Your daily morning routine is your gift to yourself, therefore learning how to add in small steps to get the most of it can create beautiful times of reflection for your past, present, and future.
I sometimes struggle to find my way out of bed in the morning.
As a matter of fact, it’s easier for me to check a few things on my phone and curl back into bed and waste my day away than it is to get out of bed.
The pandemic took a toll on how I perceived my time, my body, and my life in general.
However, I have been trying to get better at it – it’s hard, but it is attainable.
But I have to ask: what does your day look like once you’re awake? How are you actually spending those first 30 to 60 minutes before you start your day?
Well, if you’re anything like me, you know that starting your day off on the right foot sets the tone for the rest of your day. Actually, it can help you be more productive, accomplished, and empowered.
There’s that word: empowered. It feels exhilarating when you’ve done something great for yourself and gotten closer to your goals by the end of the day.
Every day you do one thing on your to-do list is one step closer to creating the reality you’re trying to create.
Table of Adventures
Why Is It Important to Have a Daily Morning Routine?
Glad you asked.
Recall that anecdote: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Turns out scientific research supports this.
It has shown that habits, like morning rituals, set you up for success with things like increased sleep quality and sharper focus.
By adding the right rituals to your morning routine it can start a domino effect of achievement.
The great thing about rituals is that it’s a subtle way of shifting your mindset from reacting to being proactive in how you’re going to achieve your goals.
The other great thing is that you don’t have to solely think about how to create a morning routine, but also about the things you want to eliminate from it, too.
Arianna Huffington, founder of The Huffington Post and ThriveGlobal, has shared that a part of her morning routine is about what she doesn’t do – checking her phone.
By taking into consideration what you do and don’t want for your life, you can create a morning routine that supports your goals and the life you want to live.
Related: 6 Productive Things to Do
How to Integrate Morning Rituals Into Your Routine
1 // Think about the person you want to be.
Start with your “why.” By starting this way it can help you to envision the transformation you want as a result of changing your routine. Ask yourself some questions to get to the root of what you want.
- Do you want to be successful? What does success look like to you?
- Do you want to be happy? What does happiness look like to you?
- What can you add to your routine that will help you start the day proactively?
2 // Start with easy wins.
By starting with easy wins (or easy tasks) you can start the day off on a positive note.
- Making your bed.
- Washing your face.
- Drinking a glass of lemon water.
3 // Enjoy the process.
It’s important to enjoy what your new rituals are bringing to your morning routine or else you’ll find yourself cursing trying to care and you’ll give up. If you are too busy to do every part of your ritual each day, it’s OK.
Being compassionate with yourself is key. Practice self-forgiveness if life gets too busy for you to complete your morning routine.
Having an intentional morning routine will help you put in the work to become the woman you want to be, feel empowered, and reach your goals.
Related: 17 Feel Good Activities to Make You Happy Instantly
Morning Rituals to Feel More Confident
1 // Make your bed.
Making your bed each morning starts your day with a sense of accomplishment, pride, and encouragement. These can really spur your day on to bigger and better things.
Many successful women and men start off their day by creating a domino effect of achievement by starting each day by making their bed.
“If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another.”
— Naval Admiral William McRaven
2 // Put off checking your phone.
Give your mind the time to reboot without inundating it with a ton of digitized information. Our brains have lost their attention span with the advent of the digital age. Challenge yourself to put your phone in another room so you’re not tempted.
Do these instead to get your blood flowing:
- Brush your teeth.
- Wash your face.
- Brush your hair.
- Talk to someone in your house (say hi!).
- Cook up a quick breakfast.
3 // Drink a glass of water.
My favorite thing to drink in the morning is hot water tea with lemon and honey, but I know that not everyone is up for that.
I do this because overnight our bodies go eight hours without hydration. Starting the morning with a glass of water awakens the senses and rehydrates your body.
Keeping a glass on your side table is an easy way to remember to do it daily.
4 // Journal.
Journaling helps you to gather your thoughts onto paper and set goals. It gives you time to meditate on what is important to you in your own time and gives you the opportunity to be grateful for what has happened.
Journaling is a fantastic morning routine as it helps you to reflect on the past, appreciate the past, and decide how you want the future to look.
There are many kinds of journaling. The most popular is writing in a physical paper journal, but there’s also digital journaling, video journaling, bullet journaling (known as Bujo), art journaling, and so much more.
Find what works for you in whatever medium grants you the feeling you need from it.
Use these prompts to guide your journaling:
- How did yesterday feel for you?
- Any dreams you want to talk about before you forget?
- Set your intention for the day.
- Reflect on what you are grateful for.
5 // Move.
One of the last things you can integrate into your morning routine is movement. Keep it simple by taking a walk or go the extra mile and go to the gym. Either will wake you up and give you the energy to keep going the rest of the day.
Plus, it will help release awesome mood-boosting endorphins.
Conclusion
Life is unexpected and you may end up having other responsibilities. Avoid pressuring yourself to complete your morning routine every day if it doesn’t suit you at the moment.
It’s OK to improvise on the fly and to make life work for you.
Make your morning routine fun and create it for success – a time to reflect, energize, and rest. Don’t try to change your routine all at once. One step at a time.
More Self Care Articles:
Your 30 Day Self-Love Challenge: Be Kind to Yourself
60+ Thoughtful and Unique Ways to Take Care of Yourself
How to Make Yourself a Priority While Still Being There for Others