From meditation to exercise, discover 10 morning routine ideas that will transform your life before 9am.
“If you win the morning, you win the day“ – Tim Ferriss
What is the first thing you do as soon as you wake up? Do you snooze your alarm? Do you check the notifications on your mobile phone? Do you start scrolling absent-mindedly on social media? And what words do you use? ‘I don’t feel like getting up’, ‘I’m sleepy’, ‘what a terrible day’, ‘I have to hurry’?
These seemingly trivial habits have disastrous effects on your life. In fact, science shows that the way you start the morning influences your entire day. It is therefore essential to start with positivity and energy. The secret? Finding morning routine ideas that excite you and starting each morning with your favourite rituals.
But what are examples of morning routines ideas worth following? We’ve done the research for you.
In this article, you’ll discover 7 benefits of the morning routines and 10 morning routine ideas to start each day off on the right foot, all before 9am.
Morning routine ideas: why do they matter?
A grumble against the alarm clock going off. “I don’t want to get up,” “I don’t want to go to work,” “10 more minutes,” you tell yourself as you try to stay in bed a little longer.
Do you start your day this way? Maybe you open your eyes, it’s raining outside, and you think, “What an awful day!” Maybe you start making endless ToDo lists: “I’m late,” “I have to hurry,” “I have to wake up the kids,” “I should have woken up earlier.” Or worse, you already start catastrophizing: “something will go wrong today,” “I have that important appointment, it will be a disaster.”
Don’t tell me you look at the news right away: another war, corruption everywhere, crime on the rise, economy in free fall. And then maybe you start robbing yourself of your time by jumping right into work emails, social media, thoughts about things you need to do for others. Always putting yourself on the back burner.
What if I told you that the first 20 minutes in the morning are the ones that matter most? This stage right after waking up is called the alpha stage. It is the time when your subconscious absorbs everything. If these are the feelings you start your day with, what do you expect to come out of it?
It is essential to start your day by doing something for you. That is why having a morning routine is so important. The perfect morning routine infuses you with positivity and aligns you with your intentions for the day. So let’s see how to find the right morning routine ideas.
How to find the right morning routine ideas
Finding the right morning routine ideas is key to help you start your day calmly and positively, following your desires and your natural rhythm. To identify the right morning routine ideas, focus on positive thoughts, small actions that inspire you, or something that brings you joy.
And you don’t need to have a lot of time. You don’t need to wake up early. You don’t need time to go to the gym or read a book. Just a minute dedicated to yourself is enough to put you in the right mood and start your day with positivity.
For example, just a peaceful moment sipping your first coffee and enjoying the aroma is enough. Or a light stretch in your room before the rest of the family wakes up. Count on it being something done for you, tailored to you, in the very first minutes of the day. The action is small, but the benefits are big, as we will now see.
7 benefits of inspiring morning routine ideas
As we have seen, a morning routine is an opportunity to positively influence your entire day. But what are the concrete benefits of having one? There are at least 7 reasons to start now.
Improves Mental Health
When you start your day with something that is good for you, you claim to have control over your time. One simple act reverberates positively through the entire day, giving you a sense of autonomy and strength. For example, even one minute of meditation or deep breathing in the morning can reduce anxiety before work and improve your mood for the rest of the day.
Increase Physical Energy
Starting out in a good mood gets you energized. A morning routine tailored to you, made up of minimalist rituals that meet your needs, restores your desire to jump out of bed. It can be especially helpful to do some light physical activity, such as a short stretch or some exercises in the bedroom. You’ll stimulate circulation and unlock the energy you need to face daily challenges.
Optimize Time Planning
When you reclaim your mental space, clear your mind and put yourself back in the center of your day. Starting with an action that puts you first has deep symbolic value. Your subconscious mind will pick it up as a signal about how to set up the rest of your day.
For example, when you start your day by checking work emails in bed, on social media, or taking care of someone else, the message is clear: others before you. But if you start with an act of self-care, your needs regain value. You find it easier to clearly prioritize your goals. It can help you take a minute or two to review your to-do list to get more organized and to start your day with less stress and more clarity.
Enhances Creativity
When you start your days with “I musts,” creativity shuts down and you are left with problems without solution and days without perspective. But if you start our days with a “can,” the horizon unfolds and creativity is rekindled. Starting your day with an inspiring activity opens up a horizon of possibilities. You will see simple solutions to solve the complex challenges of your day. You will see beauty all around you.
It can especially help to start with a creative or artistic activity. A minute devoted to writing or drawing as soon as you wake up can stimulate creativity, tapping into the freshness of your mind in the morning.
It brings you into the Here and Now
If you wake up and the first thing you think about is work, you may be in your bed physically, but your mind and heart are already in the office. If you start by scrolling through social media, you are escaping from your life. But when you start your day with a self-care ritual, you are in the present, in the here and now.
Even a simple action, like mindfully sipping your coffee, is a mindfulness practice that gets you out of the incessant stream of thoughts in your head. It brings you back into the present moment, helping you appreciate the beauty around you.
Promotes Self-Discipline
A short morning ritual strengthens your discipline. Warning: discipline does not mean duty. You don’t do the morning routine because you have to, but because you want to. Finding constancy in your desire to improve yourself is the discipline we are talking about. Maybe you’ve been waking up for years thinking about the negative. Getting out of such an established habit is not trivial; it requires a promise to ourselves and a willingness to keep it.
If you can make this commitment each morning, however small, it will be a starting point that will inspire deeper changes in the rest of your day. It will make it easier for you to say yes to the gym, say no to social media, start a meditation practice. Introducing an action, however minimal, of self-love will reverberate throughout your life.
Cultivate Gratitude
When you start your day with love for yourself, you find it easier to appreciate your life. If you start with something that makes you feel good, you will find it harder to complain about a rainy day. Starting your day with a small dose of inspiration, such as reading or listening to a short quote, will help you cultivate a sense of gratitude and appreciation. It will give you a positive outlook for the rest of the day.
If we have convinced you of the importance of a morning routine, read on to discover 10 morning routine ideas. You don’t have to follow them all or in order: choose the ideas that inspire you most and combine them to create the perfect morning routine for you.
10 Morning Routine Ideas
1. Hydration
Morning routine ideas can be as simple as drinking a glass of water. Drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up. Morning hydration helps flush out toxins accumulated during the night and prepares your body for the day.
Don’t do it absent-mindedly, as another task to be done as soon as you get up. Take time to appreciate the freshness of water. Turn a simple, natural act like drinking a glass of water into a wellness ritual. You can sip warm water or hot herbal tea in winter, and a cool glass with lemon in summer. Make your first glass a wellness potion.
2. Meditation
If you are ready for something deeper, start your day with a short meditation. Studies show that morning meditation increases emotional resilience, reduces stress and improves concentration.
You don’t need a lot of time. Even as little as 15 minutes can transform your day. If you want to learn how to meditate, read our article “Morning Meditation: 10 Techniques to Change Your Life in 15 Minutes”.
3. Exercise
Doing physical activity, even if it’s just a short stretching session or a walk, stimulates the body and mind. Don’t have time for the gym or to go out for a walk? Don’t worry, you don’t need to. The symbolic act is more important than the act itself.
All it takes is some light stretching as soon as you get out of bed, some jumping around on the living room carpet. A little morning exercise boosts endorphin levels, improving your mood for the rest of the day.
4. Self-Care Routine
Take care of yourself with a self-care routine. Feeling good about your appearance can boost self-confidence and improve mood. This includes activities such as facial cleansing and skin care.
And no, showering or putting makeup on your face to go to work do not count as a morning ritual. Unless you do them with the intention of taking care of yourself as you perform them.
Whatever you choose for your self-care ritual, do it with presence and intentionality. Unhurriedly. It may be a very brief action, such as giving yourself some perfume in front of a mirror before you leave. Be sure to do it with care. The action should be an affirmation of self-love.
5. Healthy Breakfast
A healthy and nutritious breakfast can get you started in the right mood. Opt for fresh fruit, whole grains and protein to start your day. Avoid sweets or sugary cereals.
A breakfast made with intentionality will give you the right boost of energy and good mood. Sit quietly, television off and cell phone away. Savor breakfast. Think of something that puts you in a good mood, or listen to something that inspires you.
6. Inspiring Reading
Inspiration is the crucial ingredient of the perfect morning routine. Spend a few minutes reading a motivational book or an interesting article to stimulate your mind and find inspiration.
Be sure not to read or listen to the news of the day. You will have time in the rest of the day. The first input of the day in your brain must be positive.
7. Journaling
Jotting down your thoughts for the day helps you keep a positive and focused mindset. You don’t need to write a novel every morning. A simple but powerful action is to write down 3 things you are grateful for.
Don’t strive to come up with who knows what reasons for gratitude. The simpler they are, the more powerful this practice will turn out to be. Particularly when life is not going well, it can be difficult to find 3 things for which you are grateful. Again, focus on the simplest things: the light feeling of your breath, the aroma of coffee in the morning, a warm bed to come back to each night.
In identifying the things you are grateful for, be sure to authentically tune into the feeling of gratitude. Try it: this simple practice will make your days brighter and more beautiful.
8. Day Planning
Take a few minutes to plan your activities. Set priorities and set clear goals. That way you will not only have a more productive day, but you will reduce stress because you take back control of your days. It can help you to use a Habit Tracker to keep track of your habits and goals.
This ritual is especially good for you if you have difficulty engaging in a more contemplative early morning ritual. If you need a sense of productivity and accomplishment in the morning, this ritual might be for you.
Caution: the time you devote to this planning must be yours and focused on setting your priorities. Throughout the day you will receive all kinds of requests: from your boss, colleagues, clients, family, etc. To avoid getting lost in others’ priorities, it is important to start by defining your own priorities. This clarity will see you through the day’s choices and help you say those “no’s” you need to focus on your real goals.
9. Face a Challenge
If you feel ready for a challenge or if you are someone who likes to set increasingly ambitious goals, choose a small daily challenge to stimulate your personal growth.
You might choose to tackle a difficult conversation you’ve been putting off for some time, or even just do a free act of kindness. Ask yourself, “What is one small challenge I can tackle today?” Facing a challenge, especially one you have been putting off for a long time, is a powerful technique for improving your self-esteem and motivation.
10. Contact with Nature
Spending even a few minutes outdoors in the morning is a morning routine with numerous health benefits. Even if you live in the city , you can still find green spaces near you.
If you have time, take a walk on a tree-lined street or in a nearby park. Or, sit for a few minutes in the morning outside, such as in your garden or on your balcony with a cup of tea or coffee.
Don’t you have a garden? Are there no green areas near your home? Don’t have time to go outside for all that in the morning? No problem. Bring elements of nature inside your home and take advantage of the benefits of biophilic design. Add plants to your living room. Play natural sounds such as birdsong, sea waves or other background noises to engage your senses even more.
Morning routine ideas: 3 questions to ask yourself every morning
Every morning is a rebirth. A new opportunity to start off on the right foot, to cultivate habits that bring you closer to the best version of you. Remember, your morning routine is an act of love for you, a way to nourish your body, mind and spirit.
In closing, we would like to share one last powerful tip to transform your days. Every morning, ask yourself these 3 questions:
- What is one thing I can do for myself today?
- What is one goal I want to accomplish today?
- What kind of person do I want to be today?
You can ask yourself these questions at a specific time, such as when you brush your teeth (taking advantage of the Habit Stacking technique to adopt new habits). Start tomorrow morning. You will discover a new sense of clarity, intentionality and inner peace. You will turn each day into a step toward your happiness.
If this article has inspired you and you want to learn more morning routine ideas, we recommend the book “The Miracle Morning” by Hal Elrod. You will find a complete 30-day program with other practical examples for your morning routine, such as meditations, affirmations, writing, reading, exercises and visualizations.
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