Morning Routine Ideas to Energize Your Day

We’ve all heard how a morning routine can affect your day. Experts in mental health praise routines and the most successful people on Earth swear by them! But let’s be honest: a lot of us don’t consider ourselves “morning people”. And for all the benefits it might offer, setting up a morning routine can feel like a massive struggle.

If you’ve been grappling with mornings, we’re here to tell you that no, you’re not lazy, and no, you’re not doomed to hate mornings. A morning routine that jumpstarts your day is absolutely attainable. It may just be a matter of finding what works for you, as well as what doesn’t. In this article, we’re going to show you energizing morning routine ideas that’ll set you up for success, and how to overcome what’s hindering it.

Here are 11 helpful morning routine ideas to kickstart your morning and boost daily wellness!

#1: Open Your Blinds
If your mom ever opened your bedroom blinds to get you out of bed, she had the right idea! As it turns out, sunlight suppresses melatonin production, which helps us wake up faster.

#2: Ignore Your Phone for the First 30 Minutes
Ever find yourself lingering in bed because you were scrolling through your phone? Ditch that distraction by ignoring your phone for the first 30 minutes of your morning.

#3: Use a Face Mist Right When You Wake Up
When your skin needs extra waking up, but you don’t want the mess of splashing water in your face, a face mist is a gentle, simple way to depuff and refresh.

#4: Make Your Bed Before Leaving Your Room
Sometimes, we just need a quick win early in the day. Making your bed first thing in the morning is always a great start.

#5: Play Music That Puts You In a Good Mood
If you’re feeling a little cranky in the morning, try to ease yourself into a better mood with some feel-good, easy listening music.

#6: Pick Up Dirty Clothes From Your Bedroom Floor
When our sleeping space is tidy, the whole day feels a little better. So, whenever you have the time, try to pick up dirty clothes off the floor and toss them in the hamper!

#7: Spend Some Time Outdoors
As mentioned in idea #1, sunlight helps us wake up, but fresh air can do wonders as well! When weather permits, try stepping outdoors in the morning for a few quick breaths.

#8: Make a Quick Gratitude List
Whether it’s in a notebook or on the bathroom mirror, keeping track of the good things in life is wonderful for promoting a positive outlook for the day.

#9: Take 10 Minutes to Breathe and Stretch
Not all of us have time for an entire yoga vinyasa. However, taking 10 minutes to breathe and stretch in the morning will help get the blood flowing for the day.

#10: Opt for Something Fresh
Breakfast is always a great idea. To upgrade it, try boosting your morning meal with something fresh, whether it’s a fruit, vegetable, or favorite beverage.

#11: Hydrate
By the time you wake up in the morning, your body’s gone without water for hours. Make sure to drink up and replenish!

Maybe you’ve been trying to find some morning routine ideas you can stick with. But what happens when your days still feel drowsy and low-energy? Here are a few factors that might be defeating your morning routine.

Too Much Snooze
We all love the snooze button. For some of us, it feels like our only friend in the morning. But, as it turns out, the snooze button might actually be more of an enemy.

According to experts, that 8-10 minute snooze period can put us in what’s known as “fragmented sleep”. That’s when we’re pulled out of REM (rapid eye movement), and it can impede our ability to function throughout the day ahead.

But if you struggle to spring out of bed, try setting two alarms: one for when you wake up, and also one for 90 minutes before that. The idea behind this is that 90 minutes is enough time to give yourself a full REM stage while better preparing you for wake-up.

Not Enough Movement
As humans, we’re designed to use our muscles and burn energy. When we don’t, we feel sluggish, sedentary, and in low spirits.

While it may be hard in the beginning, morning exercise could be just the thing for a more upbeat morning. And you don’t have to jog 5 miles, either. A quick walk, 30 minutes on an elliptical, or even some jumping jacks can make for great morning exercise.

Over-Caffeinating
This may sound bizarre, but yes: too much coffee might be leaving us feeling more heavy-eyed in the long run. Now, we’re certainly not saying you need to abandon your coffee, because it possesses a variety of benefits. However, drinking less coffee might actually do you more favors throughout the day. Try using a smaller mug in the morning and limiting your daily intake.