A morning routine can make you happier, more productive and help you reach any of your goals. We offer many morning routine ideas for you and have created an online quiz to create a custom routine for you to meet your unique goals.
Your morning routine can help you start the day in the best way possible. It can boost your productivity, wellness, and happiness. The following article suggests activities you can include in your morning routine and offers some sample morning routines suggested by experts in the field of productivity and wellness. You can also use our free online routine maker to help you build the perfect morning routine for your specific needs . Answer a few short questions so that we can understand what your priorities are and we’ll create a PDF document with your new routine that you can use every morning. If your priorities change, come back and create a new routine.
I personally love the mornings. I get to enjoy some quiet time by myself and I try to make the best of this time.
How to Create a Morning Routine
A good morning routine will include activities that serve your specific needs and achieve your goals. For example, if you want to emphasize mindfulness, then you might include meditation in your morning routine. If productivity is important to you, then you will use the time to plan your day and decide what to focus on.
Firstly, you need to decide how much time you will devote to your morning routine. I personally devote one hour to mine. If you have less time, then you can create a shorter routine. If you are luckier to have more time, then you can have a slow, relaxing, and calm morning, which is even better.
Once you have decided how long you will devote to your morning routine, you need to think about the things you want to do in the mornings. If you love reading and don’t get a chance to read during the day, you might spend your entire morning reading. If you follow the 5 am club method, then you will spend 20 minutes reading, 20 minutes exercising, and 20 minutes reflecting.
Even once you have created the perfect morning routine for your needs, there will be mornings when you don’t stick to your routine. There could be forces beyond your control or a day when you feel your body needs to sleep in. The important thing is to be prepared for days when things don’t go as planned and not to let them ruin your entire day. Try to stick to your morning routine as often as possible, but be prepared for days when things don’t go as planned.
Morning Routine Template
We have created a morning routine maker to create your own custom morning routine printable. It starts with an online quiz in order to understand your specific needs and then it builds the perfect morning routine for you. You can download your personalized routine in PDF format. Whenever you change your goals or priorities you can come back and create a new template.
Morning Routine Checklist
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.
Best Morning Routine
To create the best morning routine for you, choose one to six of the activities above or adopt one of the following morning routine ideas.
Divide the time you spend on each activity according to the time you have available and your priorities.
Morning Routine Ideas
Here are some sample morning routines. Each morning routine has a different purpose depending on where your priorities lie.
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.
How to Wake Up Early
After you establish a morning routine, you need to ensure you wake up on time and don’t sleep through your morning routine. You might need tips on how to wake up earlier than you do now. The best way to do this is to start your morning routine the night before.
- Establish a consistent sleep schedule: Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends. This helps regulate your body’s internal clock and makes it easier to wake up in the morning.
- Go to sleep early: Getting a good night’s sleep is crucial in making your morning schedule more enjoyable and effective.
- Create a bedtime routine: Develop a relaxing routine before bed to signal to your body that it’s time to sleep. This could include activities like reading a book, taking a warm bath, or practicing relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or meditation. If there are activities that stress you, such as reading emails or watching the news, then don’t do them at night. Try creating an unwinding routine before you go to sleep. This can include disconnecting from screens, drinking soothing herbal tea, lighting a relaxing candle, dimming the lights, taking a relaxing bath, turning off all electronic devices, doing light yoga or meditation, and journaling.
- Avoid stimulants and electronic devices before bed: Avoid consuming caffeine or engaging in stimulating activities, such as watching TV or using electronic devices, at least an hour before bedtime. The blue light emitted by screens can interfere with your sleep. Try to stop using screens for at least an hour before you go to sleep. If you can do this even earlier, then you will benefit even more.
- Create a sleep-friendly environment: Make sure your bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet. Use curtains or blinds to block out any light, wear earplugs or use a white noise machine to minimize noise disturbances, and ensure your mattress and pillows are comfortable.
- Place your alarm clock across the room: Position your alarm clock or phone away from your bed so that you have to physically get out of bed to turn it off. This can help you resist the temptation to hit the snooze button repeatedly. Better yet, never use the snooze button on your alarm.
- Use an alarm clock and not your phone so that you are not tempted to be distracted. Before I bought an alarm clock, I used to check my emails or WhatsApp after I turned off my alarm clock and I landed up missing my morning routine because I didn’t realize how much time had passed.
- Gradually adjust your waking time: If you’re currently waking up late, don’t try to shift your wake-up time drastically. Instead, gradually adjust your alarm clock by 15 minutes earlier each day until you reach your desired waking time. If you find it too difficult to wake up early then try to wake up 10 minutes earlier each week until you get used to it.
- Get exposure to natural light: Open your curtains or go outside soon after waking up to expose yourself to natural daylight. This helps regulate your body’s internal clock and makes you feel more alert and awake.
- Have a compelling reason to wake up early: Find a purpose or activity that motivates you to get out of bed early. It could be exercising, pursuing a hobby, meditating, or simply having some quiet time for yourself before the day begins. For me, this is THE most important tip. I wake up early every single day and I jump out of bed excited to start the day.
- Stay consistent: Consistency is key when establishing a new sleep schedule. Stick to your routine, even on weekends, to help reinforce your body’s internal clock and make waking up early easier over time.
- Don’t check your emails until you complete your planned morning routine. When you check your emails, then other people dictate your morning routine. You want to prioritize your needs and schedule during this special time you gift yourself with in the mornings.
- Put your clothes and anything you will need for your morning routine out the night before. If you plan to run the next morning, then make sure your running gear is ready. If you plan to do yoga, then put your yoga mat out. This will save time in the morning and make it more difficult to “forget” about your morning plans. When you put your clothes out the night before, you won’t waste time deciding what to wear. This time can be better spent doing things you enjoy.
It may take some time for your body to adjust to the new waking schedule, so be patient and persistent. With practice and determination, you can develop the habit of waking up early and enjoy the benefits of a productive morning routine.
We have many more morning journal prompts on this site.
Morning Routines of Some Celebrities
- 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’s morning routine varies, but he’s mentioned starting his day with a few minutes of stretching and some coffee. He’s known for having a demanding work schedule that often leads to long hours.
- 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. r
- 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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