30 Apr Morning Routine Ideas to Set Your Day Up for Success
Self-Care Starts in the Morning.
How we start our day often has an effect on our day as a whole. If we’re running late in the morning, we’re usually left feeling frazzled or just… off for the rest of the day. One of the best ways to avoid this is to develop a morning routine to start your day. Don’t know where to start? Here are some of our morning routine ideas.
A Good Morning Routine Doesn’t Start in the Morning
Your morning routine actually starts at night. Why? Because it’s hard to have a good morning without preparing to do so the night before. Having a good nighttime routine is the foundation of your morning routine.
This means going to bed at a time that allows you to get enough sleep. While the time you go to sleep may vary based on when you have to get up, it’s commonly accepted that the human body needs about seven to nine hours of sleep to be at its best.
It can also be beneficial to prepare for the next day by organizing things that will help your morning be more stress-free. For example, preparing the kitchen for breakfast or laying out clothes the night before can help simplify what you need to get done in the morning, while also giving you time to focus on other things when you wake up.
A good nighttime routine also involves putting down your phone and turning off all screens at least 30 minutes before you want to go to sleep. If you can be without your phone for an hour or turn your bed into a no-electronics zone, even better! You can use your screen-free time for your bathroom routine, and to do something relaxing, like reading a book, stretching or meditating.
First Things First
One of the biggest mistakes you can make in the morning is staying in bed after your alarm goes off, or worse, hitting snooze. Hitting snooze and drifting back to sleep can cause you to feel even more tired and groggy when you finally get up, so a good start to your morning routine is to immediately get up when your alarm goes off.
One way to get yourself out of bed is to do something you love as soon as you get up every morning, such as making your favorite caffeinated beverage, turning on your favorite song or podcast, or doing a skincare routine. Nothing makes it easier to get up than having something to look forward to!
Reaching for your phone as soon as you open your eyes is another easy mistake to make in the mornings. It’s fine to turn off your alarm (remember: no snooze!), but it’s so easy to go down a rabbit hole of reading every email, checking every social media account and reading the news while still in bed. Give yourself some time without your phone in your hand, and wait until you’re out of bed before you start scrolling.
Get Moving
Our bodies need to wake up from sleep the same way our minds do. Introducing movement, especially something like a morning stretching or yoga routine, is a great way to give your body time to wake up.
If you’re up for more than stretching or yoga, mornings are the best time to exercise. Working out in the morning helps eliminate excuses because you get it out of the way early, and it removes the possibility of distractions that can happen later in the day because you’ve already done it.
Morning Quiet Time
It’s important to have some time to fully wake up in the mornings without any distractions. Spending quiet time with yourself is something you might consider adding to your morning routine. Some ideas for this time include prayer, meditation, and journaling.
This time can also be used to plan out your day. You can figure out what you must accomplish and what can wait if it needs to. You can then add your appointments to your schedule and timeblock for the things that need to get done.
Use Artful Agenda to Perfect Your Routine
Artful Agenda has so many features to help you with your morning (and nighttime!) routine.
Our List function is a great place to jot down ideas for what you want to do and to set a plan in motion. You can use it to make a Morning Routine Checklist to keep you on track until it becomes second nature.
Your Artful Agenda is also the perfect place to plan out your day. You can add your Priority Tasks to that section and put everything else under Other Tasks. You can even assign tasks to another day if they don’t get done!
If you’re not already using it, start your Artful Agenda free trial here.
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