Morning routines play an important role in setting the tone for the entire day and can influence your productivity, mental health, and overall well-being. By establishing a morning routine, you not only set yourself up for success but also cultivate a sense of calm and purpose. Morning routines can reduce decision fatigue, enhance focus, and help you keep a positive mindset. In essence, a morning routine is important for creating a balanced life.

Below you will find a morning routine to adapt to your lifestyle.

The Night Before

• Preparation: Lay out your clothes for the next day and write down the top three priorities for the day. This helps minimize decision-making in the morning, allowing for a smoother start to your day.

6 Morning Rituals

1. Ease into Your Day: Start with gentle awakening. Avoid immediately reaching for your phone. Instead, enjoy a quiet moment with a cup of coffee or tea in a peaceful spot of your home.
2. Mindfulness Practice: Dedicate a short period to meditation to center your thoughts. Using a meditation app for guided sessions can be helpful. This sets a calm and focused tone for the day. You might try the Headspace 5-minute mindfulness meditation.
3. Physical Activity: Incorporate an exercise you enjoy, such as walking, yoga, or a brief workout for no more than 10 – 15-minutes. This wakes up both your body and mind.
4. Nourish Your Body: Enjoy a nutritious breakfast. Aim for a meal high in protein and fiber to fuel your energy levels without feeling heavy.
5. Cultivate Curiosity: To inspire creativity and introduce new ideas, spend some time reading/listening to a book or podcast. You might do this while exercising.
6. Practice Gratitude: Reflect on three things you’re thankful for. This practice creates a positive outlook and helps you appreciate the simple joys of life.

Starting Your Day: With your body energized, your mind clear, and your spirit uplifted, you can now win the day. This routine is designed to enhance your well-being, increase your productivity, and spark your creativity.

Adapting the Plan

The effectiveness of a morning routine lies in its personalization. Make sure to modify this plan to align with your specific needs and lifestyle. The goal is to establish a set of morning rituals to enhance your personal and professional wellbeing.

Implementing a Sustainable Morning Routine

Below you will find an example of a sustainable morning routine.

Cultivate Curiosity and Gratitude in 15 minutes

Upon waking stretch your arms and take a deep breath while in bed. Then immediately leave the bed and head to the restroom if needed. Prepare— coffee or tea. Enjoy your drink while reading/listening to an inspirational book or podcast. You might listen to Eckhart Tolle’s podcast to stimulate curiosity and interest. Next, dedicate two minutes to writing down three aspects of life you’re thankful for. I like to purchase blank journals with decorative covers for this ritual.

Stretch and Meditate in 5 – 10 minutes

Now start 5-minute standing morning yoga to combine body awareness with meditative breathing.

If you would like to add a formal meditation, try the Headspace 5-minute mindfulness meditation. However, I find the standing morning yoga sufficient.

Eat / Prepare a Nutritious Breakfast in 5 – 15 minutes

For a quick and nutritious breakfast option, a protein-rich smoothie can be made in just 5 minutes by blending bananas, frozen fruit, a handful of fresh spinach, non-dairy milk, and vanilla protein powder. I enjoy Garden of Life Organic Protein Powder which I purchase at Target. This smoothie can be taken on-the-go to save time or you can take time to drink it or eat a simple breakfast of protein rich granola with dried fruit and nuts.

Get Dressed & Ready in 20 – 30 minutes

The final step is getting dressed and ready for the day. If you showered the night before, laid out your clothes, and have everything prepared and easily accessible, you can get ready in 20 to 30 minutes. If you are a woman and need to style your hair, complete a skin care routine, and apply make-up you can do this in 20 minutes if you are efficient. If you are a man you can shave and style hair in 10 minutes. For women, I recommend using these inexpensive hair styling tools to efficiently style your hair. I can style damp hair in about 10 minutes with these products: Revlon One-Step Hair Brush Dryer and Revlon Pro Heated Silicone Bristle Curl Brush.

A Special Note to Parents:

It is critical for parents to wake-up at least 45 minutes to 1 hour before children to complete the morning routine. This will prevent the usual rush and chaos, and lead to a more serene and focused morning where you can give children your full attention, help them get ready, eat breakfast together and have nice conversations before going to school.

About the Author

Dr. Christine E. Dickson holds a Dual PhD in Clinical and Industrial-Organizational Psychology and has over 25 years of experience. Christine is passionate about psychology, philosophy and mindfulness, but also loves art, technology and science. Christine is licensed to practice throughout California but provides life coaching worldwide. If you would like to make an appointment with her, please reach out through her website.