Morning routines don’t have to be scary, overwhelming or exhausting.
Ignore those who say you need to wake up at 5.30 am every day to be successful because it’s not true.
Your morning routine can honestly be whatever you want it to be.
So, give these nourishing morning routine ideas a go and fall in love with your mornings again.
What is a morning routine?
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 and mindful note.
This could look like going on a walk in nature, practising yoga or doing a workout. It can even be as simple as drinking a glass of water as soon as you wake up and doing some morning reading.
Having a morning routine can help you to establish a sense of structure, boost your mood and set the right tone at the right time of day.
Your morning routine can essentially be anything you want it to be but it is supposed to make you feel good. A morning routine is not supposed to add more stress to your day or even feel like a chore for that matter so build it to work for you.
Benefits of a morning routine
Before I do a deep dive into the many things you can do in the morning to ease you into the day, let me first share the many benefits of having a morning routine.
Simply put, a morning routine sets you up for a successful and productive day — whatever that looks like for you. They boost energy levels, lower stress and increase your productivity.
I mean, what’s not to love? Plus, they can be fun!
Other benefits of a morning routine include:
- Gives structure to your day
- Increases productivity and focus
- Boosts energy
- Helps you avoid burnout
- Reduces morning stress and anxiety
- Improves mental clarity and creativity
- Helps you establish positive and healthy habits
- Enhances self-care and overall well-being
- Gives you a reason to wake up and kickstart the day
The perfect morning routine does not exist
There seems to be so much online noise surrounding morning routines. Yes, some of it is good advice, but other times it can make you feel overwhelmed.
All you ever see is “wake up at 5 am for a more productive day”, “start your day off right with a spin class” or “take ‘x‘ amount of supplements as soon as you wake up.” I mean, personally, that’s enough to put me off.
I recently saw a post about what time you should wake up according to your chronotype. And all of the times suggested were before 7.30 am.
Even The Miracle Morning which is an extremely popular productivity book tells you to complete 6 habits to transform your life all before 8 am.
But what these methods fail to grasp is that everyone is different. Not everyone wants to wake up early or jump-start the day with a sweaty workout.
Since starting my own business, I’ve learnt I don’t want to wake up at 5.30 am. Or at 6 am or 7 am, for that matter. I’m happier ignoring my alarm and naturally opening my eyes at 8 am. And then mindfully read in bed for 30 minutes before I stretch.
Morning routines are made out to seem active, motivating and powerful. But the truth is, they can be slow, mindful and calm.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to building the perfect morning routine.
It’s about what works for you.
So when building your morning routine, I recommend choosing rituals that you’ll actually enjoy and that suit your personality and lifestyle.
It doesn’t always have to be about waking up at 6.30 am and going on a 5 km run. It can be naturally waking up at 9 am, drinking a glass of water and planting your feet on the floor to ground you. Likewise, if you’re not a morning person, then don’t force yourself to wake up earlier if there’s no need for it as it’ll just lead to burnout quicker.
And remember — you don’t have to do the same things every day. Shake things up a bit depending on your mood or the seasons, and stop yourself from getting bored.
“Morning routines come in all shapes and sizes. It doesn’t always have to be about waking up at 5:30 am and then doing yoga or meditation. Choose rituals that you actually enjoy and not because everyone else is doing them.”
Notes by thalia
60 nourishing morning routine ideas to fall back in love with your mornings
From singing in the shower to having a lie-in, here is an extensive list of morning routine ideas to try on energetic days, mindful days and slow days.
Choose 4-7 small and big rituals when building your routine, and never feel overwhelmed or exhausted by your morning again!
Morning routine ideas for energetic days
- Make the bed and prepare your workspace
- Laugh for 3 minutes and instantly feel more positive
- Spend time cooking a healthy breakfast
- Do a morning stretch routine using Yoga Wake-Up App
- Go screen-free all morning
- Listen to a feel-good music playlist
- Drink your coffee and just listen
- Raise your heart rate with a high-intensity workout
- Make a fruit smoothie inspired by what’s in season
- Prepare a healthy lunch and keep it in the fridge
- Listen to your wellness vision recording
- Plan your day and prioritise tasks
- Gently tap your fingers all over your body
- Exfoliate your skin and moisturise
- Get dressed in an outfit that makes you feel good
- Have a (cold) shower and sing your heart out
- Write down your goals for the day
- Run errands that you enjoy
- Do the plank for at least 30 seconds
- Wiggle your toes
Morning routine ideas for mindful days
- Wake up to a sunrise alarm clock
- Meditate for 10-mins or do breathwork
- Sit in silence and do nothing
- Journal your feelings
- Practice gratitude
- Set a 2-mins timer when brushing your teeth
- Go barefoot outside and squeeze your toes
- Do yoga or pilates
- Listen to a motivating podcast
- Read a chapter from a self-help book
- Take multivitamins or probiotics for a healthy gut
- Repeat some affirmations
- Close your eyes and gently massage them
- Drink a glass of lemon water
- Make a green juice
- Go for a swim in the pool or the sea
- Write down your intentions for the day
- Try a new recipe for breakfast
- Drink tea instead of coffee
- Empty your inbox
Morning routine ideas for slow days
- Don’t set an alarm and wake up naturally
- Open the curtains and a window for fresh air
- Do some simple neck and shoulder stretches
- Breakfast in bed
- Read a fiction book for 30 minutes
- Connect with a friend via FaceTime
- Watch an episode of your favourite/current TV show
- Go on a slow 40-minute walk
- Tidy your room
- Spray your room with aromatherapy oils
- Write a bucket list for the day
- Message a loved one to tell them why you are grateful for them
- Put on a soothing facemask
- Catch up on your favourite blog during your morning coffee
- Spend your morning at the spa recharging
- Sit in a coffee shop with a book and hot chocolate
- Slowly tidy the kitchen
- Bake something to enjoy later!
- Wake up and cuddle whoever is next to you
Final thoughts
Just like with all of my tips, I suggest testing out these morning routine ideas first before fully committing to them. The trick is to find out what works for you.
Try putting together a morning routine tracker to help you track which morning routine ideas you enjoyed and which ones you would do again.
Rate each ritual out of 5 stars. Ask yourself, “How did this activity make me feel?.” If it’s a hell yes rather than a hell no, then add it to your morning routine and get consistent.
I’m all about doing the stuff that works for you. Not one-size-fits-all BS.
You’ve got this.
Thalia xx
