How to Create the Perfect Morning Routine

Having a morning routine is so essential. A morning routine simplifies your mornings and sets the tone for the rest of your day. I’ve talked about my own morning routine before, but a lot has changed in a year. I am no longer working from home. I am a full-time stay-at-home mom and a blogger on the side now, and my family’s schedule looks completely different, but I’m not really here to talk about my routine today.

I wanted to write this updated post because looking back, I realized that my previous post may have only been applicable to a certain type of person (i.e. a working mom) and while I truly believe a morning routine is essential for everyone, it’s not necessary that we all have the same routine. What is perfect for one person may not be perfect for the next. So today I’m laying out how to create the perfect morning routine for you. Let’s get into it!

1 | Adjust your mindset

I think the prevailing mindset when it comes to our mornings is that we need to make them as productive as possible. I disagree. I don’t believe the mornings need to be a time where you’re focused on getting as much done as possible. Instead, a good morning routine should be a tool to ease yourself into your day, connect with God, tend to your own emotional and mental needs, and get you prepped to tackle your goals for the day. Basically, we have to think less about “productivity” and more along the lines of “self-care”.

2 | Identify what’s important to you

I’ll never forget when I tried to incorporate working out into my morning routine. It was an epic fail. It wasn’t because I didn’t care about exercise; it’s that I didn’t care enough about it for it to be a priority as soon as I woke up. Exercise was a chore and it drained me, so I moved it out of my morning routine to a time later in the day. For me personally, spending time with God is important to me and it absolutely refreshes me. Therefore, I prioritize prayer, worship, and Bible study as part of my mornings.

What is important for you to make sure you handle first thing in the morning? Is it getting some reading time in? Praying and studying your Bible? Journaling or crafting? Whatever is important and meaningful to you that fills your cup, incorporate that into your morning routine.

3 | Make it pleasurable

What kind of environment are you excited to step into? Think about what kind of atmosphere makes you feel refreshed, spoiled a bit, and relaxed.

For some people, it’s all about the smells. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee or a fragrant candle may put them on cloud nine. For others, it’s the sounds (ex: soft music or the sound of a motivational message being taught). Still, others might find pleasure in bundling up under a plush blanket while drinking coffee or tea.

Whatever it is that tantalizes your senses, incorporate it into your morning routine! If you know you have a nice experience waiting for you when you get out of bed, you’re much less likely to keep hitting that snooze button. Furthermore, it begins your day from a place of pleasure and satisfaction, boosting your mood before you have to dive into the nitty-gritty details of the day.

4 | Make it purposeful

While your morning routine should be about taking care of yourself and indulging a bit, it should also push you closer to your goals. Use your morning routine to review your goals and strategize for the day. It’s best to do this in the morning when you’re at a place of rest and filling yourself up, so you’re thinking about your goals from a place of clarity rather than trying to formulate a plan after you’re already knee-deep in the day.

I like to take out my planner and review my tasks for that day. I ask God to help me prioritize all that I have to do, as well as give me the grace to handle every task. I then create a list of 3-4 of my top priorities for the day and craft a loose schedule for when I’ll get everything done.

5 | Prepare for it

The secret to a great morning routine is a solid evening routine. Part of your evening routine should include preparing for the morning.

If your morning routine consists of Bible study, the night before you should pull out your Bible, journal, pens, highlighters, and any other materials you’ll need. Pull out your coffee mug, your candle, your favorite blanket, etc so you won’t have to scramble to find them when you wake up.

Another big part of preparing for your morning routine is to make sure you get enough sleep the night before. You want to make sure you go to bed early enough to actually wake up in time to do your morning routine. There’s nothing worse than waking up late and having to skip your whole routine because you didn’t go to sleep early enough the night before.

The Perfect Routine for You

The perfect morning routine for you won’t look like anyone else’s because, well, it’s yours. You don’t have to model your mornings after anyone else and you don’t have to pressure yourself to be at peak performance as soon as you wake up. Rather, you can use your mornings as a way to nurture your relationship with God, connect with your goals, and set the rest of your day up for success all while taking care of you in the process.