Possible Activities to Include in Morning Routines
Here are some optional activities to include in your morning schedule. You can spend your entire morning routine doing one of these activities or spend 10 to 15 minutes doing 4 to 6 different activities. Or, use the 5 am club method and do three activities for 20 minutes each. You can see some sample morning routines below.
If you create a morning schedule and you don’t enjoy one or more of the activities, then change your schedule. Keep changing it until you find a morning routine that you enjoy so much you actually want to wake up in the morning to get started. Have you noticed how when you get up to face a boring day you turn off your alarm or haul yourself out of bed and when you get up to go on vacation, you jump out of bed? One way to ensure you start the day excited to begin is to include an activity you look forward to or really care about. Try to include this important or fun activity in your morning routine.
Morning Meditation
Important for those who want to relax and focus.
Meditation helps you be more mindful of your surroundings and present in the moment. Starting your day with a meditation session clears your mind and calms your body. This clarity helps you focus throughout the day. You can spend between 5 to 60 minutes of your morning routine on meditation each day.
Morning Stretch Routine
Mobility is really important particularly as you get older. There are many free morning stretch routines on YouTube that you can follow. I personally like this one. It’s only 5 minutes!
Workout Routines
When you exercise first thing in the morning, it is good for both your mind and your body. It can make you feel good for hours after the workout. You don’t need to do the same workout every day. Decide how much of your morning routine you will devote to exercise and alternate exercises. You might want to run some days and lift weights on other days. You can also do pilates, yoga, or whatever exercise you enjoy. There are hundreds of options and you can find a workout routine that works for you. You don’t need to work out for an hour a day to get the benefits. Start small and gradually increase the time and intensity of your workout. If you only want to spend a few minutes exercising, you can try jumping rope, jumping jacks, or doing a plank for one minute a day. Consult a fitness expert to create a routine for you if you don’t know how to start.
Eat the Frog
Important for those who tend to procrastinate.
The idea here is to do your worst task, that you have no motivation to do, first thing in the morning. It is based on the Eat That Frog book.
Mark Twain said that if you have to eat a live frog, then do it first thing in the morning. That way, you get it done and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day. This has developed into a popular prioritization and productivity method. The idea is that you identify the most difficult task you need to do that day (the frog) and then complete it first thing in the morning (you eat the frog) before you do anything else. Define your “frog” the night before. When you start tackling this task, you should know what it is before and shouldn’t need to waste time choosing the activity or task. If you have two frogs one day, then eat the biggest one first.
Set your priorities for the day
Important for those who want to be productive the rest of the day.
A productive way to start the day is to create a to-do list for the day. Divide these tasks into those you have to get done and those you want to get done. Set realistic goals for the day.
Self Care
Important for those who don’t have any me time throughout the day and need to focus more on self-care.
The mornings are a great opportunity to focus on “me time” particularly if you are taking care of others all day. Do things you enjoy and make you feel good. It could be drinking coffee in bed and listening to your favorite song, a bubble bath, or anything that you enjoy doing and don’t have time to do during the day.
A healthy morning routine could include exercise, self-care, yoga or meditation, and a nutritious breakfast.
Journaling
Journaling has many benefits, particularly when done in the morning. See our morning journal prompts with a journal template for each journal prompt to help you think of things to journal about in the mornings.
Morning Pages
Important for those who want to boost their creativity.
The concept of Morning Pages was developed by Julia Cameron. Morning pages are 3 pages of longhand morning writing that you write first thing in the morning every day. The idea is to write these three pages off the top of your head. The idea is not to write brilliant ideas but to get all our mundane and negative thoughts on the page to clear our minds so that we can face our day when we are more centered and spiritually relaxed. Julia Cameron refers to morning pages as a form of meditation. We offer a free Morning Pages journal.
Creative Activities
Important for those who thrive when they have a creative outlet.
If you don’t get to do anything creative during the day, you might want to spend some time doing something creative in the mornings. You could spend 10 to 15 minutes doing an arts and crafts project, sewing, drawing, painting, or whatever you enjoy. Try to find an activity that will inspire you.
Activity that Requires Focus
If you have to do something that requires focus and concentration, then the morning might be the best time to tackle this activity.
The morning is when you are at your peak in terms of speed, performance, and accuracy, according to a study. Your speed and accuracy decrease fairly linearly over the day.
Gratitude
Gratitude is one of those things that can instantly boost your mood and improve your mindset. If you incorporate gratitude into your daily routine, you increase your happiness during the day. Try our free daily gratitude journal. We have also included a gratitude section in the morning journal prompts and the 5 am club worksheets.
If you are not sure what to journal about then try the gratitude journal prompts.
Setting an Intention
Important for those who want to set the tone for the rest of the day.
If you don’t have much free time in the morning but you do want to use your morning to set the tone for the day, then this is the morning routine for you. Spend 1 to 5 minutes setting an intention for the day. See our free printable intention journal that will help you set an intention every day and stay accountable. You can also incorporate intention-setting into your morning schedule together with other activities.
Breakfast with Your Family or Partner
Important for those who don’t have time to be with their family or partner later on in the day.
If you don’t have time to nurture your relationships throughout the day, then eating breakfast with your family or partner is a great way to start the day.
Passion Project Time
Important for those seeking to discover or fulfill their passion.
Start your day by dedicating time to work on something that brings you closer to your passion. Whether it’s reading, researching, creating, or planning, use this time to focus on activities that align with your personal goals and dreams. See how to find your purpose or passion
Specific Morning Routine Ideas
Here are some sample morning routines. Each morning routine has a different purpose depending on where your priorities lie.
Joe Dispenza’s Suggested Morning Routine
1. Meditate and Visualize Your Ideal Future
- Why: Aligns your energy and sets a positive tone for the day.
- How: Sit quietly, focus on your heart, and visualize your goals and the life you desire.
2. Move Your Body
- Why: Awakens your energy and prepares your mind for the day.
- How: Engage in mindful movement like stretching, yoga, or any physical activity that feels good.
3. Learn Something New
- Why: Expands your mind and builds new neural pathways for growth.
- How: Spend at least 30 minutes on focused learning—read, watch educational videos, or listen to a podcast. Engage actively by taking notes and connecting new ideas to your existing knowledge.
Each practice is designed to be a tool for personal transformation, helping you start your day proactively rather than reactively.
Get more details about Joe Dispenza’s Suggested Morning Routine
The Miracle Morning Routine
Hal Elrod lists 6 steps we can take to improve ourselves during a dedicated morning routine called the Miracle Morning routine. He called these the Miracle Morning Savers.
The Miracle Morning Savers are:
- S – silence
- A – affirmations
- V – visualization
- E – exercise
- R – reading
- S – scribing or writing
We provide free printables for each of these morning steps.
Morning Pages
If you want to be more creative, then this is the morning routine for you. See morning pages.
The High 5 Habit
In “The High 5 Habit”, Mel Robbins offers a simple morning routine to work on your self-limiting attitudes and improve your self-confidence. The Mel Robbins morning routine is based on scientific research and can potentially be life-transforming despite its simplicity. All you need to do is high-five your reflection in the mirror every morning to create positive change in your life.
You can make the High Five Habit even more powerful by adding deliberate efforts to transform your existing mindset. Train your mind to highlight the positives in life, act like the person you want to become, and start thanking people instead of apologizing to them.
This is a great addition to your morning routine if you want to improve your self-esteem and self-confidence.
You can also create free positive affirmation cards and place them in places you visit in the morning.
The 5AM Club
The 5am club gets you to wake up at 5 am and use that distraction-free time to focus on three things: exercise (20 minutes), meditation and journaling (20 minutes), and learning or reading (20 minutes). During this time, you fuel your mind, body, and soul. The author claims that the solitude and enhanced brain state that you’ll experience at 5:00 a.m. will increase your performance and help you reach new heights. People who have adopted the method described in the 5 AM club increased their creativity, energy, focus, happiness, and productivity. See our free 5 am club worksheets and journal.
Gut Health Morning Routine
Dr. Amy Shah, MD recommends a morning routine focused on improving gut health and preventing bloating through a holistic approach involving dietary and lifestyle adjustments. Here’s a summary based on her suggestions and other experts’ advice:
- Three F Morning Routine: Focus on fasting, fitness, and consuming fermented and fibrous foods to promote gut health. This routine helps in relieving bloating and enhancing overall well-being.
- Morning Habits for Gut Health: Start your day with a glass of water to support daily hydration needs and prevent constipation. Make your breakfast rich in prebiotic foods and include probiotic foods on your plate to support the gut microbiome. Engage in some form of physical activity to improve the gut’s microbial diversity and encourage healthy digestion.
- 9 Step Morning Routine for Optimal Gut Health: This routine includes going to bed early, having warm lemon water first thing in the morning, getting sunlight exposure, taking a 10-minute walk, eating fiber, having a mindful breakfast, waiting 45-60 minutes after waking up before having coffee, meditating, and taking a probiotic supplement. This comprehensive approach supports overall gut health by balancing hormones, reducing stress levels, boosting metabolism, and improving microbial diversity.
Adopting these practices can help in setting a positive tone for gut health throughout the day, leading to reduced bloating and improved overall health.
Morning Routines of Some Celebrities
- Bob Proctor: Start every morning by writing 10 things you are grateful for, then send love to 3 people who bother you and then quiet your mind for 5 minutes and ask for guidance for the day.
- Oprah Winfrey: Oprah’s morning routine involves starting her day with meditation and exercise. She also takes time for gratitude and journaling.
- Michelle Obama: Former First Lady Michelle Obama emphasizes exercise in her morning routine. She’s known to wake up early for a workout, which helps her start the day with energy.
- Richard Branson (Founder of Virgin Group): Branson’s morning routine includes exercise and time for family. He’s known for starting his day with physical activity, which he believes contributes to his productivity.
- Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson: The actor and former wrestler is known for his intense morning routine, often starting his day at 4 a.m. His mornings typically include a workout session, a balanced breakfast, and time for planning the day ahead.
- Elon Musk (CEO of Tesla and SpaceX): Elon Musk is known for using a time-blocking method where he divides his day into 5-minute increments to manage his time effectively. His morning typically starts after getting around six hours of sleep. From the moment he wakes up, his day is already pre-planned, with specific time blocks allocated for various activities, leaving little room for spontaneity.
- Arianna Huffington (Co-founder of The Huffington Post): Arianna Huffington is an advocate for prioritizing sleep. She starts her day with meditation, a gratitude journal, and a healthy breakfast.
- Tony Robbins (Motivational Speaker): Tony Robbins follows a morning routine he calls “priming.” It involves a series of breathing exercises, meditation, and visualization to set a positive and focused mindset for the day.
- Gwyneth Paltrow: The actress and lifestyle entrepreneur, known for her Goop brand, starts her day with a glass of lemon water, followed by a healthy breakfast and some exercise. She also emphasizes mindfulness and meditation.
- Barack Obama (Former U.S. President): Barack Obama is known for his disciplined approach to his mornings. He typically starts the day early with exercise, followed by a healthy breakfast. He’s also mentioned setting aside time for reading and reflection.
- Beyoncé: The music icon and entrepreneur often starts her day with a morning workout. She’s known to prioritize fitness as part of her daily routine, helping her maintain her high-energy performances.
- Tim Cook (CEO of Apple): Tim Cook is known for his disciplined morning routine. He reportedly starts his day at around 4:30 a.m., goes through emails and reads customer feedback, then hits the gym before starting work.
- Warren Buffett (Investor and Philanthropist): Warren Buffett is known for his simple morning routine. He often starts his day with a newspaper and spends time reading to stay informed about current events and market trends.
- Ellen DeGeneres: Ellen’s morning routine is focused on wellness and positivity. She starts the day with a meditation session and practices gratitude. Her mornings also include exercise to stay active.
- Serena Williams: The tennis legend and athlete starts her day early with a workout, often including tennis practice. Exercise is a central part of her routine, helping her maintain her fitness and skill. Serena Williams often includes a nutritious breakfast as part of her morning routine. She focuses on eating a balanced meal to fuel her training and busy schedule.
- Bill Gates: Bill Gates starts his day with exercise, often going for a cardio workout on the treadmill while watching educational videos. He also enjoys reading newspapers and staying updated on various topics. source
- Jennifer Aniston: The actress begins her morning with a healthy breakfast and some exercise, which usually involves yoga or a workout session. She’s also known to prioritize self-care and maintaining a positive mindset.
- Jack Dorsey (Co-founder and CEO of Twitter): Jack Dorsey has an unconventional morning routine. He starts his day with a cold shower and then follows it with meditation and a workout. He also dedicates time for reflection and prioritizing his daily tasks.
- Melinda Gates (Philanthropist): Melinda Gates begins her morning with meditation and a moment of reflection. She also values time with her family during breakfast and focuses on setting intentions for the day ahead.
- Mindy Kaling: The actress and writer often starts her day by catching up on emails and staying connected to work. She believes in staying productive and organized in the mornings to set a positive tone for the rest of the day.
- Steve Jobs: Steve Jobs was known for his relatively simple morning routine. He believed in starting the day with a sense of purpose and once mentioned that he would look in the mirror each morning and ask himself, “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?”
- Billie Eilish: The singer-songwriter’s morning routine has involved having a cup of tea or coffee, stretching, and spending time with her dog. She appreciates starting the day with a calm and reflective approach.
- Adele: Adele’s morning routine often includes waking up early, going for a run or hitting the gym, and then spending quality time with her son.
- Usain Bolt: The world-renowned sprinter starts his day with a healthy breakfast, often including fruits and whole grains. He believes in maintaining a nutritious diet to support his rigorous training regimen.
- Mark Zuckerberg: Mark Zuckerberg has been known to have a simple morning routine. He wakes up at 8AM and then checks his Facebook account, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp. When he finishes he does a workout three times a week.
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