, increased productivity and focus, more self-confidence, and added peace and calm in our lives, no matter what each day brings. 

But how many of us have intentional, meticulously-created routines for our mornings? Do we allow the precious morning time to pass us by, rushed, hurried, and tired, or have we cultivated that space for more? While I still have much to practice with my own morning routine, I argue that a morning routine is one of the few times in the day to be selfish, and allow ourselves to focus on ourselves so that we can focus on everyone else later.

I have discovered that a planned evening routine is critical to a strong morning routine, but more on that in a future post!

If you’re stuck in your morning routine, looking to build a better morning habit, or simply expand the routine you already have, here are 10 ideas to consider: 

Do not press the snooze button.

This is by far the simplest, but hardest thing for me in the morning. Not only does pressing the snooze button prolong us from getting up and starting our day in a positive way, it physically and psychologically harms us. Let’s be honest, how many of us actually feel more refreshed as a result of a 5 or 10-minute snooze? 

As author and speaker Mel Robbins says, hitting “snooze kills our productivity for at least four hours.” The snooze button screws up our circadian rhythms because it puts our brains back into a REM cycle that is supposed to last for 90-110 minutes! Because of this, our brains get sucked back into a sleep cycle instead of waking up and starting the day. This directly impacts our alertness, productivity, and brain activity for the first waking hours of our day. 

Do not touch your phone for the first 30 minutes after you wake up.  

In his book, “Atomic Habits,” James Clear argues that we should set ourselves up to make creating new habits easier. If we don’t want to look at our phones in the morning, perhaps we leave the phones in the bathroom or kitchen all night. That way, we are less tempted to immediately check our phone to stop our alarm, or check email or social media as soon as we get up

Hydrate. 

Drinking water first thing in the morning replenishes our bodies with much needed hydration after hours of sleeping. Studies show that morning hydration jumpstarts our water consumption throughout the day, improves weight loss and overall calorie consumption, helps eliminate toxins, and improves mental health performance. If you’re looking to increase your water consumption overall, starting your day with a large glass of water will help achieve that goal. Ideally, we should start off every morning by drinking 1-3 cups of water. 

Pray, meditate, or read.  

I love having quiet time in the morning, although sometimes I wake up too late to give myself enough time to sit down and quietly begin my day. Regardless, I’ve made it a habit to start every day with prayer, even if it is short. Beginning our days with time to pray, meditate, or read, allows our bodies and brains to wake up, while focusing on the higher reasons for being and learning. 

Write a gratitude journal, journal your thoughts, or write down your daily and life goals.

Another way to quietly begin our days is through journaling. It helps clear our head to begin our day. Starting off by writing down what we’re grateful for is an additional source of positivity, energy, and perspective. 

One of my favorite journals is Rachel Hollis’ Start Today Journal. Everyday, it allows space to write 5 things we’re grateful for, 10 dreams we want to achieve (or have accomplished), and the one goal we’re focusing on first. Regardless of the journal, doing this type of work every day narrows our line of thinking in the pursuit of our goals. I’ve also seen goals written on bathroom mirrors for everyday viewing. 

Exercise. 

Everyone has their own preferences for working out. Some prefer morning, evening, or even during the day. Personally, I tend to fall into the day or evening category. However, there are definitely benefits to working out before the rest of our day starts, particularly before we eat. It improves our energy and mood, boosts our metabolism, improves focus, and helps us sleep better, to name a few. Even a simple 1, 2, or 3-mile walk is an excellent way to improve our overall health and wake up our bodies.  

Make coffee. 

I don’t know many people in America who don’t make or purchase coffee in the morning. But there is something to be said for brewing a cup in the morning while reading or getting ready for the day. If you’re a coffee lover like me, simply taking time to smell the beans and sip on coffee slowly is a pleasant way to start the day.

Make a to-do list for the day.

There are many who are motivated by checking off a to-do list. While this particular point could be categorized under an evening routine as well, making a prioritized to-do list for the day helps alleviate stress and allows us to focus on the non-negotiable items when other seemingly urgent things pop up.

Listen to a positive video or podcast. 

Sometimes, there just isn’t a lot of positivity in our day. Intentionally building in time to listen to positive and/or motivational reinforcement in the morning puts an optimistic spin on our day and helps us get through otherwise stressful, dreary, or difficult situations. 

Take a cold shower. 

Cold showers aren’t easy. But if you’re looking for a way to jolt your body into an awake state, this will definitely do it! Cold showers and ice baths are becoming more popular overall because of the health benefits they offer including increased blood circulation, potentially reduced anxiety through controlled neurological responses, and even increases in will power. 

While this is not an exhaustive list for morning routines and habits, it’s a start. Whatever you choose, I hope you jumpstart your day confidently with your own, individualized routine that works for you and your lifestyle.