“Get in control of your day, instead of your day controlling you.”
I can’t even tell you guys how many years of my life I spent snoozing until the last possible minute (and then some) when my alarm went off in the mornings. Before kids, after kids, with a full-time job, without a full-time job…I could never seem to get a grip on a solid morning routine to set my day up for success.
It wasn’t until recently that I really started to realized how much this was impacting my entire day. I was instantly frazzled and frustrated the second I started my day, and that carried over into my ENTIRE day.
I was feeling sluggish, grouchy, irritable and especially impatient with my kids and I knew I needed to make a change to start my days on a better foot.
I have always been inspired by “morning people”– how much more productive they seemed to be, and also how disciplined they were. I’ve read SO many books/articles and listened to so many podcasts explaining the impact a solid morning routine can have on your days, weeks, months. A few months ago I finally decided I was going to commit to it, and ultimately spend more time on self-care.
Everyone is different, and what works for me may not work for you! Here are a few general things to consider if you’re wanting to develop a productive morning routine:
- Go to bed a little earlier, wake up a little earlier. Say you normally go to bed at 11 and wake up at 7. Maybe you start with going to bed closer to 10:30, and setting your alarm for 6:30. Eventually you can add on time, but don’t feel like you have to make a huge jump right at once!
- Don’t hit the snooze! Just get up when your alarm goes off the first time. I know this is SO much easier said than done, but there is a ton of research out there that proves that snoozing and going back to sleep for a few minutes makes you feel way more tired throughout the day.
- Chug some water the second you wake up. I keep a Hydroflask right next to my bed and fill it up before bed at night. It’s still cold in the morning and helps wake me up a bit. Keep in mind, we wake up dehydrated in the morning because we’ve gone hours without drinking any water! Our bodies need it to get going efficiently.
- Get moving. This doesn’t have to be anything super aggressive, but getting your heart rate up and getting some endorphins running through your body can make you feel so good at the start of your day! There are so many different videos and programs out there now that you can do right at home with little to no equipment.
- Take a shower and get ready for your day. I am totally a morning shower kind of person. I can’t shower at night! Even on the days where I don’t have any big work obligations or plans, I try to get at least a little bit presentable for the day. Sometimes this just means running the brush through my hair and doing my skincare routine. Sometimes it’s a little makeup and dry shampoo 🙂 Getting myself ready makes me feel more motivated to get things done throughout the day!
- Read/listen to something inspiring, and/or practice gratitude. This doesn’t have to be a big time commitment. You can listen to a motivating podcast while you exercise or while you shower. It can also be as simple as writing down a couple of things you’re grateful for, which should only take a minute or two. Studies show that starting your day with gratitude can help manifest a more positive, happy mindset for the rest of your day!
- Make an attainable priority list for your day. Keyword: attainable. Don’t overdo it! Pick 2-3 things you REALLY need and want to accomplish for the day, and write them down. I typically make a big to-do list on Sunday evenings or Monday mornings, and then make a few priorities for each day of the week. This really helps me to keep my “overwhelmed and trying to accomplish a zillion things every day” anxiety at bay! I created a template for this kind of to-do list. You can download/print it off for yourself by clicking “download” below!
Here is a glimpse into my mornings. I’m usually in bed before 10pm every night. It’s taken me a few consecutive months to really get in the habit of waking up extra early and stick to it all 5 days of the week. I’ve come to love the way I feel so much that I’ve even started doing it on Saturdays here and there!
My morning routine:
4:15am: Alarm goes off. Chug some water, then head to the bathroom to put contacts in, brush teeth, pull my hair back, put deodrant on. Then I get dressed in my work out clothes.
4:30am: Make a coffee in a to-go cup, fill up my water, and get out the door to work out.
5am-6am: Workout class at Orange Theory.
6:15am: Arrive home and go directly to the shower! I spend a few minutes putting some super simple makeup on and putting some dry shampoo in my hair if I didn’t wash it. You can watch my 5-minute makeup routine here!
6:45am until the kids wake up (usually around 7:15-7:30): Write down 3 things I’m grateful for, review my priority list for the day, throw in a load of laundry, catch up on blog tasks/emails.
Once the kids wake up, we do breakfast, get them dressed, and we usually have time to read a few books before it’s time to get Peter on the bus.
With all of this time to myself every morning, how could I not set myself up for a successful day? Being mindful in the mornings about focusing on myself has made a massive positive impact on me and also my family. I’m a better, more patient mom and wife when I’m taking the time I need to myself.
Anyone can be a “morning person”– whether you believe it or not! It just takes some serious dedication and discipline to make it a priority and a habit.
What does your morning look like?
Leave me any questions below.
XO
