Having a good morning routine can be the key to having a good day. Starting your morning right, can really change the tone of the day and starting on the right foot can at least make you feel that you’ve at least accomplished something today.
Mornings are one of my favourite parts of the day but I know I feel better in myself when I’ve followed my morning routine. In this post, I’m not crafting a morning routine for you to follow, as the most productive morning routine for you, will not be the same as someone else’s. There will be some graphics of a suggested morning routine but ultimately, it is up to you, as to what you want to accomplish with your morning.
So, let’s talk productive morning routines!
Do I need to wake up at 5am to have a productive morning?
No! Waking up at 5am is so refreshing, but it is not sustainable for everyone. There is so many factors that can affect this. For example, some people may have work where they can’t wake up at 5am, or people may work late and need the sleep more than they need to wake up early.
Simply put, a productive morning routine is successful when you feel like you’ve simply accomplished something. You don’t need to wake up at 5am to be productive. You would have more time to carry out certain tasks but it is absolutely not essential.
So, now, onto the good tips!
Don’t hit snooze!
If you really want to have a productive morning, you can’t hit snooze. Yes, it may be hard to get out of bed, but honestly, I find it even harder to get out after having an extra 5-10 minutes of sleep! In that time, you could’ve at least brushed your teeth! In my opinion, I feel sleepier if I’ve hit snooze, than I do just get up and out of bed!
Get straight out of bed and make the bed!
This ties in with this last one, but force yourself out of bed and make it! Once you’ve made the bed, you won’t want to get back into it as you’d have to make it again. If you share the bed with someone, have a dressing gown near by that you can pull on to stay warm as staying cozy, can be an incentive to getting out of bed.
Every morning, when I know I need to get up, I get my dressing gown and slippers to shuffle around in a bit as I love to feel cozy!
Brush your teeth and wash your face!
I do this first every morning and it wakes me up and helps me feel more productive. I know I’m not going to bed after brushing my teeth and I wash my face in cold water to shock me awake.
This is the kickstart I need to make my morning as productive as possible. It’s not the nicest sensation at all but it will hopefully prevent you from getting back into bed!
Choose 1 task you want to accomplish in the morning
Choose a task you want to include in your perfect, productive morning routine and add that. You only need 1 – like I said, a morning routine will be productive as long as you feel that you’ve accomplished something!
This task can be as big or as small as you want – you may want to workout, you may want to do your makeup, prepare your lunch or get some work done. Just adding 1 task to your morning routine will allow you to start your day feeling productive.
It’s important to note that you may not hit this every morning. That is okay! Not every morning will be perfect and not every morning will be productive, but having a set routine and plan in place, can help it become an everyday task and will make you more likely to stick to it.
Don’t skip breakfast
You’ve heard it before but it is the most important meal of the day! Having breakfast in your morning routine will help you start your day right.
When you’re hungry, you’re not as alert or focused as you could be. Just having a little something to eat can help you stay on task, whatever that may be.
I’m a naturally hungry person so I always have breakfast. Usually I opt for something sweet (as that is my preference) and high protein as this helps keep me feeling satiated. Having something sugary and low protein usually makes me feel hungry again by mid morning!
Here are some options for breakfast to add to your morning routine:
Savoury breakfast options
• avocado and egg on toast
• omelette
• bacon medallion/turkey bacon sandwich
• salmon and cream cheese bagel
Sweet breakfast options
• overnight oats/chia pudding
• protein oats (hot)
• protein pancakes
• protein French toast (see photo)
• smoothie
Be sure to hydrate!
Hydration is so important and I included it in my post on how to glow up. In the mornings, you can hydrate however you see fit. I see a lot of pages recommend water and maybe this is the most healthy way to hydrate in the morning but, in my own opinion, as long as you’re having a drink in the morning such as coffee or juice then you are hydrating. The water can be drank during the day.
I like my coffee in the morning so I’ll continue to drink that and consume my 2L of water during the rest of the day. It may not be beneficial to drink coffee so early in the day but it makes me feel more energised and productive and that’s what this morning routine is all about.
Don’t abandon the mindfulness
While the morning can be a busy time, take 5 minutes to practice some mindfulness. This can be a diary, gratitude, daily affirmations, breathing exercises or using journal prompts. It doesn’t need to take long but it can really help elevate your mindset for the day and over time, improve your overall mental health.
I like to use my journal as a diary so I can write out all my thoughts and feelings on paper and get it off my chest and I do truly believe this helps me personally. This method may not help you but try out a few mindfulness activities and see which one is best and most suited to you.
In my girly gift guide, you can find recommendations for some journals!
And those are my best tips to helping you achieve a productive morning routine to help you feel set up and at your best for the day! I hope these helped!
