Creating Your Perfect Morning Routine
I recently shared a little sneak peek into my morning routine on Instagram. I’ve heard from many friends that mornings are hard and chaotic, especially as a mother! So today, I want to share my typical morning routine and some tips to perfect a morning routine that works for you! This is not a one-size-fits-all type of thing, so take what you need, use it for yourself, and disregard the rest!
A Sneak Peak Into My Morning Routine
Since I work outside the home Monday - Friday, I like to have my days look similar. Weekends are much more relaxed, though I try to accomplish most of the same tasks on a different timeline. So here’s what a typical Monday - Friday morning looks like for me:
5:40 am - my alarm goes off. It is charging across the room, so I have to get up to turn it off. I’ve committed not to hit the snooze button, so I start my day on time. I was a chronic snoozer until very recently, but this switch has been instrumental in changing my mornings for the better.
5:41 am - I go to the kitchen to take my pre-workout. This helps wake me up and energizes me for my morning workout. I’ve been using and loving this one from Rootz Nutrition. Half of a scoop is all I need to start my day.
5:45 am - I head back to my room to read my Bible and pray. I’m a huge advocate for leaving my phone plugged in across the room, so I take out a physical copy of my Bible and have a printed piece of paper that lists my Bible reading plan (I use the Bible Project’s). All of the Bible apps can be super helpful, but there’s also evidence that waiting to pick up your phone in the morning can significantly reduce stress and anxiety.
6:30 am - I get up, put on my workout clothes, make my bed, and pull up my workout for the day. I love using Nourish Move Love’s Youtube videos, but I’ve also worked through Rachael Good Eat’s ebook Good Sweat At Home. This personally works for me and my schedule right now, though, in the future, I would love to attend a gym or class. I primarily strength train, so I keep a yoga mat, weights, towels, and resistance bands in my room.
7 am - if I’m lucky, my kids are still sleeping, so I can get dressed and ready for the day. However, they often get up, sit in bed with me, or read and play while I work out.
7:15 am - If I’m on breakfast duty for the day, I’ll pull together something easy, like oatmeal with fruit and peanut butter or yogurt and granola.
7:30 am - we eat breakfast together at the table. I drink my vitamins, and the girls take theirs as well. I love AG1 - it’s packed with probiotics and all the vitamins I need in a delicious drink. The girls have been using Hiya - both their multivitamin and their probiotics, as well as elderberry gummies (the preschool sickness is real and we want to be feeling our best! Also, I have all of these things on autoship so they come right to me every month!)
7:45 am - we catch up on any last minute getting ready items like brushing teeth, getting shoes on, brushing hair, etc, and pack our bags and lunch boxes (prepped the night before) to get ready to head out for the day.
8/8:15 am - we’re in the car and ready for school drop-off and work!
How to Make Your Morning Routine Work For You
Everyone’s morning routine will look different. What works for me may or may not work for you in your current life stage or for your personality and preferences. I hope my schedule inspires you to try different things out, find what works for you, and maybe wake up a bit earlier to start your day on the right foot.
This requires intentionality, trying and failing, and trying again. Maybe even some accountability! If starting your day with scripture and prayer, or in an unhurried and stress-free way is of value to you, then take the time to test out and create the morning routine that fills you up.
Ideas to Create Your Morning Routine
I recently talked to my therapist about morning routines, and here are a few things she suggested. This list is not a requirement to do all the things but simply a gentle encouragement to find what works for you.
Avoid looking at your phone or even checking the time on your phone. Simply looking at it can easily trigger the need to check notifications. Blue light and notifications from social media, news, and politics can cause stress and irritability.
Make the first thing you do something fun. Looking forward to this event can make you happy and increase your motivation to wake up.
Make your bed. This can contribute to success and is positively correlated with better sleep, mood, and confidence.
Drink water first. This increases cognitive function and compats fatigue. Chronic dehydration can cause chronic anxiety and depression.
Drink coffee after you’ve eaten some food. Cortisol (the stress hormone) increases when you drink coffee on an empty stomach.
Take a walk, or at least get ten minutes of exposure to morning light. This helps regulate our ciradian rhythm.
Wake up an hour before you’re needed. I LOVED this advice! As a mom or a caretaker, this is especially important to pour into yourself before you pour in to others.
Write in a journal. Use this as an opportunity to check in with yourself — how you’re feeling, processing events and emotions, writing down prayers.
Spend fifteen minutes in meditation.
Read the Bible.
Practice gratitude (This can also be done at night).
Make a plan or write a to-do list, but don’t write something you can’t accomplish — it’s better to underestimate yourself than overfill your plate.
Perfecting Your Morning Routine
My morning routine is something that I’m continually working on and adjusting. I honestly don’t know if I’ll ever arrive at that “perfect” routine because schedules change, sickness derails things, and life happens. But honestly, the effort is worth it. If I get to all of my morning items at least two to three times a week, I feel more at peace and less anxious. I feel grounded and ready for my day.
If that’s something you’re struggling with, I hope this serves as an encouragement to just take one small step in the direction of creating your morning routine. Feeling more at peace is worth it. Filling your cup is worth it. Sacrificing less important things for the sake of maintaining your joy is worth it.