How To Create A Productive Morning Routine To Increase Success

Hmm, let’s see if this sounds familiar… Waking up to an alarm just to hit the snooze button multiple times while rolling back over and dosing off again. Then eventually force yourself up by doing a full-body stretch as your body shakes with a spasm that travels from head to toe. Which leads you to rush through everything because you’re most likely running late (or at risk too).

Shall I continue?

I know I am guilty of experiencing this on more days than I would like to admit. I feel like a huge percentage of you could relate to this in some way as well. If you haven’t been productive with your mornings in the past, there are no judgments here.

As always, I hope you gain some insight, tips, or inspiration from this post.

Why A Morning Routine Is Important

How you begin your day sets the tone for how the rest of your day will go.

So if you end up rushing in the morning, chances are you’ll end up forgetting something and trying to catch up throughout the rest of your day. Which causes you to only have time for the things you need to do instead of wanting to do them or vice versa. Either or is not good because life is all about balance.

Soon, “not enough time” will become a constant excuse (if it’s not already).

A morning routine is how you spend your time when you first wake up. No one knows what the perfect morning routine is for you BUT you.

Instead of immediately getting on your phone and scrolling through social media or checking your notifications and lying there getting distracted; you focus on yourself and go through your routine before letting other things/people “in” for the day.

Being productive in the mornings will start your day off in a better mood with extra energy and good use of time vs being sluggish and tired usually results in a bad mood.

• A good morning routine is important because it increases productivity, self-efficacy, and proactive behavior

• Implementing a morning routine helps prioritize time resulting in more effective time-management skills and allowing you to accomplish goals that you set or tasks off your to-do list

• Having healthy, productive routines is important because it is essential to success

• A self-care morning routine can encourage confidence, determination, tranquility, and a positive attitude and mindset

Benefits

• A great opportunity for new, healthier habits to grow

• Gets you on track to maintain a healthy lifestyle

• Imperative for success

• Improves mental health and wellbeing

• Gives you time to coordinate the day, make priorities known, and form a positive outlook, which helps with productivity and problem-solving

• Boosts mindfulness, mental strength, and energy for the day

• Increases self-motivation, confidence, and self-satisfaction by achieving goals and feeling organized

• Getting things out of the way in the morning relieves stress, and decreases negative self-talk and the possibility to feel overwhelmed, sad, or frustrated

• Having a productive day encourages better sleep at night which results in feeling refreshed and energized in the mornings

• Improves relationships and ability to feel closer and more connected to others, by no longer feeling stressed, frustrated, or on edge

• Helps with feeling grounded, well-rested, calm, in control, peaceful, alert, and focused, due to the scheduled time in the mornings for self-care, mindfulness, prayers, meditation, LOA/affirmations

• Gives you time to nourish and cater to your spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional health

• Allows you to fuel your body properly with a healthy breakfast instead of consuming quick, convenient, unhealthy foods or stopping for fast food

• Grants you time to make a schedule and set daily goals or form a to-do list

Starting your day with purpose and intent will give you the determination to be productive the rest of the day.

Tips & Strategies

Morning Routine Ideas

• JOURNALING: You can write down your dreams, ideas, goals, affirmations, or even just random thoughts. Journaling can improve writing, relieve stress/tension/frustration, boost memory, organize thoughts, etc.

• READING: You can read stuff regarding self-help, business tips, self-care, motivation, or entrepreneurial books. Taking in content in the morning can give you inspiration and motivation, and also improve focus, memory, and communication skills, while increasing knowledge.

• FITNESS: Anywhere from cardio or yoga to HIIT or weights, any type of fitness is beneficial. Working out and general movement can help jumpstart your metabolism for the day.

• DO NOT DISTURB MODE: Disconnecting from the world and reconnecting with nature is a great idea, especially early in the mornings when most of everyone is still asleep. Alone time and quietness to gather your thoughts can actually be satisfying if people give it a chance.

• FOCUS ON A TASK: Pick a work/school/business task to focus on in the morning uninterrupted with no distractions. Getting something done in the morning will get it out of the way and give you extra time later.

• MEDITATION: Doing meditation in the morning can significantly boost your mood and increases your energy for the day. Meditation can also enhance your productivity and focus.

• SKINCARE / HYGIENE: If you’re one of those people who usually roll out of bed, splash water on their face, brush their teeth, then be on their way; you should consider amping up your skincare routine as a part of your daily morning routine.

• HYDRATE: It is very important and beneficial to drink water first thing in the morning for several reasons. If you’re a coffee or tea drinker, making these in the morning with absolutely no distractions can actually be therapeutic in a way.

• PODCASTS / TED TALKS: In the morning is a great time to focus completely on furthering your knowledge with no distractions. I personally stick to the motivational, goal setting, topics to help encourage the right mindset for my day. Also, instead of just listening, I usually take notes to help expand my thought process or help personalize whatever info I am getting.

• AFFIRMATIONS / LOA: I mentioned Affirmations under journaling, but it deserves its own point. Taking time to do affirmations/LOA (law of attraction) during your morning routine, can help manifest what you want and who you want to be.

• LEARN SOMETHING NEW: If there is something you want to learn but have not had the time for it, or you have been procrastinating, adding 5-30mins of practice in the morning would get you on the right track. (for me it was learning a new language)

• ORGANIZE / TIDY: Cleaning up fits better into a night routine, but if nothing else you can AT LEAST get into the habit of making your bed in the morning if you don’t already.

• SIDE HUSTLE IDEAS: Whether you’re taking the time to brainstorm business ideas or you’re making a to-do list for a side hustle you already have, doing so in the morning can give you a little head start for the day.

• WORK ON A HOBBY / CHALLENGE YOURSELF: I feel I need to specify, that whatever you do in your morning routine should be beneficial to you physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. Challenging yourself in the morning with a crossword puzzle or some type of problem-solving or creative activity can jumpstart your brain for the day. (Ex: cooking, writing, running, reading, sudoku)

• MUSIC / DANCE SESSION: Some of you may roll your eyes at this, but just give it a shot. There have been several times that I have genuinely been in a good mood in the mornings, due to starting my day out right with a routine. I may have some background music going for some parts of my routine, or my music will still be playing from my workout session and I catch myself nodding and singing along without even realizing it. Expressing yourself in a physical way in the morning can lighten things up for the day.

If you are not a morning person, this may seem downright impossible to you, but there is just something about being up early in the morning when it’s still dark and most people are still asleep and it just seems calm. It truly amplifies the fact that it’s your “me time”.

Of course, there are plenty more morning routine ideas out there that are not listed here, but hopefully, some of these can help get you started.

If this post seemed overwhelming and you feel like you won’t have the motivation to follow through, start small. Starting out with one or two activities, then adding on when you feel ready is great too.

Just remember, your morning routine should be catered to you and your needs.

If you already have a morning routine or have some ideas that are not mentioned, please let us know in the comments!