Mornings set the tone for the rest of your day. How you start your day can determine your productivity, your mindset, and even your overall well-being. That’s why having a structured and effective morning routine is key to making the most of every day.

In this guide, we’ll explore the art of crafting the perfect morning routine – one that helps you boost productivity, maintain a positive mindset, and set yourself up for success. Whether you’re a seasoned early riser looking to enhance your existing routine or a snooze-button lover seeking a fresh start, you’ll find valuable insights and practical tips to create a morning ritual that suits your unique lifestyle and goals.

Why have a good morning routine?

As I just said, a good morning routine sets you up for the day. It puts you in a good mood and makes you feel accomplished and productive from the get-go.

It also allows you to have that much-needed time alone – an act of self-care. Most of us don’t actively include time for self-care in our day, so creating a stable 10-60-minute morning routine enables us to benefit from this under-appreciated practice.

Setting Your Morning Routine Goals

What do you hope to achieve in a morning routine?

This answer is different for everyone. For example, you might want to increase this act of self-care and make sure to incorporate it every day into a routine. Or you might want some alone time. Or you simply want to increase your productivity, or have a stable routine each day.

Whatever your situation, make sure you have a reason for creating a morning routine. This way, you’ll actually want to stick to it.

Elements of a Successful Morning Routine

There are many:

• Waking up earlier
• No phone/social media usage
• Meditation
• A decent, healthy breakfast
• Exercise
• Reading an educational book
• Watching the news
• Planning your to-do list for the day

An Example: My Ideal Morning Routine

I used to do this routine every day, and I’m slowly getting back into it. It’s harder now since I work part-time and thus have a different routine for when I go to the office (once a week) and when I work from home (twice a week), and then the rest of the week.

Still, I’m being hypocritical here. If you want to stick to your morning routine, do it every day regardless of what you have planned. I will talk about Habit Planning later.

This routine takes around an hour – and I truly love it.

1. Wake up early and don’t touch my phone. This instantly elevates my mood. Sometimes I even put upbeat music on, to elevate my mood even more.
2. Stretch and meditate. I don’t mean sitting cross-legged and humming – I simply sit on the edge of my bed, close my eyes, focus on my breathing and try to clarify my thoughts and push negative ones away – telling myself I will have a good day. This comes with affirmations too.
3. Put on some fun workout clothes and head downstairs to do a workout. This varies from time to time and nowadays I’m trying to not focus so much on this aspect of my morning routine – because you don’t need to work out every day (and I’m a good example of how negative this may become if you put so much emphasis on this). If I do a workout, it may be a walk outside/on the treadmill, a weights workout, dance workout, cardio workout. It all depends on my mood.
4. Journal. I love this part of my day. I mainly focus on gratitude, writing down three to five things I’m thankful for each morning. If I feel particular emotions coming up, I write them down and try to analyse them.
5. Write a to-do list. This clarifies my mind and stops me from stressing. I have a tendency to get overwhelmed with how much I have to do in a day, and making a to-do list with little check boxes next to it helps me feel calmer and more productive as the day goes on.
6. Read. I try to read 5-10 pages each morning, whether it’s a self-help book or a trashy romance novel. It helps me focus on an outside world and not worry about my own life for once.
7. Eat some yummy food. I can’t stress how important breakfast is, especially if you have done some exercise. It sets you up for the day, especially if you make your favourite breakfast with a whole lot of yum! My favourites right now are avocado toast, a fruit bowl, or a simple bagel.

Then, I pick up my phone and get to work – whether that’s my actual job, or my side hustle of social media :)

The Science of Habit Forming

The psychology behind forming habits is rooted in the brain’s natural tendency to seek efficiency and conserve mental energy. Habits are formed through a three-step loop: cue, routine, and reward. When it comes to establishing a morning routine, the cue might be the time you wake up, the routine is the series of actions you take, and the reward is the positive feeling or sense of accomplishment you gain.

To make your morning routine stick, use the following strategies:

1. Consistency: Perform the routine at the same time each day to reinforce the habit loop.
2. Start Small: Begin with just a few manageable actions, gradually adding more over time.
3. Commitment: Make a conscious commitment to the routine, setting clear intentions and goals.
4. Accountability: Share your goals with someone who can help keep you on track.
5. Visual Cues: Use visible reminders or cues to prompt your morning routine.
6. Celebrate Small Wins: Acknowledge and reward yourself for successfully completing your routine.
7. Adaptability: Be open to adjusting your routine as needed, and don’t be too hard on yourself if you occasionally slip.

By understanding the psychology of habit formation and implementing these strategies, you can increase the likelihood of making your morning routine a lasting and beneficial part of your daily life.

The important part is to maintain consistency. Studies show that a habit becomes a routine after 25 days – approximately a month. Then, you will do these habits like brushing your teeth!

I hope you gained some insightful knowledge in this post, and I strongly recommend that you start thinking about creating a stable, mind-nourishing morning routine!

Signing off,

Pepetoe x