Be honest, how smooth are your mornings? Do you wake up smiling to the sunshine peeking into your bedroom window, stretch happily as you are eager to start your day, walk into the kitchen and grab an already brewed cup of coffee and prepare to make pancakes, bacon, and eggs? No. I already know you don’t. And if you do, you don’t belong anywhere near this blog post other than to leave your words of wisdom in the comments so we can all learn from you.

But more than likely, your mornings are groggy, unorganized, frustrating, and sometimes late. What if I told you that you could actually enjoy your mornings by building a routine? It’s not going to be like that crazy robot human I described above, but it won’t suck as much as it does now. I’ve been practicing morning and evening routines for over a year now, and I can safely say I’ll never go back to my old life.

Why You Need A Morning Routine

Less Stress
Better Clarity
Improved Memory
Crushed To-Do Lists
Better Productivity At Work
Feeling Of Stability
Avoid The Feeling Of Giving Your Kids To Your Parents Forever

I know, I know. These are tiny little benefits you’ll barely even notice, right? {Sarcasm alert!} With wins like these, why wouldn’t you want a morning routine?

What Should Your Routine Include?

You Time
Planning
Preparation

You Time

Starting with something you actually enjoy and feel good about doing sets your entire mood for the whole day. This is the time to be selfish, even even if it’s just for a few minutes. Think meditation, a quick yoga sesh, coffee in your favorite chair, or reading an article in a magazine. I usually take 15 minutes of me-time every single day and switch up my activities to keep things from feeling scheduled and boring.

Planning

The best way to make it through your day without a full-on mental breakdown is to have a plan. It’s so important to know what’s going on and have a gameplan of how you’ll pull it all off. After your 15 minutes of relaxation, it’s time to make plan your day. You can use a planner, an app, or even just a large sticky note. Whatever works for you. Make sure you include anything and everything that comes to mind, like appointments, commitments, dinner menu, phone calls to make, bills to pay, and goals to accomplish.

Preparation

This is where that big feeling of success starts to kick in. Sure you can plan all morning long, but without a little prep work, time is going to get away from you and before you know it, it’s 9:00 and you’re just getting to the kitchen to make dinner. By doing small tasks now, you’ll make your entire day easier. For example, you’ve already planned your dinner, so go ahead and grab the (shelf stable) ingredients and put them on the counter together. (Bonus, this deters you from ordering takeout if you’re feeling lazy later.) Or you can empty the clean dishes from the dishwasher so dirty dishes don’t pile up in the sink all day. It’s all about helpful jumpstarts to keep you on track.

Your Turn!

Do you follow an evening routine to wind down? I’d love to hear what you do! Share your own experiences or thoughts on adopting new habits in the comments below.

Need Help?

I’ve taken all the hard work out of the equation and created a routine planning worksheet you can print out and use to build your own schedule. It’s totally free to download and walks you through the entire process. You can get your copy by entering your email address below.

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How To Create A Productive Morning Routine

Why You Need A Morning Routine