Morning and evening routines come in all shapes and sizes.
It doesn’t always have to be about waking up at 6:30 am and then doing yoga or meditation.
Choose rituals that you actually enjoy and not because everyone else is doing them.
Here are 5 steps to help you build a morning and evening routine that works for you. And one that you can actually stick to.
What is a morning and evening routine?
Simply put, a morning routine is a set of habits or rituals that you typically engage in after waking up to start your day on a positive note.
This could look like going on a walk in nature, practising yoga or doing a workout or it can be as simple as drinking a glass of water as soon as you wake up and doing some morning reading.
And yup, you guessed it — an evening routine is a set of habits or rituals that you do to prepare your mind and body for sleep.
Think gentle stretches, a warm shower, practising gratitude or meditation.
Both of these routines help establish a sense of structure, boost your mood and set the right tone at the right time of day.
I’m not sure about you but I hate feeling stressed.
When I used to work a 9 to 5, I always used to wake up at the last second (purely because I always drunk the night before)
I’d wake in a panic and haul ass to the bathroom, rushing around trying to get ready so I could leave the house and get to work on time, which of course would never happen. And because I was always late leaving the house, I never had time for breakfast. Once I got to my desk I’d feel incredibly hungry (not a good look on a hangover), moody and ratty.
It was not the best or most mindful way to start my day and it seriously impacted my mental well-being.
I now use my morning routine to ease me into the day and reduce my overwhelm. Waking up and jumping straight onto my laptop is not an efficient way for me to be productive and so I use the first 2 hours of my day to ground my feet.
My evening routine calms my mind relaxes my body and helps me wind down before bed.
I’m famous amongst my friends and family for getting non-stop 8 hours of good-quality sleep a night.
And put it all down to the fact that I prioritise my wellness from the moment I open my eyes in the morning to the moment I close them at night.
The benefits of a morning and evening routine
Before I do a deep dive into how you can build a morning and evening routine that works for you, let me first share the numerous benefits of actually having one.
Morning and evening routines aren’t just beneficial for your overall well-being but they positively impact productivity too.
Benefits of a morning and evening routine include:
- Gives structure to your day
- Increases productivity and focus
- Reduces stress and anxiety
- Improves mental clarity and creativity
- Helps you establish positive and healthy habits
- Enhances self-care and overall well-being
- Better sleep quality
- Gives you a reason to wake up and kickstart the day
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5 steps to build a nourishing morning and evening routine that works for you
So we all know by now that a morning routine determines the rest of your day and an evening routine sets you up for the next day.
But when it comes down to building these routines we often choose rituals based on what other people are doing rather than what is right for us.
This makes it hard for you to stick to a routine, kills motivation and puts you back at square one.
So creating a morning and evening routine that suits your personality and lifestyle is essential.
It not only makes you more likely to stick to it but starting and ending the day doing the things you love makes you feel happier and more passionate about your routine.
Here’s where to start:
1 | Identify your ideal rituals
Map out what your ideal (but realistic) morning and evening routine would look like by writing down all the things you want to do. Identify the rituals that will nourish your mind, body and soul.
Once you’ve done your brain dump, prioritise all your rituals from most important to least important into a list.
It’s personally up to you to choose how many rituals you put into your routine. I usually go for between 5-8 big and small rituals but you might prefer doing 3 things or even 10 things.
Try out different variations of your routine to see which one suits you best.
And make your routines a non-negotiable part of your schedule! This means nothing should be getting in the way of them — plan your social events and work hours around them.
2 | Make it your own
Your morning routine doesn’t always have to be waking up at 6.30 am and then doing yoga or meditation.
It can be lying in bed for an extra hour and reading or just sitting comfortably in silence.
The trick is to choose rituals that you enjoy, suit your personality and lifestyle, and benefit your health and well-being long-term.
Like I’ve said before, if you’re not a morning person then don’t force yourself to wake up at 5 am because it’ll just lead to burnout quicker. So define your own version of what a mindful and productive morning routine looks like for you.
To make your routines your own, I suggest testing out each of the activities you listed in step one.
Rate each activity out of 5 to determine whether you want to include it in your routine or not.
You can also ask yourself these two questions to get even clearer:
- How does this ritual make me feel?
- Does this ritual work for me?
3 | Create a realistic time-frame
Once you’re happy with what rituals to include in your routine, you now need to estimate how long each ritual will take to complete.
By doing this exercise, you will have a clearer idea of how much time you can dedicate to your routines in the morning and evening, and know when to start each one.
I recommend working backwards to figure this out.
For example, work out how much sleep you need to get each night and when you realistically need to go to sleep. So if you usually wake up at 8 am and need to get a solid 8-hrs sleep you want to be falling asleep at 12 am. If the estimated time of your evening routine is 2 hours, you want to be starting it at 10 pm.
Once you’ve mapped out when to start your morning or evening routine, make a note of it in your daily schedule and set an alarm to help prompt you into starting it.
4 | Stay flexible
I know you want to be consistent with your new morning and evening routine, but you need to understand that forming one is a big lifestyle change. Don’t freak out if you miss a day — I promise, there is nothing wrong with you. It is totally normal to have bad days. The most important thing is to give yourself grace, pick yourself back up and keep moving forward.
Remember, progress, not perfection, is the goal.
And be mindful of your mood, menstrual cycle and other lifestyle factors that might affect your routine. Don’t be afraid to change or adapt your routine if needed.
My top tip would be to build your morning and evening routine with some wiggle room.
By staying flexible, you can adjust your routine when necessary to better suit your needs.
I also suggest building a seasonal routine! What I mean by this is switching up your morning and evening based on the seasons.
Instead of struggling with a morning routine that works great in spring and summer, change up your routine to work for you in autumn and winter. This might be setting your alarm later and delaying certain activities.
Or choose to do your exercise in the morning when it’s light outside rather than in the evening when it is dark outside.
5 | Track progress with a planner
Studies show that we are a lot more likely to do something if it is written down.
So keep track of your morning and evening routine, and stay accountable by writing your rituals down on a piece of paper along with the timings and keeping this next to your bed.
This will also help you keep track of your progress and gain the motivation you need to keep going. And don’t forget to celebrate your success along the way to boost confidence.
Tracking progress can also help you identify the rituals or habits you’re consistently skipping (because they no longer serve you) so you can readjust your routine where needed.
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Final Thoughts
Yes, a morning and evening routine sets you up for a more productive and successful day.
But don’t you also want to make sure you’re enjoying it and not just doing certain rituals because you feel like you should be doing them?
Follow the above tips and build your morning and evening routine that feels good for you.
You’ll also find that by building your routines in this way, you’ll be more likely to stick to them.
So stop copying what everyone else is doing and create your own version of a healthy and deeply fulfilling life.
You’ve got this.
Thalia xx
