How to Create a Morning Routine You'll Actually Love

It's the perfect start to your day.

Sep 16, 2020

I know you’ve probably already read about morning routines a million times—how successful people swear by it, how you have to wake up at 5 am, how it’s imperative to lead a productive life.

Let’s be honest, where’s the lie? But also, you’re not getting me up at 5 am unless there’s an emergency.

Being an early riser isn’t for all of us (hi!), and that’s OK. You can create a morning routine that works for you. The important part is allowing it to set the tone for your day, which is peaceful, productive and joyful. After years of trial and error, I finally found a routine that works for me.

The trick to a great morning routine is starting it the night before. I write out my to-do list for the next day before I head to bed, and once I’m ready to sleep, I put my phone on airplane mode and disconnect (literally and figuratively) from the world.

Once my alarm goes off at 7:30 am, I instantly drop some lavender essential oil that I keep on my nightstand into my palms, take some deep inhales while cupping my nose and play my 10-minute guided meditation.

At this point, I’ve stretched in bed. Then I make my bed right away. It’s a small task, but a great start to the day. Then, I make myself some tea.

I set a 25-minute timer on my phone (which is still in airplane mode*), and write in my journal for a few minutes. After I’m done journaling, I read my book while drinking my tea until the timer goes off.

Usually, I still have about 10 minutes to spare, so that’s when I scroll through social media and emails before getting into my day, which at some point, also involves breakfast, a workout, and shower.

Some things not to do:

Don’t hit that snooze button.
Don’t automatically check your phone. No. Stop. You can get rid of those red notification bubbles later.
Same with your emails and texts.

Some things you absolutely should do:

Figure out what works for you. There are so many different things you can implement into your morning routine.
Feel free to change it up until you find something that makes you happy.
Consistency is key! Just keep with it even if you’re not feeling up to it. Before you know, it’ll be second nature, and your future Self will thank you for it.

The important thing is to start your day doing things that make you happy and at peace. Waking up stressed and anxious is not the move. Trust me, I’d know.

As a former night owl, I never thought I’d be the girl in bed at a decent hour and up at 7:30 when I don’t have to be, but I’d be lying if I said I don’t kinda love it.

Now, go work on that action plan to kick each day’s ass.