There’s lots of buzz about morning routines and morning habits to help you become a more productive and successful person.
Some people claim that you must wake up at 5am in order to be successful. Personally, I disagree.
My most productive work hours are in the afternoon. It doesn’t matter how many self-help books I read, how early I go to bed, or how many times I force myself to wake up before the sun. My brain still doesn’t turn on until 11am.
So I’m not here to tell you that you have to wake up at 5am, do an hour workout, read for 30 minutes, and do a handful of other things that just feel overwhelming to you.
I’m actually giving you permission to do less!
I believe in simplifying my life by simplifying my daily habits.
When we create simple, achievable habits, we’re much more likely to follow through!
This list of morning habits isn’t rules you have to live by. And I don’t intend it as another thing you have to do everyday.
These are simply the things that I do every morning to jump start my health and my productivity throughout the rest of the day!
DON’T PRESS SNOOZE
I know, every list of morning habits starts with this tip. But seriously, pressing snooze doesn’t do anything positive for you!
First, it tells your brain that you can’t do hard things (yes, getting out of bed is a hard thing!)
And second, it doesn’t leave you feeling any more rested! In fact, “snoozing” just messes with your circadian rhythm leaving you MORE tired!
I actually recommend keeping your alarm clock / phone out of reach to eliminate the temptation to press snooze.
NO PHONE
Most people sleep with their phone right beside their head, and it’s the very first thing they look at when they open their eyes!
One day I’ll write an entire blog post just on all the reasons this is a bad idea : EMF exposure, mental health, blue light that disrupts sleep cycle, stress of constant connection, time waster, destroys intimacy, etc.
My husband and I have a no phone policy in our bedroom and charge them in the living room. We even bought a real alarm clock!
When I wake up in the morning, I try not to touch my phone for at LEAST the first 30-60 minutes that I’m awake. My ringtone is on, so if there was a true emergency that person would call me.
My texts, emails, Instagram DMs, etc do not deserve the prime real estate of the first minutes of my day! Once I accomplish the rest of my morning habits, I allow myself to quickly check my phone.
If there’s anything I hope you take from this post, I hope it’s to stop looking at your phone the second you wake up!
MAKE YOUR BED
I know, you just rolled your eyes. I don’t believe that you’re going to fail at life if you don’t make your bed. I don’t even believe that making your bed does anything magical for the rest of your day.
However, I do love a tidy home. Making my bed right away takes 30 seconds and makes me happy every time I see it for the rest of the day!
Plus, I can NOT sleep in an unmade bed with my sheets all twisted up. So at some point during the day I know I’ll have to make it anyway.
PLAN THE DAY
Planning the day is key to having a productive + fulfilling day. Instead of writing a 37 item to-do list, decide on your top 3 priorities. The 3 things that are the most important that day. You can always add to the list after you’ve completed those – but this method will make you feel accomplished at the end of the day!
I’ve tried approximately 21458 different planners, and just wasn’t loving any of them. So, I made my own printable weekly planner!
I love it so much that I’ve decided to share it with you. You can sign up for my email list (Don’t worry I won’t spam you!!) to receive your free printable copy.
ACV SHOT
An apple cider vinegar shot may or may not be something you’ve heard of! This is newer to my morning habits and was actually recommended to me by my holistic doctor.
I add about 1 tsp of ACV and the juice from 1/4 of a lemon to a glass with water. Some people do a full glass of water, but I prefer to just add enough for a shot.
I’m not going to lie, this is nasty. But it has so many health benefits! I plan on writing a post soon all about the health benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar!
This is the brand I buy which includes the “mother”.
SUPPLEMENTS
I’m a firm believer in supplementing for our health. Unfortunately the reality is that our food is depleted of the minerals & vitamins we need.
I take several vitamins daily including a probiotic, multi-vitamin, magnesium, iron, vitamin B, C and D. Always consult with your doctor or health practitioner.
I’ve made supplements one of my morning habits so that I don’t forget about it during the day!
WATER
If you know me at all, you’ll know that I swear by drinking tons of water!
I drink at least 90oz throughout the day, but I always try to drink my first 30oz water bottle within the first hour or so of being awake!
SCRIPTURE
Reading scripture every day has always been a hard morning habit hard for me to stick to. But it’s the one that makes the largest impact in my day!
Starting my day slowly, reflecting on the Word of God has been the best for me.
Instead of spending my first minutes away on my phone, responding to other people’s needs and demands this allows me to spend that time with Jesus.
Even if you aren’t religious, you can adopt this practice and read something that will encourage you throughout your day!
MOVEMENT
The last one of my daily morning habits is movement. I actually prefer doing a real workout in the afternoon, but I do walk my dog every morning!
I like to go for my walk later in the morning once it’s had a chance to warm up (It rarely gets hot where I live, even in the summer).
There are so many physical and mental health benefits of moving every single day, but specifically in the morning!
I hope you feel inspired by these morning habits and will adopt at least one of them into your own morning routine!
