Healthy Morning Routines

I am sure you have heard the hype? People that have healthy morning routines tend to be more successful.

But if you are anything like me you are not about that 5am life.  We love our sleep.

But that doesn’t mean that we cannot create a healthy morning routine that works for us while still giving us amazing benefits that don’t involve a 5am wake up call.

Now I should warn you. Once you start there is no turning back.  Here is the thing. I used to be the person that rolled out of bed and barely made it out the door in time to make it to work on time.

But I was miserable. And how the saying goes. When you start off your day in a bad mood everything possible that can happen will. (Let me not even talk about the day my heel broke in the rain and I had to hobble my way home because when it rains in NYC there is no way you’re going to find a cab.

But anyway if you can relate then lets work on putting together a healthy morning routine that works for you. So we can say goodbye to those crazy days.

What is an ideal healthy morning routine?

Just like with life the ideal healthy morning routine is not one size fits all. We are all unique and we all have our own unique needs which means that everyone should have their own morning routine that works for you. 

There are amazing books like The Miracle Morning (you can find it here), that will give you a solid foundation.  But the ideal healthy morning routines are the ones that you carefully craft and fit into your personal situation.

For example, I mentioned above about the whole 5am club. Not knocking anyone. But I am not a member of the 5am club. If it is dark out I am happy buried in my covers. However I have tested waking up a few minutes earlier and I was surprised by the benefits. 

Here is a hint. They far outweigh the benefits of the ten minutes you get from the snooze button. 

But  I am not a morning person?

I totally used to feel the same way. So first I need you to do something. Stop saying you’re not a morning person. While there are studies that show that some people are nocturnal, there is also evidence that shows that most of us are not morning people because we have convinced ourselves that we are not morning people. 

Hear me out?

Do you ever find yourself hitting the snooze button a million times on a Monday morning, but come saturday you are waking up with the birds?  Tell me that has never happened to you. 

It’s the worse. The one day when you can actually sleep in peacefully but your body is saying nope. Not happening today. 

Guess what! You’re secretly a morning person. See I told you. 

So before you say you’re not a morning person or can’t phantom the idea of getting up even 15 minutes earlier let’s give this whole morning routine a chance.

By the way, having a healthy morning routine can actually save you time so you might not even need to get up early.

Say what!

Yeah I know. That’s crazy right.  But it's true. 

What is a good healthy daily routine?

Having a solid healthy daily routine starts with what you do before you even go to bed.  Here is the thing. If you’re not getting a restful sleep chances are you’re going to be feeling it throughout the day. 

So we are going to work backwards here and start with the evening. 

Start your evening by preparing for the night before. Before you get ready for bed try doing the following three things.  They actually do not take as much time as you think. I promise. 

Set out your clothes for the next day. This is a huge time saver. Extra points if you can do it a week at a time. I’ve done this before and it was a game changer. I will admit I am not that disciplined but it makes a huge difference I promise. 

If you’re a coffee drinker get your coffee ready the night before.  So all you need to do is hit the button when you wake up. 

Make a to do list. Part of the reason why we sometimes get rest is because we are thinking about all the things we have to do. Take a minute to put it all on paper. For some reason writing it out helps to get it off your mind. So you can have a restful sleep. 

Once you are set for the next day it is time to get those zzzs. There are plenty of articles on how to prep yourself for your best sleep like not eating after a certain time or staying away from alcohol, caffeine, television etc.  We are not going to talk about that. 

What I want you to do is pick 1-2 things that you do every night in preparation for bed. This can be having a chamomile tea. Reading a book. Meditating. It doesn’t matter.  All that matters is that it is something that is relaxing and consistent. 

Why is this important?

Because when you do these actions over and over again you will trigger your brain that these activities mean its bedtime.  For example I always read before bed. So once I lay down with my book my body already knows that I am ready for bed. I usually last about 15 minutes before I am out. 

What is the healthiest morning routine?

So let’s start creating a healthy morning routine. I will start by sharing what I do to give you an idea. Then we are going to work together to come up with a routine that is specifically catered to you. 

My personal morning routine is inspired by The Miracle Morning. I say inspired because over time I have made tweaks to it that just work for me. 

The biggest thing for me is listening to my body. So while I have a specific time that I have to start work which means that I have to wake up at a certain time on Monday-Friday, on the weekends I start my morning routine when I wake up. So if that means noon so be it. 

Wake Up: 15 minutes 

As soon as I wake up I make sure to drink water. Depending on how long you sleep, it’s probably been some time since you had a drink of water. So starting out with a glass of water is a great way to get your body going again. 

To make it easier I keep water by my nightstand. As soon as I take that first sip it triggers my brain.

The next things I do are start the coffee, brush my teeth and change into my work out clothes. 

Meditation: 10 minutes

If you have never tried meditation then I would recommend trying it at least for a week. I still have squirrel brain however I find that a few minutes of quiet every morning really helps to get the day going. There are many different ways that you can meditate. 

However if you’re a total newbie like me check the Insight Timer. It is one of my personal favorites. And what is great about it is that they have tons of free meditations. So you don’t have to spend a dime to get started. 

Affirmations: 5 minutes

Affirmations are my jam. I love them. I have affirmations in my notes pad that I updated every so often. And every morning I take 5 minutes to read through them.  This is really a great mood booster. 

Writing: 5 minutes

Did you have a journal or diary when you were growing up? I sure did. And up until recently I never really thought it would be a good idea to have one now. But writing is a great form or expression. However the information dump every morning is great. 

You can work off of journal prompts or just start writing what is on your mind. I use a RocketBook for my journal (This is the one I use). I write out my thoughts every day and then at the end of the week I will sometimes revisit them before I erase them and move on to the next week.

Visualization: 5 minutes

This is the most fun part. And one of the things in my morning routine that I look forward to. Let’s think about your 10 year old self. You know that one that wanted to be a princess or the president. How cool was it to just sit there and imagine what your life would be like when you grew up.

Visualization works the same way. Except it has a strange way of helping you to take those visualizations and make them reality. There is a whole science behind. But we will chat about that later. 

I use pinterest for my visualization. I have created a board with all the things that I want from 2021. Everything from the places I want to go to how I want to redecorate. Not only is it fun but it really is motivating. 

Reading: 20 minutes

Part of creating successful and healthy habits means always learning.  And this is an opportunity to really chip away at all those self help and personal development books that have been collecting dust. Pick one up, set a timer and start reading.  Need a head start. Check out this list of my favorite money books. 

Exercise: 60 minutes

I started exercising in the morning about a year ago.  And I will admit.  Getting out of bed to work out was not ever something I ever thought I would do.

But once I started I realized how amazing it is. Not only do you get it over with but all that energy is better than a million cups of coffee. Don’t believe me. Give it a try. I personally use the Sweat app but there are plenty of free exercise videos on youtube that you can take advantage of. 

Now you’re probably thinking, there is no way in the world that I am going to get up that early nor do I have the time to devote two hours to a morning routine.
That’s ok. Start with committing to waking up 30 minutes early. Pick maybe two things, 15 minutes each, and start there. 

The best morning routine is the one that works best for you. And not what I am doing or other people tell you what to do. Create your own. See how it feels. Then build upon it. 

Best Morning Routine Habits

The first step to creating a morning routine is to identify how much time you have. Once you have that number in mind then you can start working on putting together a list of things that you want to do within that time.  Here are some of the best morning routine ideas and habits that you should consider incorporation. 

1. Drink water

This was mentioned above but drinking water is probably one of the best ways to start out your day. Usually when you wake up it has been an extended period of time since you have hydrated therefore it this the best time to rehydrate your body. 

2. Wash your face

I don’t care if you splash cold water (that’s what I do) or do a 7 step cleansing routine. But washing your face first thing in the morning is a great way to start your day. The cool water is refreshing and will wake up our senses. And besides taking care of your skin has amazing benefits. Why wouldn’t you want you give is some love first thing in the morning. This should always be part of a daily self care routine.

Extra points. Take a cold shower. That will really wake you up.

3. And don’t forget to brush your teeth

For some of us brushing our teeth is such an automatic thing that we don’t even think about it.  However while your brushing your teeth thing is a good time to really reflect on the day ahead. Maybe you have a long to do list or you have project that you need to complete. 

Take this moment to … well have that moment.  This minute or so can help you reset and be grounded so you can be ready to tackle what is up ahead of you for the day. 

4. Make your bed

No one wants to start their day having to do something as mundane as making the bed however this small little chore can make the world of a difference. 

Why?

Well first off once the bed is made your less likely to jump back in and mess it up. So it signals that it is time to get this day started. 

Second, it is nice to look at and to come back home to. You know how when you stay at a resort and after a day at the beach you come back to crisp clean and tidy sheets. I love that feeling. 

5. Don’t check your phone

I am so guilty of this. But ever since I started putting my phone in another room to charge it has made my mornings so much better.

Phones are a distraction not to mention a time suck.  So hold off on checking those emails, reading the news and reading those 100 new message on that group text.  Nothing bad will happen in the 30 or so minutes you need to take care of yourself in the morning. 

6. Give yourself a good stretch

After laying down for an extended period of time your body needs a little movement. And the best way to get the blood flowing is by giving yourself a nice little stretch. Even if you plan to work out as part of your routine stretching out anything that feels tight is a great way to kick start your day.

And if this is the only thing that you do that is ok as well.  This counts as exercise for anyone that is checking. 

However…

7. Get moving

The morning is a great time to get in your work out routine. Not only does physical activity really boost your energy for the day but it feels good to know that you got that over with. You know what I’m talking about.

That nudge you get that tells you that you gotta work out and as the day progresses you start to lose more and more interest in actually doing it.  Oh wait. That is just met. But if you know what I am talking about then let me know. Because I know I am not the only one that picks happy hour over an hour at the gym. 

Oh its just me. Well then…

8. Write/Journal

It’s time to dust off that fancy notebook you got for christmas. Here’s the thing. I always thought journaling or writing in our diary was something we did when we were teenagers. Even then I didn’t quite understand. 

However fast forward only a few years later (shhh…) and I realize that journaling is a lot more powerful that most give it credit for. 

Full disclosure I just started journaling as part of my morning routine. But when I tell you pen to paper has been a game changer for me I am not exaggerating.

There are different ways you can approach journaling. For example you can work off of journal prompts. Or you can just set a timer and spent a specific amount of writing what comes to mind. 

Either way you will be surprised at home much you can get out of taking that time during the morning to write your thoughts. 

9. Meditate

Meditation can seem like it is overrated. But I promise you it is not. Here’s the thing. What’s the point in meditating when I can kinda do the same thing by just laying in bed for an extra 10 minutes. Isn’t the same thing? 

While yes. You can potentially mediate in bed, incorporating meditation into your morning routine can prove to be extremely beneficial for a few reasons. 

First it allows you to clear your mind and start off your day with a clean slate. 

Second, it gives you the opportunity to to set an intention for the day which for some may sound a bit woo woo but give it a go and tell me it doesn’t make a huge difference. 

10. Plan a breakfast of champions.

I heard a rumor that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that breakfast literally means “breaking the fast” which is the time between dinner and your next meal (breakfast) which you spend mostly sleeping. 

But just like your body is thirsty for water after 8 hours it is also thirsty for nutrients. Which means that planning a breakfast that is healthy and satisfying is key. 

I am not going to go into the debate of what you should or should not have for a healthy breakfast. 

However I believe that you should choose a breakfast that is satisfying for you. 

11. Turn on the music

If that alarm from your phone stresses you out then why not replace it with your favorite tunes. 

There are several ways you can do this.  You can program your phone to  play.

Or you can get an alarm clock that allows you to to set a music source. This one is great. 

Create a playlist or tune to your favorite radio station. And let the music bring you to life every morning. 

Extra points if you spent a few minutes dancing it out. That counts like exercise by the way. 

Daily routine for healthy body and mind

Having a healthy morning routine is more than just getting up early and being more productive. It has a lot to do with your overall physical health as well as your mental health and wellness.

I challenge you to take these tips and create your own healthy morning routine. And see how quickly you start to see and feel the changes.

Creating good morning habits is the first step to seeing your full potential.

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