Why You Need to Start a Morning Routine and How

A consistent and positive morning routine is the first part of having a great day. Once I began a morning routine I found myself excited to wake up and get out of bed to get the day started. It is amazing how the little things can change your outlook on the day or even your life.

Going to work all day everyday can really take a toll on your energy levels and motivation to get up in the morning. I have learned that giving myself something to look forward to in the morning helps me get up feeling energized and ready for the day. Check out how I have created a morning routine that lasts and helps me prepare for the day.

**Disclosure: I am a professional website author that receives compensation from the companies whose products I review. I test each product thoroughly and give high marks to only the very best. I am independently owned and the opinions expressed here are my own.**

1. Wake up at the same time everyday (yes, even on the weekends)

I know that sounds counterintuitive to not sleep in on the weekends but trust me it helps! If you really feel like you need to catch up on sleep set your alarm for 30 minutes later. If I sleep any longer I end up feeling groggy all day. I give myself one built in snooze click. I set my alarm for 6:20, hit snooze once and commit to being out of the bed at 6:30. During that 10 minute snooze period I try really hard to not fall back asleep. I use that time to prepare myself to wake up, maybe stretch out a little bit.

Tip: Get an alarm clock that only snoozes when you stand on it. Check out one that works great here.

2. Brush teeth

This has to be the first thing I do in the morning….

3. Drink Water

Starting the day by having a glass of water on an empty stomach has loads of benefits. It gets you feeling hydrated and also makes it easier for your body to absorb the nutrients from the food you eat throughout the day. Since I get headaches often this is a nonnegotiable for me. Once I started drinking a lot more water throughout the day my headaches subsided. If you’re someone who needs time markers to stay on track with drinking water I would recommend this water bottle. I personally use this water bottle  and just make it a goal to drink two before lunch and two before dinner. I try to drink one after dinner as well.

4. Stretch

This is different than the in bed stretching I do. During this part of my morning I sit on a yoga mat (click for my favorite)  and go through a sequence of stretches. I stretch my legs, arms, back, and neck. This helps me to keep from getting tight during the day and reduces some stresses I may have about the day ahead.

5. Exercise

Whether you have 10 minutes or 1 hour, get a little cardio in to get your heart rate up. I exercise for about 20 minutes every morning. I try to switch up what I do during that time. I bought a little miniature trampoline that I will jump on which is one of the more fun exercises I do. Some days I will go on a run or turn on an exercise video (I really like YouTubing Zumba workouts).

You can get a mini trampoline for less than $25 here!

6. Start Brewing Up the Coffee

Just brew, don’t drink it quite yet. Continue to next step until coffee is done.

6. Play with Your Pet! (Skip if you don’t have a pet (obviously)).

What can get you feeling more positive than with a play time session with your furry loved one? I work from home now so my dogs and I have a lot of time together. It is sometimes easy to get so deep into work that they don’t get much attention so I try to be intentional about playing with them in the mornings. This is nice too because it wears them out so they are quiet while I work.

7. Pour Some Coffee

Ah yes, it is finally time to pour the beloved glass of coffee. I honestly can’t think of a better feeling than that first sip of coffee in the morning. It seriously gives me the shivers I love it so much. About 3 months ago I weened myself off the creamer and am back to drinking black coffee. I would highly recommend drinking it this way. First of all, it’s healthier…secondly, its cheaper! The reason I quit the cream is because I realized how much money I was spending on it! Take a look below:

• $5 creamer (lasts a week) (mine is a little more pricey due to it being the dairy free kind)
• Multiply by 4 (4 weeks in a month)
• Multiply by 12 (12 months in a year)

$5 x 4 = $20             $20 x 12 = $240!!!

That is $240 I am saving per year! I know that doesn’t sound like a lot but if you add up all of the frivolous things you buy the yearly savings really add up. That $240 could pay my car taxes at the end of the year.

8. Get Ready

This is the part of the day you do the stuff you need to do such as get dressed, fix your hair, etc.. Working from home the past few months I have realized that I HAVE to get ready for the day. Even though I can wear pajamas all day I still feel better and more productive if I get myself ready.

9. Reward Yourself

Once you are ready and have completed all of the steps to a proper and refreshing morning routine, give yourself a little reward. My reward is to give myself a little time to watch TV. I am pretty much obsessed with “The Office” and have seen every episode at least 13 times. Knowing I can watch an episode of “The Office” pushes me to keep going in my routine. If I take too long on something or sleep in I won’t have time for a full episode. That is always the goal for me….to have enough time for a full office episode.

10. Get Breakfast

Lastly, get yourself some breakfast!  Some people skip breakfast and that works for some people and diet plans but I need it to energize me until lunch time. I try to switch up what I eat for breakfast so I don’t get too bored with it. Some examples of easy, healthy, on the go breakfasts consist of:

• Cliff Bar
• Larabar
• Smoothie (banana, spinach, pineapple, almond milk, ice, protein powder)
• Protein shake

…And there you have it! A consistent morning routine that doesn’t take a huge amount of your time but makes a huge impact on your day. Waking up just a little earlier can actually make you feel more energized and positive throughout the day because you are starting the day off right. Let me know if you have tried this routine and how it has worked for you!