5 Steps to Creating the Perfect Morning Routine
I love a cozy morning. Here are 5 steps to creating your perfect morning routine.
I haven't always been a morning person, and in fact, I'd still consider myself quite the night owl. But over time I've developed a morning routine that I really love and that I look forward to each day, and no, you don't have to wake up at 5am!
Mornings are wonderful times of day as they're new opportunities to reach our goals, design our days, and create the life we want to live. Each day is a fresh start and having a consistent morning routine is a great way for us to wake up less stressed and get ready for the day, beginning with some you time.
5 Steps to Creating the Perfect Morning Routine
1. Know Your Why
Knowing your why is essential for reaching any goal, making any new lifestyle change, or developing any new habit. But keep it simple! Just think of 1-2 reasons why you want to become a morning person and create a morning routine for yourself in the first place.
Is it to get more work done? is it to enjoy extra time alone before everyone else gets up? Is it to have a more peaceful, productive or nourishing morning? These will act as your motivation.
2. Visualize Your Ideal Morning
Visualization is a simple, but useful tool. Visualizing your ideal morning can help you get clear on how you want your morning to look, feel, and unfold. Do you want to feel more calm, productive, energized? Do you want to spend 20 minutes on your sofa with a cup of tea and journal to write in? Do you want to sit near a window where you can see the sunrise? Do you want an extra 15 minutes to make and enjoy a smoothie? Or maybe get outside for some fresh air before heading out for the day? Be specific. What things do you want to do, and how do you want to feel?
3. Prepare
A good morning routine often begins the night before. This is different for everyone, but select a few things that you can prepare the night before that you think would help you have a less rushed or hectic morning. Packing up your lunch, putting clothes aside, tidying up the kitchen, or knowing what you're going to make for breakfast can be helpful ways to make morning time a little less stressful.
4. Create Enjoyable Rituals
Having enjoyable rituals each morning means we always have something to look forward to. I really look forward to my little self-care rituals and habits and without them, my mornings just wouldn't feel as good.
Have things you do each morning that make you feel balanced:
Drinking a big glass of water
Sitting outside with coffee or tea or while it brews or steeps
Journaling or reading a few pages of a book
A few minutes of deep breathing, stretching, meditation, or yoga
Listening to an inspirational podcast or audiobook
Having a roster of favourite breakfast recipes to can choose from
5. Be Realistic
The truth is that waking up at 5am every day may not be realistic for you, so pick a time that is perfect for you and your lifestyle. If you do want to wake up a lot earlier, you can make this more attainable by going to bed and waking up 10-20 minutes earlier every few days to adjust gradually.
Remember that changes take time and that's totally fine! Find what works for you, what habits feel best for you, and make changes at your own pace. It doesn't have to be perfect, but consistency will help you always know what to expect in the morning and have things to look forward to—to start your day off on the right foot.
I'm curious—are you a morning person? What's on of your favourite morning habits or rituals?