No matter if you wake up thirty minutes before sunrise or thirty minutes before heading out the door, everyone follows some sort of morning routine. The real question is—how’s that working for you? Waking up at 5:30 a.m. might seem productive, but if you’re sacrificing crucial sleep just to check off boxes, it’s counterproductive. On the flip side, rolling out of bed and rushing out in half an hour might seem chaotic, but if you’ve prepped the night before, it can be surprisingly efficient.
Ultimately, a productive day starts with a nourishing routine. We’ve interviewed dozens of vibrant, inspiring women for our Wake-Up Call series, and they all say the same: How you begin your morning sets the tone for the rest of your day. I like to think of it as lighting a match—an awakening, both physically and mentally. But in the noise of productivity hacks and wellness gurus, it’s easy to lose sight of what truly works for you.
So, what’s the answer? A well-balanced morning routine supports your physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental well-being. But before diving into specific habits, let’s explore how to create a routine that actually sticks.
7 Ways to Create a Morning Routine That Lasts
1. Start the Night Before
A great morning starts the night before. Determine your ideal amount of sleep (typically 7-9 hours) and set your bedtime accordingly. Then, set yourself up for success by prepping in advance:
- Set up the coffee maker.
- Lay out workout clothes.
- Place a glass of water on your nightstand.
- Create a cozy morning nook with a blanket and book.
- Enable night mode on your phone.
- Take a shower.
- Pack kids’ lunches.
2. Wake Up Early
You don’t have to be a morning person to have a productive day, but if you feel rushed, waking up earlier can help. Determine how much time you need by assigning blocks to each task. Here are two sample routines:
Routine Number 1:
- 10 minutes to wake up and change
- 5 minutes of sunlight exposure
- 20 minutes of movement
- 10 minutes of reading or journaling
- 5 minutes of meditation or prayer
- 20 minutes for breakfast
- 25 minutes to get ready
- 5 minutes of buffer time
Routine Number 2:
- 10 minutes to wake up and stretch
- 10 minutes of reading
- 30 minutes for family breakfast and getting kids ready
- 40 minutes to get yourself ready
- 10 minutes of buffer time
Each routine requires about 1 hour and 40 minutes before the day officially begins.
Tip: Keep your phone or alarm clock in your bathroom. Once you’re up and in the room, you’re less likely to hit the snooze button.
3. Make the Bed
Or empty the dishwasher, water the plants, or start a load of laundry—any small task that gives an instant sense of accomplishment. Starting with one good habit in the morning creates momentum for the rest of the day.
4. Start Small
If you take one thing from this list, let it be this: Small changes create lasting habits. You might feel a lot of Big Overhaul Energy, but I know that you know from experience it’s not sustainable. Instead, look for a quick win. What small change can you make this week? A few ideas:
- Go to bed 15 minutes earlier.
- Set up your coffee the night before.
- Add 10 minutes of reading to your morning.
- Take a 15-minute walk three days a week.
5. Habit Stack
James Clear popularized “habit stacking” in Atomic Habits. The idea? Attach a new habit to an existing one. What habit are you already doing every morning and what habit could you stack on?
- Brushing your teeth? Say a positive affirmation.
- Making coffee? Take your vitamins.
- Blow-drying your hair? Think of three things you’re grateful for.
- Hugging your kids? Compliment them.
- Saying goodbye to your partner? Extend the moment with a 20-second hug.
6. Streamline Your Get-Ready Routine
Unless you love getting ready in the morning, consider ways to make it more efficient. Showering at night, laying out clothes, or adopting a five-minute makeup routine can free up time for more meaningful activities.
7. Embrace Flexibility
Your ideal morning routine today might not work next month, and that’s okay. Life does change—through kids’ schedules, work dynamics, seasons—so your routine should, too. If something feels off, tweak it. Swap a workout for an afternoon walk. Change your journaling spot. Adapt, don’t abandon.
If one area of you’re routine begins to feel stale or unfulfilling, don’t write it off as a failure. Be willing to mix it up! Maybe it’s as simple as moving your reading chair to a different corner. Or perhaps you’re in a season where you need more rest so you opt for an afternoon walk instead of a morning sweat sesh. No matter what change you make, you aren’t failing—you’re tending. You’re paying attention.
No matter what change you make, you aren’t failing—you’re tending. You’re paying attention.
Physical Morning Routine Ideas
Do a Body Scan
Before reaching for your phone, check in with yourself. Scan your body from head to toe—how do you feel? This simple mindfulness exercise builds self-awareness.
Hydrate First Thing
The first step to staying hydrated all day is reaching for a glass of filtered water first thing in the morning. glass of water clears bacteria, aids digestion, and kick-starts hydration for the day. Bonus points for adding lemon to your H20.
Get Sun Exposure
Sunshine, especially early in the morning, can help balance your internal body clock, regulate your circadian rhythm, and stabilize your overall energy levels. In addition to energy throughout the day, you might just find yourself sleeping better after a dose of Vitamin D in the AM.
Eat a Nourishing Breakfast
Usually, this means a good mix of protein, fat, and healthy carbs that you sit down and savor—chew slowly and enjoy each bite. A protein-rich breakfast can help you maintain energy levels all day long. Need ideas? Try eggs with avocado, Greek yogurt with granola, or a protein smoothie.
Make Coffee (or Tea) a Ritual
Slow down. Enjoy the process of grinding beans, pouring water, and savoring each sip. A beautiful mug helps—like these Casa Zuma mugs designed for morning rituals.
Move Your Body
Not only does a morning workout get your blood pumping and release mood-boosting endorphins and reduce anxiety, but conquering it first thing ensures that your daily workout will actually happen.
Walk With a Friend
Once you finish your morning walk, your brain will be (pleasantly) buzzing with all the good conversation and pretty views.
Morning Routine Ideas to Support Your Emotions
Connect With Someone You Love
Whether it’s a breakfast date with your partner or a tickle session with your kids, connecting with someone you love is a beautiful reminder of what’s important. Even if the morning is really busy, try to sit down for a few minutes over breakfast and talk about what’s going on in each other’s lives that day.
Journal Your Thoughts
If you don’t already have a journal practice, this is a great area to start small. Remove all the pressure that often comes with journaling and focus on writing in a way that feels good. Maybe it’s 10 minutes of free-writing in a Google doc filling up a single page in a physical journal. Bookmark these inspiring journal prompts when you feel stuck.
Practice Gratitude
Connect with the power of gratitude (it actually makes you healthier) by meditating on or writing down three things you’re grateful for each day. PS: We’ve got gratitude journal prompts, too.
Play With Your Animal
Our pets need AM love, too! Take your dog for a walk or spend 10 minutes playing with your cat. The companionship, connection, and sense of purpose they instill will start your day off on a good, positive note.
Identify One Thing You’re Looking Forward To
It’s easy to get caught up in to-do’s and stresses of the day—which is why it’s incredibly important to give attention to the good stuff, too. Even if your day is packed, try to name one thing you’re looking forward to that day. And if you can’t think of anything, it’s your sign to make room for something good.
Say Positive Affirmations
Say it, believe it. Here are over 60 daily affirmations to choose from.
Limit Social Media
Say it with me: I will not let social media be the first thing I consume in the morning. Reclaim those minutes for something that truly fuels you. Rather than focusing on what you’re removing (that early morning scroll/dopamine hit), get excited about what you’re adding: 10 minutes you could now spend reading, texting a friend, walking, or a few simple deep breaths.
Spiritual Morning Routine Ideas
Meditate
Meditating is known to bring improved focus and concentration, not to mention a sense of calm and well-being to the day. Set your spirit right and meditate on an affirmation or try one of these breathwork exercises.
Pray
If prayer is in your spiritual practice, set aside a time to connect with God. Go for a prayer walk, set a timer for five minutes of reverent quiet, or write in a prayer journal to clear your mind of the things you can’t control.
Go Outside
Yes, sun exposure in the morning is good for our physical health, but there’s also something spiritual about breathing in the fresh air and grounding in nature. According to the American Psychological Association, exposure to natural spaces improves mood, reduces stress, and increases cognitive function for the rest of the day.
Morning Routine Ideas for Productivity and Mental Clarity
Make a Brain-Dump List
List-lover or not, a brain-dump list is the quickest way to get everything out of your head so you’re not spinning circles like a caffeinated squirrel. Write down every single thing on your mind.
Revisit Your Goals
Do you have a word for the year? Quarterly goals? Be mindful of the bigger picture to keep your daily tasks aligned with your goals. PS: If you need help mapping out your goals, the Vision Workbook is free and a great way to get started.
Prioritize Today’s Tasks
Take a look at your daily schedule and to-do list, then make your priorities. Camille is a big advocate of setting the day’s priorities early in the morning and it’s a big part of her morning ritual. “You know those days where it feels like you’re just spinning your wheels and hopping from one thing to the next, but it feels like you have nothing to show for it? Even on days like that, if I accomplish my top three priorities, I can end the day knowing that even if I didn’t get everything done, I still got the most important things done.”
Read
Finally, the morning is the perfect time to pick up a book and read. Perhaps you stick to non-fiction in the morning and read something inspirational or motivational to get your mind right. Or maybe you start the day with one chapter of BookTok’s latest obsession—it could very well be the treat that gets you out of bed in the morning.
Create Something
We often say there’s not enough time to engage in our creative hobbies, but setting aside some dedicated time in the morning can help you prioritize what’s important. Drawing, writing, crafting—whatever you connect with—can stimulate your brain and inspire innovative thinking all day.
Take a Cold Shower
Challenging, but so invigorating. It can help increase alertness, invigorate your senses, and improve mood. If a cold shower is too much, dip your face in ice water or using a cold facial roller. While the benefits are slightly different, it’s still a great way to wake yourself up.
A Productive Day Begins With a Mindful Morning Routine
Rather than rigidly sticking to a prescribed routine, experiment with different habits and notice what makes you feel your best. Keep what works, ditch what doesn’t. Eventually, you’ll craft a morning ritual that feels effortless—and fuels your most beautiful life.
This post was last updated on March 26, 2025 to include new insights.
