Self Improvement

5 Simple Steps to Create Your Perfect Morning Routine

posted on August 21, 2017 | by Sam Brown

5 Simple Steps to Create Your Perfect Morning Routine

Morning routine

Morning routines are my favorite way to feel organized and productive, so I thought I’d share the simple step-by-step process I use to create them! And the good news is you don’t even need to be a morning person to have a morning routine. If you’re not an early riser (which I totally get) you can use these steps to create a routine for whatever time you wake up – it’ll work just as well. Let’s get straight into it!

STEP 1: Set a goal

From the outset it’s really important to know why you want a morning routine. Do you want to get healthy, feel more productive, be less stressed or take better care of yourself? Whatever the reason is, it’s important that you know it (and that you’re not just doing it because everyone else is).

STEP 2: Choose your activities

With your goal in mind, it’s time to choose your morning routine activities. Below are some for you to pick from, but make sure you keep it simple and choose only 5 at the very most!

Health

-Workout
-Have a healthy breakfast
-Drink a glass of water, a glass of lemon water or a healthy smoothie
-Prepare your meals for the day
-Take your vitamins and supplements
-Brush your teeth

Mindset

–Meditate
-Write or say an affirmation
-Do a visualization
-Practice gratitude (here’s how my boyfriend and I do it)
-Read 10 pages of a book
-Learn something new
–Watch a TED Talk
-Listen to an inspiring podcast

Productivity

-Wash your face
-Make your bed
-Do some planning (using a bullet journal or any other kind of planner)
-Create and prioritize your to-do list
-Do your most important task for the day

Self-care

-Limit distractions
-Do some journaling
-Yoga/stretching (here are the best Youtube channels to help you get started)
-Burn incense, essential oils or a candle
-Do something creative
-Have a shower (use these tips to make it even better)
-Spend time with loved ones (pets included!)
-Do your hair and makeup (without having to rush)
-Anything you love doing!

morning routine

STEP 3: Create your plan

Now that you know which activities you want to do, it’s time to put together a plan. All you need to do is create a list of all the activities you’re going to do, in the exact order you’re going to do them. This can always be changed in the future if needed, but make sure you’re as specific as possible!

It’s helpful to have this list somewhere you’ll see it every morning, so you can either write it down with a pen and paper or you can use this free printable morning routine planner I created for you – the choice is yours! But make sure your morning routine isn’t complicated and doesn’t take any more than an hour from start to finish.

STEP 4: Remove decision making

Morning routines are the most powerful when they require as little decision-making as possible. This is because your decision-making ability is like a water well that replenishes every day – the less water you take from the well in the morning, the more you’ll have for later.

This means that if you’re on autopilot during your morning routine (in a good way), you won’t get decision fatigue at the end of the day. Which means you’ll find it easier to do all of those things you had planned for the end of the day – whether that’s going to the gym after work, skipping dessert or reading before bed. And who doesn’t want that?!

Have a look over your morning routine plan and make sure there is no (or very little) decision making required. This means decision-heavy activities like choosing your outfit are best for the night before.

STEP 5: Do it for 7 days

Now that you’ve got your plan, make a committed effort to do it for the next 7 days, regardless of whether you’ll be starting on a Monday or not. This is the best way to kickstart the habit! If you’d like something to help you keep track, my free printable morning routine planner also includes a 7-day morning routine tracker.

What are your favorite things to do in the morning?
Please let me know in the comments below!

And just so you know, you can find more advice on how to create a perfect morning routine on my blog Smart Twenties.